Horse Sense and Cents

Looking for blogs worth a read? Here are our picks for today:

Horse wellness blog

http://sreinhold.wordpress.com

Stephanie Reinhold provides a tremendous amount of detail in terms that even a layman can understand on the anatomy of the horse, how what we do impacts the horse’s movement and health, techniques for relieving tightness, stress or discomfort and just about anything you may not have considered in how you may be hurting your horse. She provides tips for ensuring tack fits properly (her recent post on how blankets can hurt horses was an eye-opener) and a ton of useful information on the mechanics of the equine and how we may unknowingly be compromising his free-flowing movement. If you truly want to learn, this is a blog you should visit often.

What horses can teach you about leadership

http://www.thealphamare.wordpress.com

This blog is the antithesis of Reinhold’s, offering a chatty personal experience log of time spent watching the horse herd with some applications to human hierarchies, but Laura Hunter does it in an engaging way that provides some useful applications. If you’re looking for a quick and sometimes relevant connection to what you may be facing in your human interactions as it applies to horses, she provides some insight you may appreciate.

General how-to on working with horses

http://prettyponypastures.wordpress.com

I hesitate to even mention this blog because it hasn’t been updated recently (the latest post was October 2009), but there’s some good information presented in a fun and applicable manner. Hosted by a therapeutic riding center, there’s good information here for anyone who enjoys horses.  Linda Watson provides good pictures that demonstrate activities along with brief, relevant and interesting posts.

Good example of some creative blog strategies

http://www.lessordinaryliving.com/

This blog has nothing to do with horses, but provides quick (he even indicates at the top of the blog the read time – usually under three minutes), introspective and positive messages that do resonate with the wiring of many horse lovers minds. Mostly focused on self awareness, development and inspirational ideas, Phil Bolton offers a good example of a smart blog strategy for any industry. If you own a horse business, this blog is worth checking out because it offers some great creative presentation strategies that could appeal to your market.

If you haven’t had a lot of experience with horses moving into your stable, or even if you have, there are some simple things you can do to ease the transition for the new arrival as well as you and your existing herd.

1. If possible, find out the grain type and amount being fed at the prior barn. It’s best to slowly introduce a horse to new feeds, so if you can buy some of the former feed and transition over to your choice, this will help reduce the risk of colic. If you do not know what the horse was eating, it’s better to start with low amounts and increase over time rather than risk foundering a horse that is not used to a lot of grain.
2. See if a few bales of hay can be sent with the horse. This way you can introduce him to your hay over time.
3. Figure out turnout arrangements prior to the horse’s arrival. Usually it’s best, if you’re going to be turning the horse out with others, to pick one horse to test their behavior and temperament that will be firm but fair if they get aggressive.  If possible, introduce a new horse to a herd adding one horse at a time.
4. Horses that are not accustomed to grass need to be introduced to it slowly. If you will be eventually turning a horse new to your facility out on acreage where good quality and ample grass is readily available, start with ½ hour of grazing and increase daily by ½ – ¾ of an hour each day until you reach six hours.
5. Have an area on your property where you can isolate new arrivals for about two weeks to ensure they are not carrying illness into the barn that can be spread to others. At least one horse should be in this area with them so as not to add stress to their move, but it’s best to keep them away from the rest of the horses in the barn when possible.
6. Get vet records on the horse to determine when he was vaccinated and any other issues that have been a factor that you should be aware of.
7. Determine when the horse was wormed, when his teeth were last checked and when his feet were trimmed/shod.
8. Be clear about what fees will be covered by the owner and when payment is expected. It’s best to have a written contract, but this isn’t always feasible.
9. Discuss barn rules prior to arrival if the owner will be coming to care for or ride the horse. Also, have safety policies in place that are enforced to ensure riders, horses and property are protected.  Equine liability insurance is advisable in any situation where you will be allowing others to handle horses on your property.
10. Keep a close eye on the new horse initially to determine his normal behavior and be able to recognize quickly if something is wrong.

Bringing a new horse into the barn can be an exciting time, especially for the small operation that doesn’t see a lot of traffic. It can also be a nightmare. If you have a good plan in place to address potential challenges before they occur, though, life should be easier for all involved.

With the proliferation of social media and instant global networking, it seems every day there’s another opinion-driven outcry concerning what others shouldn’t be doing with horses. Unfortunately, most who support a pitch crafted to incite rarely take the time to understand the issues. This tends to be the case with any politically motivated activity (and regrettably, often those also designated to serve and appointed or elected to decide the fate of others), but it’s grabbing hold of the equine industry with a vengeance and should be cause for pause. Sadly, many fixated on the rallying cry don’t even have contact with horses, or in many cases, the equine industry.

There are usually at least three sides to a story – the opposing arguments (count that as two) and the truth.

Look before you leap

Any time a niche industry invites government regulation or assistance (read uneducated interference), there are negative ramifications that most don’t envision. Costs escalate. Who considers compliance demands, added operational difficulties, deep pocket influencers with their own agenda and the huge hit to efficiency in supporting client desires when they scream for intervention? Certainly not the masses who have no horse in the race, so to speak.

Over time, the rules put in place are completely counter-productive to the aim of the action. Just take a look at what’s going on with farming in US as an example of subsidies gone very wrong. Purported to help sustain the family farmer, federal and state policies are literally levelling generational, privately-owned farms (and our agricultural heritage and resources), while supporting corporate facilities and/or the city slicker with a savvy CPA.

It is always amazing to see a politician call a press conference to boast about how generous he’s been in securing money for us. It’s our money he’s spending so liberally – without our consent!

The horse industry and horse lovers have specific interests and issues that cannot be effectively addressed by legislation governed by a body of people who may only know a horse “as seen on TV.”

What cause did you join today?

Did you ask the government to take action concerning the BML mustangs? How’s that going for you?

Are you screaming to have the government intervene to keep the band of horses running free in Florida? Have you considered what happens to these horses when they are injured or sick? How about the fact that these are domesticated animals that may have actually enjoyed the job they were doing?

What about the multitude of Human Society hysterics over the cruel practice of hunting, carriage driving in NYC, leaving horses free (so they can starve to death) and, now it seems, allowing horses to be domesticated (they already are – we’re no longer dealing with an animal that is equipped or genetically programmed to return to an unfettered life and most seem to want to work with kind humans).

Are you lobbying the government to divert funds to maintain horse access to public land? Careful what you wish for here as it may come back to bite you.

Are you scrutinizing and reporting your neighbor’s apparent abuse while you toss your horse over to a boarding barn that “takes care of him” while you’re too busy to engage him in an interesting activity and/or give him attention? Have you considered how that behavior may be hurting your horse?

Have you bothered to take the time to learn about the cause you are supporting by seeking out contrary opinions and making a decision based on knowledge vs. hype?

Bring the heart strings home

Before you leap into the fray demanding that others consider the horse, try listening to yours. If you pay attention, they’ll tell you what they want, and it’s rarely what you suspect. Most horses, when given a chance to be understood, will jump at the chance to get engaged in a job they enjoy. If you’ve picked the wrong career for him or are not effective at striving for communications both ways, care for him enough to let him shine with a better match and go get a made horse already prepared and willing to do what you want (or an instructor, or trainer who can help you reach your mount).

Have you really looked at your horse lately? Is he bored? Overweight? Underweight? Frustrated? Difficult? Dull-coated? Cranky? Ill? Consider allocating some of the time you spend pushing causes that other’s propose closer to home by getting to know your horse better and listening to what he’s trying to tell you.

If you’re still intent on spending majority time arguing other people’s causes, at least get educated. Before you trumpet a message to the masses to get their equine house in order, take the time to research contrary opinions and the possible outcomes of your call for mandates.

It’s troubling that so much time and effort is devoted toward bandwagon efforts to control  the horse industry when so many horses are being neglected or misunderstood at the homes of those who are quick to condemn but slow to see.  Go hug your horse tonight and maybe you’ll learn more from that simple act about what horses really need from you than you ever imagined.

Sneak Peak excerpt from Turning Challenging Horses into Willing Partners. Due for public release in 2010.

Red

Red came to us after having been “broke” by a girl who had little experience and less heart. She gave up after this four-year-old filly began flipping immediately following her hopping in the saddle. Apparently this went on for awhile, and this steed learned she could immediately and successfully end the lesson

with this strategy.

We spent some time on the ground with Red, as it was apparent she needed some preliminary guidance that had been skipped. We also wanted to establish communication benchmarks. She was actually responsive and compliant when we proceeded to under-saddle lessons in the round pen. Once we moved out of the confines and routine of this space, however, the flipping penchant resurfaced. In this case, we were able to step off as she went past perpendicular and hop back into the saddle while she was still on the ground, staying with her as she returned to her feet. That was the last time she flipped.

We had another week or so of good progress with this filly before her behavior deteriorated, and this time, she decided to lay down after we stirruped up. She was flat out on the ground and wouldn’t move. We sat on her neck (this is usually referred to as sitting on their heads, but that’s not really where you want to put your weight – horses cannot get up without their head and neck to use for momentum and the back of the neck is the safest place to be for both you and your horse) to immobilize her with a strategy designed to discourage this behavior in the future.

Horses tend to panic when they can’t get up and trapping an intentional flipper immediately generally teaches these horses to never go there again. She didn’t care. Red lay there, on the ground, perfectly content being stuck. This was a first. There was something really wrong with this filly. We didn’t have

enough information to determine if there was some major underlying physical problem that was causing this behavior (she traveled sound and seemed to be unencumbered by pain, but we didn’t dig too deep) or if she just had a major screw loose.

Either way, this was one of the few we quickly determined was best to toss back. We called the owners and admitted defeat.

They decided to forgo any future starting attempts and bred her instead. We’ll let someone else tackle that progeny beauty when it’s time to start riding lessons.

There’s been a recent barrage of messages lately through blogs, online forums, DVDs and other platforms that lambaste those who use tactics that ignore the horse’s needs. Of course, most of these directives are worded in a techie fashion that excludes the neediest novices from the conversation. It’s also interesting that some of the more vocal horse advocates are rude to the people who chime in with limited understanding and questions in an effort to learn. It kind of makes you wonder how they really handle a confused or green horse when no one is looking (and sometimes, even when they have an audience). When it comes to horses, though, anyone who professes a single right answer to a challenge may benefit from some basic observation and the associated horse sense it generates – provided they’re open to learning.

What’s a horse novice to do?

That’s the beauty of the uninitiated equine enthusiast – and the danger. They’re sponges for knowledge and easily influenced by messages that seem to offer easy answers, but may be designed with a profit motive in mind that doesn’t serve either the horse or handler. It’s sad that some who may have the knowledge and the willingness to share what they’ve learned over decades of kind approaches to horse interaction make their words so esoteric, the most eager learners flee feeling too ignorant to grasp the ideas being offered or fearful of being judged  if they join the conversation. Those who really want to help the horse should consider how their buzz words and platforms designed to impress their peers alienate those they claim to want to help.

Let horses teach you

Horses are great at communicating – if you know how to listen. It’s hard for anyone who hasn’t had a good deal of experience with a variety of horses to be able to read what a horse is trying to tell you. Often, it’s equally hard for someone who’s learned to reach horses in a subliminal fashion to express to others how they do it. Sometimes, it seems those who hide behind words and concepts too abstract for the most basic learners to understand do so intentionally to hide their failings.

Draw from the experience of those willing to speak your language

So, how can the novice begin to learn how to structure a plan to consider the horse? Spend time watching your horse and seeing how he reacts to what you do. Mix it up and carefully observe what he responds to with eager enthusiasm. Try to find people you trust who speak to you in terms that are clear with an approach that is flexible and responsive to your horse’s learning and performance preferences. Seek out those who are able to express ideas in simple terms, and willing to demonstrate, graphically, how certain actions influence the horse’s behavior. Ask people who are getting good results and building great relationships with their horses how they did it – and see if you can observe them in action. Use your head on what seems right and fair and where tactics designed to create a compliant horse may not make a happy horse.

The truly successful are humble

Some of the most successful human leaders in the world are humble, accessible and able to speak to anyone of any status or education as a respected and appreciated peer in a language that is easy for them to process and implement. The same holds true for those working with horses in a stand-out fashion. Those who use communications to dominate, impress, posture, separate and/or put others in a place below their status are suspect – both when it comes to human and horse communications. Learning should be fun for all involved and those who can make it easy for both the horse and human to understand, implement and embrace are special.  Sometimes they lurk in the most unexpected places. Finding someone with truly selfless motives where both you and your horse are concerned (and some of these people may charge for their knowledge – but it’s clear early on that it’s not about profit, but satisfaction in improving the experience for both you and your horse) is a joy. If you haven’t discovered such a resource yet, keep looking. They’re out there.

Turning Challenging Horses into Willing Partners due for public release in 2010. Discounted bulk pre-publication orders now being taken.

Chapter Eight

Sometimes they’re just plain crazy

On occasion, you really do find yourself burdened with a nut. While preliminary bad breaking definitely exacerbates problems, when you strip it all down and finally get past the baggage, there are times you must admit that the horse you’re working with is simply just not right in the head. Interestingly, these critters can be very predictable in what sets them off, but how they react is never a given. Surprisingly, they can usually handle distractions and circumstances that should make a sane horse blow, but freak out with stuff that shouldn’t be a concern.

Crazy horses rarely give you an opportunity to completely relax. There will always be issues that make them occasionally frustrating and often dangerous. Horses that are totally governed by fear rarely consider their own welfare when reacting, and this is a common trait of equines who are nuts. Mean horses are always limited with what they will do by a self-preservation instinct, making them at least predictable in how far they will go. Not so with crazy horses. They’ll crash through fences, impale themselves, flip, run off on unsafe ground, and have occasions when they go deaf, blind, and oblivious to immovable objects that cross their panicked path, while reacting to ghosts in ways that make no sense.

Sometimes, you’ll encounter a psycho that has so much talent it seems worth the effort. Usually, it isn’t. Still, we’ve had some success with crazies, and some failures too. Most, ultimately, leave you shaking your head on the time and money spent to get them two strides forward and ten steps back, wondering if the sanity issue extends beyond your equine’s behavior and if there’s a white jacket in your size.

While it seems prudent to try to recover your investment, sometimes it’s best to cut your losses. Time and money gone is just plain lost — and putting good money after bad is rarely a good idea.

If you’re determined to proceed, the anecdotes below may help guide you in your quest.

Flash — hurdler extraordinaire

Flash was a narrow, five-year-old, 15.1-hand Thoroughbred that somehow wound up as a lesson horse at an area riding stable. He was a terror with students, running off at will and occasionally unseating the brave kids who dared to try to conquer him. One of our former riding instructors asked us to take a look at this horse. She was considering buying him. He was deemed unsuitable as a lesson horse (imagine that) and was on the block. We hopped on him in the arena, and after a brief flatwork primer, pointed him at a 2’6” line (there was something about this horse that squealed natural talent over fences). He cleared the fences easily, correctly, and with a ton of finesse. He had never jumped. We leapt off immediately and said “buy him.”

She didn’t, and we landed the prize for $500.

The next three years netted unimaginable nightmares. We figured he had just been mishandled, poorly started, and conditioned to react inappropriately. Certainly, with patient and skilled guidance, he’d transform into a cooperative steed. We were wrong.

We’d spend minutes or hours working with this horse one day, progressing to a new understanding, only to find those lessons not only lost but problems magnified by the next day.

Compounding the frustration was the fact that this horse would willingly clear jumps of any size placed before him, but was out of control after hurdling the fence, not to mention during flat exercises. We progressed to the point where we were competing in events, and if we didn’t get eliminated in dressage (this was a common occurrence — he had no qualms about hopping over the arena perimeter, particularly when the judges used a horse trailer for shelter), we were sure to go clean during cross-country and stadium, almost always finishing in the ribbons. Consequently,

we were thrilled if we were able to complete the first phase. We were also convinced his incredible talent over fences made it worth the temporary embarrassment and extreme frustration borne while we worked through his issues.

Sneak Peak excerpt from Turning Challenging Horses into Willing Partners. Due for public release in 2010.

Horse Sense for sour equines

• Rule out physical issues that may be causing pain and the horse’s associated frustration in his failure to communicate.

• Do not continue to push a sore horse, or you will only make him sourer and could turn him mean. Give him the help and the time required to heal prior to resuming training.

• Figure out whether routine or varied activities are the preference of your sour horse and give him what makes him happiest.

• Be patient, flexible, and accommodating with a sour horse when their behavior is justified. Conversely, if you’ve taught a horse to be sour by rewarding bad behavior, resolve to stop the pattern or get some help.

• Try getting a horse out of the routine with some fun activities, trail rides, and long walks if his sour behavior is likely due to too much of the same grind. Some sour horses will bounce back pretty quickly once relieved of the drill that has made them bored and cranky.

• It is rarely effective to discipline a sour horse for his behavior. If a horse has come to resent riding, punishing them aboard only reinforces this conviction. Instead, try finding an easy activity they enjoy and rewarding them for their cooperation. Once you’ve gained a rapport, reintroduce them to the discipline training in lighter doses and with greater rewards for their achievements.

• Horses that have turned sour rarely become standout competitors (unless you change their career to something they learn to enjoy), nor fun pleasure horses. If your aim is to put them back into the routine that created their sour nature (unless this is due to pain you address and correct), you are likely to be disappointed. Consider a different project.

• Find some riding activity that’s really fun for your sour horse and reward him with this after every positive response to a lesson (this could be trail riding, jumping, riding with a companion horse, going fast, going slow, a long rein, a swim in a pond – each horse is different and you need to figure out what makes your horse happiest).

• Know when to call it quits. Sour horses are some of the toughest to turn and sometimes there is no reward for the effort. If you come to hate riding or working with this horse, it may be time to say goodbye. Quality of life (yours and theirs) is something worth considering with these projects.

Chapter Seven

Turning a sour mount

There are a number of circumstances that can make a mount

sour. One who has been drilled too hard in the arena and given

little opportunity to relax in different surroundings can often

be transformed by backing off of the flatwork and jumping.

Simply choosing a varied routine that gets them fit and supple

on the trails or in other new and interesting environments can

quickly improve your mount’s attitude. If your horse is sore and

hasn’t been forced to the point of resenting the mere appearance

of a rider, giving him time off to heal and adopting a subsequent

sensitivity to their pain can work wonders. Some horses

are inadvertently taught to refuse. If there’s been a pattern of

curtailing every lesson as soon as the horse starts acting surly

toward requests, this behavior will escalate, and the horse will

object more frequently and dramatically to even simple tasks.

These equines can usually be corrected with the aid of a seasoned

and clever trainer, but this will often require that you

watch on the sidelines initially, proceeding with closely monitored

riding lessons after the horse is sufficiently schooled to

discourage this behavior.

If you’re dealing with a horse that has learned to resent with a

vengeance the competitive arena for which they were intended,

however, it might be time to find another project. While turning

these animals to a point where they get the job done is possible,

they’re generally not very much fun to work with or be around.

Plus, their attitudes leave them performing short of their potential.

If they’ve turned mean, they add a considerable degree of

danger to the mix. Mean horses that have learned that violence

and refusal is their only recourse for avoiding pain are almost

impossible to completely turn. You can make a lot of progress

with them and often diffuse much of the mean behavior, but

if they are sour and have been taught that belligerence is their

only relief, they may be tough to tackle.

With any sour horse, it’s important to be creative and responsive

in how you approach the training and communication

regimen.

Studley

All deemed Studley a lost cause, except his insightful, reticent

trainer who wasn’t ready to admit defeat with this horse and

his green owners, who were enamored by the idea of having a

racehorse stallion. The moment he arrived, we began to question

our creative capabilities with this monster, not to mention

our sanity. As noted earlier (see Chapter Six — Turning Mean to

Green), he was a vicious stud who had a history of maiming the

humans he encountered and a quarrelsome attitude that rendered

training attempts at the track impossible. After we developed

a strategy and system that, over time, was effective at dissipating

the meanness, moving from a survival to a success focus

to address his sour nature became a priority. Ultimately, it

was clear we’d have to work around his bad attitude to get this

beast fit enough for speed training.

This post comes courtesy of Sarah McMullen, who is a super dedicated BOD member of the Irish Draught Horse Society of North America, a gutsy rider who can’t wait to get back in the saddle again after having her broken leg screwed back together and one who has served as a glowing example to reach toward for me in the way she handles difficult people with grace, accommodation and understanding.  Look her up. She’s worth getting to know.

Irish Draught Horse Society & the World Equestrian Games

By: Sarah McMullen

What’s WEG?

The World Equestrian Games (WEG) are comprised of the world championships for eight equestrian sports:  Dressage, Driving, Endurance, Eventing, Jumping, Para-Dressage, Reining, and Vaulting.  The Games are held every four years, two years prior to the Summer Olympic Games and are governed by the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI). The 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games are being held in the United States for the first time ever in its 20 year history and are being hosted at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington from September 25 to October 10, 2010.  For more information, visit www.alltechfeigames.com.

First US presence brings new initiatives

Unique to the 2010 World Equestrian Games is the Equine Village, which will be a central site that houses both exhibits from various equine organizations and a number of world class equine demonstrations and special events. The Equine Village will showcase the depth and scope of the equine industry to spectators.  Within the Equine Village will be the Irish Village, an initiative that is the brainchild of horsewoman, Fleur Bryan, intended to showcase Irish horses and vendors.

The Irish Village will spotlight native horse breeds including the Irish Draught, Irish Draught Sport Horse, Gypsy Vanner, and Connemara.  Spectators will be able to see these breeds performing Demonstrations from September 29 through October 10, 2010.  Demonstrations will be performed in the disciplines of Dressage, Jumping, Eventing, Foxhunting, and Hunter, showcasing the versatility of the Irish breeds.

For more information on the Irish Village Demonstrations, visit http://irishvillageatweg2010.blogspot.com.

Yes, the Irish love their beer, but they have a bigger Draught to boast about

The purebred Irish Draught is classified as a breed in urgent need of conservation, with declining population and genetic erosion. In the early part of the 20th century, the Irish farmer needed a more versatile horse than the popular heavy draft. He needed an animal that could work the land throughout the week, go fox-hunting all day Saturday, jumping anything he faced, and then be ready to bring the family trap to church on Sunday morning. It was from this need that the Irish Draught (pronounced “draft”) was born.

Over a century of selection has produced a warm-blooded breed that is very sound and sensible with good bone, substance and quality. The Irish Draught is neither as massive nor as heavily feathered as its name implies and has movement that is smooth and free, without exaggeration, and not heavy nor ponderous. Standing over a lot of ground, the Draught has an exceptionally strong and sound constitution, great stamina and an uncanny jumping ability. In addition, this breed possesses a fabulous temperament that’s willing, intelligent, docile and driven by common sense.

Not only is the Irish Draught a perfect companion mount for riders of all ages, but it possesses the ability and versatility to participate in various levels of jumping, eventing, dressage, hunting and driving events. It is all these exceptional qualities that make the Irish Draught an invaluable and irreplaceable element in the production of the highly successful Irish Draught Sport Horse.

The even temperament, durability and power of the Irish Draught, mixed with the speed and athleticism of the Thoroughbred, creates a potent mix which is well up to the demands of modern day competition. World famous for jumping and cross-country ability, the Irish Draught/Thoroughbred magical cross is not only a top caliber international athlete, but can serve as a perfect novice mount, adeptly boosting the confidence of a lower level rider. Notable Irish Draught Sport Horses such as Cruising, Cagney, Ado Annie, Eezy, Carling King and Hopes are High have proven shinning stars of the Grand Prix circuit.  Custom Made, Supreme Rock, Giltedge, McKinlaigh, Headly Britannia, Connaught, and Sailing have thrilled us in the eventing world.

Come experience WEG

Being able to put the spotlight on the fantastic breeds of the Irish Draught and Irish Draught Sport Horse is one of the many fantastic aspects of the World Equestrian Games. Hopefully, the hundreds of thousands of spectators at WEG will leave more educated and aware of all the horse breeds and their many talents. To read more about the Irish Draught and Irish Draught Sport Horses, visit www.irishdraught.com

Friday’s Opinion

I’m a bit on the fence about the proliferation of material being put out there that speaks with buzz words most can’t understand and a conviction that all horses are golden and any problem is human created. Many of these people have achieved a horsemanship understanding few will achieve, but seem to have lost their passion to help the deserving horse with a message most humans can grasp.

Speaking in foreign tongues

Part of me is puzzled by the fact that this new brand of “horse whisperers” refuse to speak in terms a novice (or even a seasoned professional) can understand if they’re not part of their cadre (which usually requires buying $99 DVDs or paying to access members only information on their website). Yet, they claim their passion is to save the horses from human cruelty (usually due to ignorance).  No matter how accomplished these folks may be on the horse communication front, how aptly they can demonstrate their talents and how often they waive the horse advocacy flag, I’m a bit sceptical about those who shout horse savoir while erecting barriers for the most needy.  I get everyone needs to make a living and am not a proponent of all knowledge should be free, but there’s a disconnect with these folks when they lead with a horse welfare banner and follow with all access denied if you won’t immediately pony up.

I think these folks have a lot of knowledge to share that could benefit the horse – particularly those who are challenged with novice handlers and riders. Yet, the language they use is so esoteric to most of the uninitiated, even their sales pitches are lost on this important audience. To boot, they require almost immediate payment to reveal their secrets. How’s that helping the horse?  Still, I realize some of these talented folks have made a difference in the lives of many of the horses they’ve touched. They have a lot of insight to share that could benefit so many horses. I just wish they’d either be true to their stated mission (with terms the masses can understand and associated accessibility for those who seek to assess what’s being offered prior to pulling out the MasterCard) or honest about their intention to make their offerings (and language) exclusive to their club of benefactors.

Who’s really helping the horses?

The paradox between their message and their actions is troubling. If they believe every horse is a victim of human experience and they’ve set their life goals on saving these horses from their dumb human owners/riders/handlers, why limit the salvation to those who boast a wealthy or enlightened owner willing to immediately pay the piper for their education? Usually, those who do the most harm to horses do so without recognizing the ill of their actions. It concerns me when one who can demonstrate such character with the horses they encounter fail to extend this to the humans they accuse.

Is every horse really an angel?

Frankly, I don’t share the conviction of some of the self-described equine mind-readers that all misbehaving horses are victims of human mishandling. I’ve met some horses in my life (not many, but enough to realize not all are angels) that don’t want to be reached. Granted, I’ve spent the last couple of decades of my life dealing with Thoroughbred race horses, where temperament (forget about conformation) is an afterthought, but I’ve come across a few horses over my 40 years of riding and 20-plus years of training that  aren’t worth the costs. There are just too many great horses out there to put in time year-after-year on one that is not receptive to kindness and clear guidance. Sometimes, ignorant breeding (and yes, this is a human factor) produces horses that will be difficult for a lifetime.

Help humans to stop creating problem horses

Sure, most horse problems are created by human handling, but I’d like to believe in most cases, these breakdowns aren’t due to evil, but instead, ignorance – or more likely, fear. If we really want to help the horse – and create horseman for the future – we need to speak in tongues novices can understand, provide accessible information to help them grow in knowledge and awareness, discourage bad horse/human combinations and do all we can to help those who don’t know what they don’t know strive to learn from those who demonstrate integrity and illustrate through their actions what horsemanship really means.

Take the lead from the horse

Horses can teach us so much about communications. I haven’t encountered one yet that seeks an exclusive podium to present that message. Wouldn’t it be great if those who can be called true horsemen today could take a lead from the horses that have taught them so much by being clear, generous, honest and open with their message to the people they are trying to reach?