Yesterday I received a message from a fellow horsewoman so poignantly written, that it got me to thinking (such a dangerous thing). In it she stated that we as horse(wo)men should see ourselves as the stewards of the animals whom we bring into our lives. I believe in this statement, and I (we) also believe that others should do the same. When we see something happening with another horse person that goes against all that we feel is in the best interest of the animal over the course of 7.5 years repeating itself over and over, do we stay silent and let it pass, or do we stand up and make our feelings known? Even when we know that our thoughts will be construed as a personal attack by others, no matter how worded?
I am by no means a perfect human being and have never professed to be one. But there are some things I do know. Like knowing the difference between what is good for a horse’s psyche and what is damaging, and understanding that there are basic steps in looking for our lifetime equine partner. Knowing enough that if I were to make a mistake in that process that I would need to review my prior actions and rechart the course for the next time, not simply repeat the same mistakes over and over.
Horses are not shoes that are tossed aside if they pinch a little. They are not perfect beings, even the best of them. If a person isn’t willing to put a true effort and time into them, they will receive nothing in return. My friend Beeswood’s favorite saying is “Show me your horse and I’ll tell you who you are” and it has become one of my favs too, because it is so true. We leave our marks on our horse’s behaviors and personalities, as they do on ours. Just as we do with our children, they are, in most instances, a reflection of the effort we put forth.
God blessed me with more common sense than book smarts, and although at a few times in my life this has bothered me, today as I see many highly intelligent humans making serious errors in judgment over and over again, I thank God for the gift that he gave to me and I will never question his decision again.
So truly when is enough enough? How many horses should one person go through in 7.5 years searching for their lifetime partner? And how does one know a particular horse is their heart horse in the first 30 days and then have a change of heart and decide its unsuitable 90-120-250 days later? And most of all when you see someone go through 7-8 (I’ve honestly lost track) horses in this time span; should you stay silent when another is sent packing back to the seller or remain an enabler? I would love to hear your thoughts.
5 comments:
That's a hard one and I don't have any answers. I usually tend to hold my peace unless I'm asked for advice, except in cases of obvious mistreatment. The answer may depend on how close you are to the person in question, and how likely it is that they will listen to what you have to say.
Is that a Rockin S snaffle I see in your header?
Thanks Kate, I appreciate your input. Yes, its the Rockin S Raised snaffle. Do you use one?
i just love this post! another quote is a horse is only as good as it's rider. i know one girl who has bought and sold 9 horses in three years i have known her (and countless before then), saying, and i quote 'this horse has limited potential, i need something to take me to the top' on at least three of them! i never know whether it is best to say something, or leave her to her business and be thankful those horses have another chance to go to someone who deserves them.
I have used the Rockin s from time to time - different results with different horses - many seem to like its stability in the mouth, I think. There's also a double jointed raised snaffle which can work well with horses with small mouths and large tongues.
The raised snaffle we use is the double jointed one. As long as I don't use too much contact he's fine with it; otherwise, he learned how to get his tongue over it. So now I switch him back and forth with it and a curb bit for trail riding (neck reining). He then accepts it better after the short break.
Hurricanes - I can almost understand it when someone is into showing but egads, 9 in 3 years? She needs to find someone to assist her in finding the right horse for sure! And I hope her cast offs find better lives for sure.
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