Riding your horse doesn't have to be the crux of your training
Some of you might know that recently we had to retire Custard from riding. It’s the downside of loving an older horse - eventually it’s not suitable, viable or sensible to continue to ride.
So Custard is a happy gentleman of leisure, doted on with plenty of love and treats.
This did leave me without a horse of my own to ride. Luckily, I was able to start working with another of my friends boys - Stormy.
Stormy is an 17 year old OTT Thoroughbred with poor conformation - sway back, club foot, and pigeon toed. He had been out of work for a while, loves to run and really thrives on that one-on-one interaction.
Due to that conformation, he has some issues with discomfort around the shoulders, and is also anxious about being touched and groomed around the withers, or even being tacked up. While he isn’t nasty, he did have a tendency to hold his breath until he couldn’t cope.
He was literally saying
“I ‘m a good boy. This is scary but I’m a good boy. BAAAHHHH I can’t do this it’s too much!!!”,
albiet in body language, not words.
So the last 2 months has been spent:
Gaining consent to work (hey buddy, you have the chance to tell me when you aren’t coping)
Professional body work
Focusing on relaxing and giving him new tools to de-escalate his panic
In-hand work - even advancing to working in-hand with flexion! (We developed this as a lesson plan for our Training Trainability students to work on through May, because Stormy was doing so well with it).
Lunging to improve some strength and fitness
Getting a yes to be bridled (we went back and forward on that, and I began to understand that when he was feeling a bit more pinched or cold in the back, he would give bigger no’s)
Getting yes to being saddled
In just this short time, Stormy has gone from being frightened (in a good boy way) and unfit to developing softness and roundness to his back, confident with his requests (yes, no, give me a moment), and comes running from the back of the paddock to come play with us.
Last weekend we actually tacked up, mounted and had a tiny plod. Just to let him know it isn’t all bad.
The thing is, for 8 weeks we didn’t ride. Yet we still achieved so much and have a happier horse under saddle for the effort. I didn’t need to cave to the expectations of others by putting my horse second.
That is what we stand for.
