riding lessons

This is a topic I've been stewing over for quite a while.

Why take riding lessons?  I mean, really, all you do is jump on and go, right?!

Wrong!!!!!

I feel deeply sorry for any horse ridden by someone who just jumps up and goes without someone to tell them how.  I mean, really, didn't someone tell you how to ride a bike?  Drive a car?  And to do so safely?

Maybe your instructor was a family member or friend who gave you pointers, but THAT COUNTS!

So, why?  Because beginners tend to kick too hard and pull back with too much enthusiasm ... usually at the same time.

Because green horse and green rider don't go together.  One of you needs to be experienced enough to teach the other, or be in very close contact with someone who can teach you both at the same time.

Because it may be natural for a horse to buck, rear and move into pressure, but that's a hard way to ride.

Because "one size fits all" is not true of saddles, bridles, halters, horse shoes .....

Because being one with your horse is the single most awesome experience I can ever guide you to feeling.

So, then what do you look for in a riding instructor?

1) Someone who speaks your language.  Not just English, but also speaks in a way you can understand.  If you are a "why" person, then "more leg, more leg" isn't going to be effective for you.  You need to know why more leg.

2) Someone who can demonstrate to you, or have someone else demonstrate, exactly what they're talking about.  "Sit deep in the saddle" means nothing unless you can get a feel for it.

3) Someone who has time for you.  You don't want to be part of 50 students a day that are herded through like cattle.  Well, at least I wouldn't want to be.  That's not to say that you spend way more of your instructor's time than you pay for, but that when you are in a lesson, you feel like you are important to them.  They are mentally present in the lesson, not texting all through the lesson.

4) Someone who can put you on the right horse for your riding level.

5) If you have your own horse, someone who can pick up on your horse's quirks and teach you to adapt to them, or overcome them.

6) Someone who will be honest about you and your horse's abilities, without putting you down.

7) Someone with enough knowledge of tack to know when you need to switch saddles, bridles, bits, etc.  and have ideas about what might work better.

8) Someone who is realistic about their own abilities and limitations who will take you as far as they can, then point you in the right direction for further growth.

9) Someone who understands when you are having a bad day and need therapy more than an intensive learning session.

10) Someone who truly loves horses.  OK, so that's not absolutely necessary, but I would rather ride with people who love horses than people who are just using them to earn a living.  Although the two are not mutually exclusive by any means.

Just some of my thoughts on the subject.
Go out and enjoy your horse!

Breeding Horses - Disposition

The number one criteria for me in breeding stock is disposition.

That pretty well says it all.  But it doesn't say enough, really.  If a horse can't be handled, can't be ridden and used, then what purpose does that horse have?  What will keep that horse from a one way trip to the slaughter house?  Answer:  Not much.

It doesn't mean I ignore pedigree and conformation, but it does mean I would never breed a mare who can't be taught to behave herself enough to be handled by a child.  And the same goes for a stallion.  You may be thinking:  REALLY?!  Not many people have their children handling stallions.  

My daughter handles Habib Rafiq (El Norus X MB Deserelle) SE/AK:

And she rides him:

I remember a photo of Synbad++ in the old magazines.  He was being groomed by a child standing on a bucket.  That made a lasting impression on me.  To this day I give disposition a higher rating than any other characteristic because that type of horse is what I want to produce.

Then there is this picture of Mirage:

When a 3 year old ungelded colt can be handled by a child, that's a good disposition.  This is Stardust Ibn Rafiq - easily handled by a child:

When stallions can play together without killing each other, that's disposition!

This is Sean Daaim CH (Fa Daalim X Ms. Tuht) SE/AK/SO and Habib Rafiq.

Obviously conformation does matter to me.  And with these pedigrees, bloodlines are also important.  But without a good, using disposition, it's worthless.  Why buy problems, when you can buy solutions?

Stardust Ibn Rafiq took me less than 2 minutes to train to using clippers on his bridle path.  Now, why would you want anything less?  Spend your time enjoying your horse, not fighting with him.

Welcome to the view from here

I've been posting my thoughts, views in many places lately.  This site is to consolidate those posts into one location for ease of browsing.

And to start things off, some of my views on feeding horses.

If you have a horse that won't gain weight no matter what you do, this is what I do:

1) worm them, worm them, worm them. It's cheap now, so just do it!!
2) Give them a shot of B12 (or B complex) stimulates their appetite and prevents B12 deficiency, which causes anemia.
3) make sure they have iron in their blood ... again anemia. Check with your vet about this one, but I've given iron shots to my old horses with good results.
4) Make sure they have all of their electrolytes in adequate quantities. I keep epsom salts out as well as the traditional plain salt, sulfur salt and trace mineral salt. You may need to provide salt loose because some horses can't lick enough to get enough. Try licking a salt block for 5 minutes and you'll know what I mean.
5) Hay and water 24/7. Yeah, I know but some people still don't get it.
6) Get their teeth done, or that hay won't do much good.
7) Consider a pelleted feed. Much easier to chew and digest for the old horses and it can be wet down to make a gruel to increase fluid intake.
8) In the winter - blanket them. Most horses will keep weight better with a blanket in the pasture than in a stall without one - depending on where you live. I've done "experiments" with mine on this count and can tell you that even old mares do fine in pasture with a blanket, in Oklahoma in the winter. I try not to stall old horses because they are more prone to colic if they don't get enough exercise.