|
Post by lisap on Mar 23, 2012 16:27:12 GMT 1
Mags has made a great point here imo. There is absolutely nothing wrong with owning a horse and never riding it. We have 3 horses at present at Springfield which are retired from work through injury and loaf about in the fields with their buddies quite happily. The monthly New Barn Riders events are full of subjects such as theraputic polework, Equine Agility, working your horse from the ground etc all to cater for those people who for whatever reason never want to ride their horse. My own beloved pony, Badger, is likely to only ever want light work from now on and I'm planning to do some equine agility with the boy to keep him entertained! My concern is only with those horse owners who think they *do* want to ride their horses, but every time the horse spooks, spins, naps, feels lethargic, goes too fast, too slow, not at all etc etc etc they start looking for endless reasons why the horse is like this without including lack of sufficient and appropriate exercise in the mix of potential issues that the horse may have. So we are talking only about owners who feel they have a problem with their horse. Not the ones who pop a saddle and bridle on their horses back, plod round the lanes a couple of times a week and have a lovely time! And yes, I also have a fund of stories where a physical issue was contributing to a horse's bad behaviour, but equally, have a fund of stories where riding a horse through bad behaviour produced a better behaved horse. And also a fund of stories where there was a mix of both physical/mental and lack of work issues - Tuli being the latest of them. Those of us who have been given the job of getting horses *really* fit (ie to event or hunt twice a week) from scratch, know that taking a horse from soft condition where it has never been fit before, to hard fitness, is a long and often alarming job. It is not the super fit horse who messes about, it is the unfit horse, who has sore muscles and feels stiff after the last bit of exercise. These are the ones who are complaining and are likely to mess about and start being 'naughty'. They ache, they feel tired and they may be pretty grumpy. We need to understand this, work them sympathetically until they loosen up, but we do have to work them, otherwise they will never, ever get past that stage to full fitness where they feel GREAT, and can't wait to get the tack on.
|
|
|
Post by 2 bays & a grey:D on Mar 23, 2012 16:48:28 GMT 1
My concern is only with those horse owners who think they *do* want to ride their horses, but every time the horse spooks, spins, naps, feels lethargic, goes too fast, too slow, not at all etc etc etc they start looking for endless reasons why the horse is like this without including lack of sufficient and appropriate exercise in the mix of potential issues that the horse may have. So we are talking only about owners who feel they have a problem with their horse. Not the ones who pop a saddle and bridle on their horses back, plod round the lanes a couple of times a week and have a lovely time! Well I truely hope that statement isn't aimed at the likes of me. Yes I want to ride, else I wouldn't have just spent £3,500 on a saddle which I am waiting to be delivered. I do not look for excuses as to why I am not riding, my reasons are confounded with the fact she is down right dangerous, and unfortunately I don't have the support on my yard to get me on board when I am there in the evenings. She just doesn't spook, she sets off at high speed and throws herself about. This is work in progress that both myself & Becky are working towards in building BOTH our confidences. I had just started to ride her in the indoor but saddle fit started to become an issue, so now its back to in-hand work. Which to be honest, I am bored of to some extent but can't do much without a saddle which won't be here for another 3months. Apologies if it wasn't aimed at me, however, this thread was started immediately after my 'metabolic' one and the above paragraph seems like a 'dig' at those of us who in fact listen and look for reasons why a behaviour was offered. Having a horse that has been ill, it makes you a little paranoid. Sorry again if this is a knee jerk reaction but this board can make you take things personally.
|
|
|
Post by rifruffian on Mar 23, 2012 17:13:06 GMT 1
lisap spot on again, your last paragraph sends us the message.
|
|
|
Post by 2 bays & a grey:D on Mar 23, 2012 17:19:27 GMT 1
lisap spot on again, your last paragraph sends us the message. Yes I too agree with the last paragraph. But sore muscles can also be coming from other ailments- hate to say the U word again, but yes, ulcers. Something I think we all need to be mindful of and to work a horse 'through it' that may be in pain is only going to make matters worse. I speak whole heartedly from first hand experience here. I am well aware of working a horse past a certain stage to get to the next level of fitness, but a horse just doesn't suffer with 'sore muscles'.
|
|
|
Post by mags on Mar 23, 2012 17:30:40 GMT 1
I'm pretty sure nobody would suggest anybody risk their life and health to keep a horse fit. My boy has fly-bucked me off in full gallop a couple of times, and I will freely admit that it knocked my confidence badly and I would do (and did) anything I could think of to try and avoid a repeat performance (knocks frantically on wood...). I think Lisa has a point in saying that the option to try and get help with exercising a horse more (as in: get someone different/more qualified to exercise horse for owner) is one that is often overlooked when searching for solutions.
On the topic of getting horses fit, I have recently been wondering if I'm not shooting myself in the foot (so to speak) with my attempt to try and exercise my horse daily. The last two times I've come back from holiday (brief, just a week), my gelding has been really nicely energetic and forward for about a week, before reverting to his sometimes-nappy, less enthusiastic self. Based on what I've learned about training phases (recovery phase after exercise, overcompensation phase etc.) I wonder if it wouldn't be smarter to exercise less frequently (every other day) but harder. In fact, I've been doing that out of necessity this winter, riding about every other day during the week, but trying to make our 40-50min hacks faster - brief warmup, then trot most of the way around. He does seem fit this spring compared to previous years. Or maybe the same hacks day in, day out just get too boring? I wish we had more suitable, long canter stretches around home.
|
|
|
Post by KimT on Mar 23, 2012 17:36:23 GMT 1
Sorry specialized. I meant mentally. With most horses, from a young ages we teach them to tolerate and even enjoy us being in their lives to the point we can also teach them to enjoy being ridden and sometimes the naughty behaviour can ne like a child wanting attention.
In the wild they would instinctively avoid us so that is what I mean by domesticated horses being different. Also we change their surroundings. Eg smaller fields, different feeds, etc. I didn't mean structurally.
|
|
|
Post by 2 bays & a grey:D on Mar 23, 2012 17:42:23 GMT 1
I'm pretty sure nobody would suggest anybody risk their life and health to keep a horse fit. My boy has fly-bucked me off in full gallop a couple of times, and I will freely admit that it knocked my confidence badly and I would do (and did) anything I could think of to try and avoid a repeat performance (knocks frantically on wood...). I think Lisa has a point in saying that the option to try and get help with exercising a horse more (as in: get someone different/more qualified to exercise horse for owner) is one that is often overlooked when searching for solutions. On the topic of getting horses fit, I have recently been wondering if I'm not shooting myself in the foot (so to speak) with my attempt to try and exercise my horse daily. The last two times I've come back from holiday (brief, just a week), my gelding has been really nicely energetic and forward for about a week, before reverting to his sometimes-nappy, less enthusiastic self. Based on what I've learned about training phases (recovery phase after exercise, overcompensation phase etc.) I wonder if it wouldn't be smarter to exercise less frequently (every other day) but harder. In fact, I've been doing that out of necessity this winter, riding about every other day during the week, but trying to make our 40-50min hacks faster - brief warmup, then trot most of the way around. He does seem fit this spring compared to previous years. Or maybe the same hacks day in, day out just get too boring? I wish we had more suitable, long canter stretches around home. I work on the basis of every other day off, that way it gives time for muscles to recover. I also pretty much go straight into faster work rather than let her amble around in walk for 5 mins getting slower and slower. get her mind on the job and sharp straight away. As regards letting others ride her, when I first bought her instructers wouldn't get on lol. I let a show-jumper (in fact 2) both men with excellent stickability ride her a few months ago. She reared with one (don't know how he stayed on and how she didn't go over backwards- she was pretty much vertical) and the other she bucked violently and he nearly hit the deck so it was decided it wasn't the best option for her at that time. I can cope with a rear, I can cope with a buck, I can't cope with bolting and fly bucking. I had some intense lessons with Becky at the beginning of the year, all ridden, she was dong fab but as I said, it was decided the saddle wasn't right and she is not the type of horse to put up with ANY grumble of discomfort, and why should she. I had started to hack out but there is a lack of people to go with on my yard, which is a real shame a si think its something she needs
|
|
|
Post by mrsfields on Mar 23, 2012 17:53:52 GMT 1
Those of us who have been given the job of getting horses *really* fit (ie to event or hunt twice a week) from scratch, know that taking a horse from soft condition where it has never been fit before, to hard fitness, is a long and often alarming job. It is not the super fit horse who messes about, it is the unfit horse, who has sore muscles and feels stiff after the last bit of exercise. These are the ones who are complaining and are likely to mess about and start being 'naughty'. They ache, they feel tired and they may be pretty grumpy. We need to understand this, work them sympathetically until they loosen up, but we do have to work them, otherwise they will never, ever get past that stage to full fitness where they feel GREAT, and can't wait to get the tack on. i'd not thought of it like that! that is totally spot on!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 23, 2012 18:17:23 GMT 1
lisap spot on again, your last paragraph sends us the message. I agree, that last paragraph sets out something which I think a lot of people (myself included) tend to overlook.
|
|
|
Post by highlanderpony2002 on Mar 23, 2012 21:28:35 GMT 1
Well I dont ride I have four lovely ponies that rarely get ridden they are happy and healthy. I would love to have them ridden every day. Why dont I? I hear people ask being in agony if I try could have something to so with it and due to chronic pain I cant really do a whole lot with them I thought of selling but with the crash in the market it is not an option and I love them and do my very best to make sure they are kept happy and healthy I did even think of giving my older ridden highland to the stud where she was covered for the foal I now own as they were desperate to have her. I could part with her for her own interest but she is the only one that I can get ridden fairly regularly by the local kids and my grandchildren. I had the dartmoor out today on long lines in his harness in an attempt to get him ready to drive over the summer. I am miles to heavy to ride him and he isnt suitable for the kids as he hates them and could be naughty given unsupervised access. I cant walk very far either I dont have endless money to employ people to exercise for me so they get the best I can manage So any volunteers to ride regularly please apply here you will be very welcome I have ponies suitable for the larger rider the experienced rider and the complete novice so something for everyone, I dont want to ride I do want them ridden but there is little or no chance of that happening When the right home comes along for the youngsters I might let them go in their ow interest but so far I am not in the market for someone to come along and pay me peanuts for superb animals just for them to turn a quick buck a few weeks later I would rather keep my happy healthy lawn mowers. I am not rich but they get the best I can afford I can keep up with vets bills they have their teeth feet vaccination and worm status catered for regularly
|
|
rowanrachel
Olympic Poster
Life is better when you share it with Horses :-)
Posts: 741
|
Post by rowanrachel on Mar 23, 2012 21:32:43 GMT 1
Hmmm ok- spurred on by this debate- I'm now looking at honey's issues in a completely new light... I got On her for the first time since I've owned her the other day and she was a we lamb- I'm gonna try and saddle up tomo and go a mini hack and try and get over my fears of all her mini freak outs ( things which to be honest at 16 I prob wouldn't have batted an eye at) and ride her through them and see how that goes. She doesn't buck or rear so to be honest the worst she's gonna do is stop dead, spook massively or run for home-all of which I can manage! but I'm thinking after reading all this that the sooner we can get to long hacks out- the happier she'll be! I maybe need to suck it up and get on with it like I would have as a confident 16 year old with all my crazy bronco ponies! Let's put this theory to the test.... I'll be your living, riding, guinea pig Lisa! She's a young horse who's had a bad past but also- has been ridden extensively in her past. Some of her issues could well be down to boredom and too much energy- which I know she does have! I'll keep you posted! Ps don't want people to think I'm being hasty here, but I have been taking things very slowly and trying to build up and address all issues. But we seem to keep getting stuck when It comes to venturing out- I think it's cos she's just SO excited to be going somewhere new, and scared - but her best bud Fara will cone too and show her bushes are for slyly munching as you pass not spooking at! :-)
|
|
rowanrachel
Olympic Poster
Life is better when you share it with Horses :-)
Posts: 741
|
Post by rowanrachel on Mar 23, 2012 21:38:32 GMT 1
Highlander where are you based? X
|
|
|
Post by highlanderpony2002 on Mar 23, 2012 21:45:52 GMT 1
North Lincolnshire there don't even seem to be pony mad kids around in this area since we moved three years ago I can count the times they have been ridden on one hand
|
|
|
Post by mandal on Mar 23, 2012 21:50:29 GMT 1
Well I dont ride I have four lovely ponies that rarely get ridden they are happy and healthy. That's what matters. I believe lisap ids mainly meaning horses that have non physical issues that actually need work to keep them 'level' headed. Look what you've started lisap. ;D Good on you. Go rowanrachel.
|
|
|
Post by Catrin on Mar 23, 2012 21:57:12 GMT 1
… Mags has made a great point here imo. There is absolutely nothing wrong with owning a horse and never riding it. … Now she tells us! With a chronic respiratory condition, a husband/groom with a broken leg, a horse who could work and one who has qualified to represent Britain at Olympic standard in leg–misalignment, I was planning an impossible work schedule. Have you ever seen a man with a broken leg working in–hand from a mobility scooter? Does this mean the horses can wait till he's better?
|
|