Safety and Smarts

It's time to talk about the topic we all try to avoid - the fall. For some this happens within the first hour of riding, for others it may not happen until month 5 or 6. The fact of the matter is that sooner or later we all fall. It's how we learn to stay on.

I always tell my kids, it takes 100 falls before you're considered a great rider, so most of them count backwards from one hundred. Thankfully this gives them plenty of time before they become invincible. 

There's always a risk when riding a horse, the trick is to know when your in real danger or when your nerves are getting the best of you. Horses are large and sometimes unpredictable but under the right instruction there is no danger. Most riding facilities will ensure they have "bombproof" horses, meaning they are quiet and easy to control. Once learning all the skills required to ride a horse, it is then safe to move onto a horse considered slightly more "green", meaning it has received less training and is slightly more unpredictable.



In the horse world one of the greatest struggles is to watch a "green" rider on a "green" horse. This can be a disaster waiting to happen or simply just the wrong fit. A rider will sometimes not have the experience needed or the knowledge gained to be riding a horse that is still learning and impressionable. 

Not all horses are well behaved, but in the right hands and with the patience and consistency needed, they are happy to listen and obey. Horses are meant to work as one, to become a team and to co-exist. This is a fact that is commonly forgotten by inexperienced trainers and riders and can result in harmful ways and dangerous situations.

George Morris is an Olympic rider, trainer and in the past several years a host of clinics to riders of all ages. He is a legend in this sport and apart from having a wealth of knowledge he is known for his blunt comments and witty nature. His teaching follows a lot of principles that I value. To some they are harsh, but the underlying meaning is to realize your own faults before assessing the horses. A lot of weakness comes from the rider first and is due to a lack of invested discipline and motivation. I will leave you with some of my favourite  quotes from Morris himself. 

"Is that clapping? I hope your clapping for the horse because the rider doesn't deserve it."

"The best exercise for your riding? Put down your fork."

"You either go to the hospital or get back on."

"Distances are like men. Never take the first one you see, there will always be another one."

HB

It's a lifestyle not a part-time job

I recently read a great article on the 10 reasons to buy your daughter a horse. Something that I often vouch to parents for but never really gave it much more thought than that. Horses aren’t cheap and neither is the lifestyle – most of us have big dreams but have a hard time affording them. 







For those lucky ones with the parents to fund their expensive tastes, the benefits are huge. I don’t mean to say that every wealthy parent should buy their kid a pony, but if you’re looking for a way to teach them responsibility, the value of money and compassion, then horses are the way to go.








Then there’s my story. I didn’t own my first horse until the age of 21 and probably picked the worst time to do so, right as I entered my third year of University. I was a full time student, had a part time job and now owned a horse. Easy to say my social life revolved around my new four-legged friend. 

Owning a horse and understanding the responsibility that comes with it is an amazing life lesson. They are a big responsibility and require 24/7 care. Most farms will provide that care along with your monthly boarding fee, ranging anywhere from 400-1000 dollars a month, depending on the facility. This is not to say that visiting your horse once a week is acceptable as a horse owner. 






We as humans make the decision to stable our horses, to keep them clean, to keep them warm and to ensure their safety – especially if they are show horses. By making this decision we take on the responsibility of ensuring they are exercised and groomed daily. These are things that horses would naturally do in the wild but are either not able to, or only able to for a certain number of hours a day, when we stable them. 







The most common misconception of new horse owners is that it is ok to miss a few days at the barn, because they are taken care of. Most boarding fees only include stall cleaning, turnout, and feeding. The rest is up to the owner. When deciding to buy your child’s first horse or maybe your own four legged partner, make sure that you are ready for what it entails and understand the care that is required from you. Owning a horse is not a part-time responsibility. 

For more tips and things to remember, check out this article on the ten things you need to know before buying a horse.

HB