It's A Love Affair!

It’s crazy, the way we horse owners behave with our horses suggests Don Blazer.

No doubt it’s a love affair. A love affair of the heart, but not often a love affair of the mind. But then, seldom does a love affair have anything to do with rational thinking.  Love affairs are crazy.

And what is crazy?

Crazy is mentally unbalanced, deranged, foolish, wild or fantastic.

That’s the description of a horse owner if ever I saw one!

I guess what I’m saying is we often act crazy because we act with the heart without thinking about our actions.  Our intentions are good, but you know which road is paved with good intentions.

Thought and actions we consider rational are certainly not the thoughts of our horses, and not often what they respond to as rational.

First of all, we reason; horses don’t.  We consider and make judgments as to whether or not a thing is good or bad.  Our horses instinctively know what is good and what is bad.  Eating feeds and tasty roughage is good—being eaten by a predator is bad.  Being comfortable is good.  Being jerked, spurred and worked like crazy for two hours, then put away for three weeks is bad.  And so on and so on.

When do we start being crazy about horses?  When we first fall in love with them. (A very easy thing to do.)  And from then on, the craziness increases almost as rapidly as the number of horses we own.

We are, almost every one of us, crazy when we negotiate to buy a horse.  A horse, I understand, is worth what someone will pay.  It’s impossible to establish a price when it comes to a crazy love affair.  But no matter how in love we are with the horse, we still have to haggle about the price.  We want the price reduced, slashed, cut.

The price you pay for a horse, you already know, is the smallest amount you are going to spend.   You are going to spend more for feed, equipment, shoeing and training and veterinary care of the next few years.   So what is the big deal about £100 or £500 or £50,000 more?

If you like the horse, buy him!

From the moment you buy him, it’s going to get crazier.

Most first time horse owners (and a lot of old-time horse owners for that matter) don’t know how or what to feed a horse.  They don’t have any idea of how many mega calories of digestible energy per day the horse is getting, or when to feed fat versus protein.

But they love buying supplements, coat conditioners, energy boosters and energy reducers.  They don’t know what they do, but mixed together and in twice the amount suggested, it’s got to be good for the horse.  Now that’s crazy.

What about bits and saddles and exercise boots and spurs?  What about leg aids and weight shifts and direct and indirect reins?

It’s crazy to buy all that equipment and put it on a horse and try to ride him and not have a clue about how any of it works, of if it does work.  Horse owners will spend £5,000 on equipment (a lot more if they get half the chance) and not £10 on education.  In a recent survey more than 75 per cent of the respondents who called themselves professionals had never had any formal education—they failed to correctly define a snaffle and a curb.

Shoeing is crazy.  We talk about shoeing as if it is a good thing for the horse.  In some cases it is, when the shoe protects the hoof.  But the instant you put a shoe on a horse, it’s all downhill from there with respect to hoof health.  And too many owners leave shoeing to the farrier.  That’s crazy!  The responsibility lies with the horse’s owner.  Don’t blame the farrier if you don’t know about correct hoof balance.

So am I crazy, or just in love with horses?  Am I crazy to think anyone in love with horses ought to make a commitment to know as much as possible about everything which concerns their horse?

Is it crazy to spend 12 to 16 hours a day working with horses, 365 days a year?   

Is it crazy to spend a rare day off at a horse sale, horse show or horse races?

Is it crazy to be learning something new about horses every day?

Boy, am I lucky to be so crazy!

Visit www.horsecoursesonline.com to earn certification as a horse trainer, riding instructor or stable manager, or work toward a Bachelor of Science degree in Equine Studies.  All courses online.  

 

Dinah Discusses - Pony Club Camp

Equine extra’s new contributor has been warmly welcomed, with her experience, wit and wisdom giving an entertaining insight into the life of a semi-retired, very successful competition mare.

Dinah is 19 years old now, still a ‘full up’ 16.1hh and immaculately turned out for all occasions. A beautiful, rich liver chestnut with an attractive full mane and tail, she loves the fact that she can still turn heads and strut her stuff in the arena. A veteran of all three affiliated competition disciplines, Dinah knows a thing or two but absolutely refuses to tolerate unbalanced riders – even on a hack – but she’s rather fond of the gawping youngsters who regularly spook into her whenever they see a dragon!

Her stable is a room with a view and her paddock allows unrestricted observation of all the comings and goings in the busy yard as befits her status. This week Dinah observes ...The Pony Club Camp!

If I was ever given the choice of coming back to this world for a re-run, I think I would choose to come back as the much beloved 12.2hh pony of a 10 year old little girl. One who was a member of a large Pony Club Branch and who enjoyed all that entailed.
Last week we were invaded by just that, hordes of ponies of every colour and type and hordes of little girls (plus some boys) for their annual Pony Club Camp.

The invasion started quietly enough with the arrival of dozens of trailers driven by some stressed looking Mums. They had that look of near exhaustion, of having been up since the crack of dawn trying to organise just what might be needed at Camp and in the end putting everything bar the kitchen sink in, now realising they have to now unpack it all and that they had in fact forgotten two girths and a martingale.

I decided it was a picture of complete but happy chaos, with small children running up and down the yard looking to find if their pony was going to be next door to their’ bestie’, of tiny people trying to lug giant tack boxes and buckets, invariably to the wrong places and then sitting down in a sulk and refusing to help the now even more frazzled Mum to settle in their pony.

Goodness knows how the mothers of siblings coped. I imagine it is a total logistical nightmare where either large quantities of alcohol and/or tray bakes of rocky road are a must to help ease the week along. That probably explained why I could hear what I’ve learned is the clink of the odd wine bottle, hidden discreetly amongst a bag of spare jodhpurs and underwear; they apparently call it a little something to help numb the senses at the end of the day for those Mums brave enough to have volunteered to stay overnight.

But what FUN these little troopers and their ponies had over the following week. The sound of riotous laughter was a daily occurrence. Usually following some poor unsuspecting person falling into a pile of poo or strangely becoming soaked by water. I was soon reminded that water still plays a vital role at camp, as it always has. Water fights, with or without slides, being the main source of amusement at the end of every day. That explained the copious quantities of ‘spare clothes’ required.

The actual riding activities looked great too; there seemed to be lots of galloping about in wide open fields and not always under the strictest control of the ever-so patient and mostly smiling, albeit through sometimes gritted teeth, instructors. When I and my turnout pals joined in, we were definitely NOT popular because those ponies with a sense of humour immediately gate-crashed our party and things were a bit too exciting briefly. I just stuck my head in the grass and wandered off ...

Next day they were in the arena in groups and there always seemed to be ‘that’ child who had selective hearing. The one who never heard “take the grid in trot” – who charged at said grid like ‘The Light Brigade’ leaving the Instructor turning a very of strange colour of grey and speaking in a voice that had gone up a squeak or two.

It seems to take a special type of Instructor to last the three to five days of Pony Club Camp. Many fall by the wayside suffering a variety of ailments. Usually sunstroke with dehydration, brought on by the fear of taking too much fluid on board so that their bladders might not last the duration of the riding sessions – Portaloos are a scarce commodity out in the farthest-flung fields but I still don’t understand why humans need a small box???

In previous years here, some instructors have succumbed to what they call “hypothermia with trench foot” at those rainy camps, but not this year! Also sudden attacks of Laryngitis are common, especially to those who have a troop of would-be Pony Racers. Most instructors though are a hardy bunch who always seem to thoroughly enjoy the whole week. Rising to the challenge of keeping all things ‘PC’, Health and Safety aware and most of all, everyone from parents and Committee members  to children and ponies happy.

Yes, it was a delightful week to observe, so much love and enthusiasm that only ‘horsey’ folk will understand. It seemed, as it always does, that each and every one just immersed themselves into the joy that is a child and their pony. Roll on next year’s Camp - and can I join The Pony Club please?

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Who Pays For Your Hobby?

Go to any showjumping fixture and its absolutely certain that someone will be overheard complaining about the prize money before the first class is even finished. Eventers are not as focused on the subject and dressage riders apparently even less so. As a topic of conversation, it's disappointingly prevalent and drawing on the years of experience of  Organisers and Secretaries at competitions in all of the major disciplines, showjumpers are reported to place more emphasis on prize money than on many other important aspect of a show.

However, for amateurs, isn't riding and competiting horses or ponies generally just a hobby? Days jobs enable us all to earn money and you can choose to spend what's left of your earnings, after life's essential bills are paid, on your hobbies.

If your hobby happens to be fell walking or fishing, you'll pay out for equipment, travel, clothing and whatever else is needed - but no-one would expect prize money for being faster to the top of your chosen peak than any or walker on the footpath that day. Perhaps you go sailing - and you have either bought your own boat or you hire one - either way, you pay for your hobby, not someone else.

So how is it that some riders have adopted the thinking that someone else, generally called a 'sponsor', should pay for them to enjoy their hobby?

If you make your living as a full-time professional rider, then you undoubtedly have a business plan and you'll know what things costs and how much income you need to earn from clients who use your services. The successful professionals don't rely on prize money to make a living, but they do benefit from sometimes generous sponsorships at large events where sponsors can ensure a return on their sponsorship investment with brand and product exposure to large audiences of potential customers.

For the majority of riders, who are after all amateurs enjoying competitions as a leisure activity, expecting to go home with financial 'break-even' or 'profit' if you're successful is quite frankly unrealistic. Horses, horseboxes and all the essential kit costs real £££, if not ££££ - and if you sat down and worked it all out, 50 quid in prize money is neither here nor there. At smaller fixtures in particular, where numbers are mimimal, commercial support will at best be nominal.  - altruistic cheque books are not so easily found as in the past.

So if horses and competitions are your hobby and the Bank of Mum and Dad is not your benefactor, just smile and pay up what it costs - you might even find it all even more enjoyable.

What do you think?

Dinah Discusses - The Challenges of Hacking Out!

Equine extra’s regular contributor has been warmly welcomed, with her experience, wit and wisdom giving an entertaining insight into the life of a semi-retired, very successful competition mare.

Dinah is 19 years old now, still a ‘full up’ 16.1hh and immaculately turned out for all occasions. A beautiful, rich liver chestnut with an attractive full mane and tail, she loves the fact that she can still turn heads and strut her stuff in the arena. A veteran of all three affiliated competition disciplines, Dinah knows a thing or two but absolutely refuses to tolerate unbalanced riders – even on a hack – but she’s rather fond of the gawping youngsters who regularly spook into her whenever they see a dragon!

Her stable is a room with a view and her paddock allows unrestricted observation of all the comings and goings in the busy yard as befits her status. This week Dinah observes ...The Challenges of Hacking Out!

 

There’s nothing I enjoy more than being tacked up for a hack out. I don’t even mind having to don the fluorescent array of compulsory Hi-Viz. I have quite a fetching wardrobe now of boots, exercise sheets, martingales and more, as do my stable mates. So when I do venture out onto the roads I can be seen from space, which sometimes seems a bit over the top. However going by the amount of ‘near misses’ we have from the many maniacs who speed about our country lanes, often using the excuse that they are delivering our Amazon and  Asda shopping, it is very much a necessity.

Recently I went out on a very entertaining hack out with two of our younger horses, one being a very opinionated racehorse, who is I am told, being ‘retrained’. Dare I say his new owner, a lady of mature years whose physique couldn’t be further from a jockey, will have her hands full. My other hacking companion was the polar opposite to Speedy Gonzales, a little Section B, who spent most of her life in the show-ring. A fine trio we looked and a potentially dangerous combination.

Any gate we went through which lead to an open field was “right, we’re off“ and  Speedy Gonzales proceeded to shoot off at nought to sixty in less than a nano-second. A full tilt gallop, accompanied by a cheeky side step at a terrifying mole hill left his rider clinging on for grim death, desperately trying to regain her composure and ...stirrups. Of course, I had to show some restraint and obediently canter around the sides of the field trying to show my pony companion that no we don’t gallop as if we were in the 2.30 at Haydock and no we don’t throw a paddy when we get to the next gate and find it locked and have to retrace our route at the same headlong gallop.

(Listening to the ‘craic’, it seems that Speedy Gonzales may well find himself being sent back to the racetrack as his rider was rendered a gibbering, wailing wreck by the time we got back to the yard.)

To most of my equine friends though, hacking out is a quiet and pleasurable experience, a time to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of our stunning countryside. It’s an opportunity for our riders to amble along having a good gossip, putting the world to rights and having a moan at how expensive our livery is. It is after all one of the perks to owning a horse; the ability to get away from the school, the flatwork, the learning of dressage tests – all the more boring bits.

Yes, sometimes our tranquillity is shattered by the rudeness of a herd of inquisitive cattle, who seem to take great delight in charging up to the fence with such gusto that most of us horses (and our riders) get a really splendid shock – I’ve often wondered if cattle have a sense of humour! Anyone know?

That we also have to endure the silent assassins, mostly MAMILs (aka middle-aged men in lycra) who call themselves cyclists and creep up silently behind us, again sending some of us into the ditch or thorn dyke. Then let’s not forget  hose dear motorists who still think that horses on the road are an inconvenience to their hectic lives, so they never slow down and hardly ever ‘pass wide’. These things are sent to try us – but let’s not allow them to spoil what is still a very treasured time for both horse and rider.

Happy Hacking everyone!

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Expectations; Why They Underpin Every Successful Equine Business

There are two sides to ‘expectations’ and you’ll need to know about both if your equine business is to be successful.

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The first of these is your expectations

When you planned your business, hopefully you determined there was a need for your product or service.  Then once you were convinced there was a market, you researched to ensure the market was large enough in potential to make your business a success.  Finally, you were convinced you could reach your market in an economical way.

Armed with your ‘market information’, you set some goals for your business… your first of many expectations. Once you’ve set goals (expectations) you need to track your progress toward reaching them. The key now to your success is ‘not to be attached to your expectations.’  Attachment always causes disappointment.

Whether you are on track to reach your goals within a specified period of time or not should be nothing more than information… not failure or success… just information. If you are attached to your goals, and you are on track to reach them, you’ll begin to coast.  Self-confident and smug, your success will soon become your failure. If you are not on track to reach your goals, you’ll be depressed and stubbornly try to make what you are currently doing work better.

By being attached to your expectations, reached or not, you are not opening your mind to ‘change’, which is constant and must be ridden to success.  If you are not changing and improving constantly, you will be left behind and failure is the only possible outcome.

Having expectations is fine, so long as they are just guides and goals towards success. Being attached to expectations makes you and your business rigid and blind to new information and new desires within your market.

The second side of ‘expectations’ is what is expected by your market

Your customers believe that what you are offering - a horse, horse equipment, feed, or a service to them and their horse, such as training - will satisfy one or more of their desires.  They are actually purchasing from you, the ‘potential’ to achieve their dreams.

As much as you don’t want to be attached to your expectations, you can however be certain your clients will all be attached to theirs! In making an offer to satisfy your market’s desire, you must say what you mean and mean what you say.  Anything less in today’s equine sector and you’ll be out of business tomorrow.

We have become somewhat used to the idea that the car we buy is going to break down, the mobile phone is going to have ‘dead zones’, and our computer is going to crash.  We’ve become used to the idea that what is promised is not exactly what we are going to get.  But as used to those ideas as we’ve become, we still ‘expect’ to get what we were promised - and those businesses that don’t deliver soon become extinct.   Want examples? How about US car makers, big department stores and newspapers.

Today, it is the businesses that do deliver what we want survive… foreign car makers that build models to last and provide good mileage… niche stores that have the exact style we want, internet sites (like Equine extra) that provide ‘instant’ news and ‘in-depth’ features, plus social networking and chat contact with like-minded friends.

Whatever your business, you can’t do more to make it successful than to meet your market’s expectations.  If you say you can train the horse to be a champion, it had better become a champion… if you say your livery yard feeds horses correctly, they had better have plenty of hay all the time… if you say your equipment will last a lifetime, it had better be around next year.

If you can’t deliver, don’t say it.

Say instead what you can deliver… a well-trained horse you’ll enjoy riding, a livery yard in which you’ll feel confident leaving your horse, equipment that will help you get the job done.

Remember - whilst you don’t want to be attached to your expectations, you can always be certain your customers are attached to theirs.