Working With The Most Infuriating Horse Hell Has to Offer

3y/o Milo deciding that he is finished with our photoshoot.

Some people may read the title of this blog post and be offended. They may say "All horses are angel babies who only have the best to offer us" and while, yes, that may true that horses are a fantastic, amazing work of Mother Nature's art, there are some that are simply infuriating. Some that, at times, make their owners and riders feel like the horse ascended from hell itself just to make them want to tear fist fulls of their hair out. Those who are offended by the title of this post clearly have not had to deal with the most infuriating horse that hell has to offer. In which case, this blog post may fall on deaf ears for said people. Some horses are just so god damn infuriating that people have to conjure the spirit of Mother Theresa within them so that they don't lose their shit. 

Now, the added problem to these types of exceptionally difficult, quirky horses is that everyone and their dog, including those who've never ridden anything other than a lesson horse, thinks that they know how to ride them. And they WILL weigh in on it, don't you worry. "Have you checked his back? I think he has kissing spine!" They may trill, as your horse takes off on their 10,000th broncing fit on public grounds since you signed your soul away to the devil or sinned, in some way, so badly that you were cursed with this horse shaped hellion. Yes, Helen, we've checked his back. Clear X-rays. He's just a bit of a dick. You know the people I'm talking about. They'll trill about 1001 behavioural problems that you likely thought about much earlier down the road of dealing with this horse because you were desperate to find SOMETHING wrong with your horse to explain such an extended period of the "terrible twos" but, no, your horse just can't handle that extra day off. Or the wind. Or the cold. Or that mounting block every 68th ride exactly. Never sooner, never later. 

All jokes aside, some horses are just quirkier than others. There isn't always an easy explanation in terms of pain or issues related to feed and turnout. Some horses just have more difficulty than others containing extra energy. Some horses just like to buck. Some horses are just neurotic little turds that are okay with the same things most days but sometimes just explode. For most horses, it's true, there is a reason for continued bad behaviour. But, for some, like my Milo, it is just the way they are. Now, I'm sure that his quirks were created by handling early on in life, or lack thereof. Sure, if he was fed more and handled properly from birth, he would be a much different horse. The years of neglect and abuse definitively shaped the horse he is now and he is an excellent example of why people who can't feed or handle young horses properly shouldn't damn well have them. However, despite 4+ years now of proper, loving, handling; he still has yet to outgrow a lot of his quirks. Including, but not limited to: bucking for the first several steps after being cinched up in a surcingle, broncing after missing a couple days of being saddle, an immense fear of walking through stall doors (he will either bolt or plant his feet, your call... This is an on/off habit, it comes and goes. What fun.), squealing and broncing if a blade of grass brushes his leg on a particularly exciting day, acting like a dragon that's escaped from hell on any cold day, having an absolute MURDEROUS hate-on for chickens and so on...

I have had so many people come up to me and say that I need to discipline him harsher, that he needs more desensitization, that I haven't "exposed him enough." All of these seemingly well meaning people weighing in on a horse they cannot even begin to understand. The same horse that can't keep his head screwed on right when he sees a chicken (only every 38th time, though, so make sure you count!) can hack on the buckle through virtually any trail park, keep his cool when a semi truck comes blasting by him (a mere couple feet away), gallop 45km/h bridleless, school off property bridleless and so on. He has so many amazingly good qualities that most "normal" horses lack but people often fail to try to find out about these before judging an already strained, difficult love-hate relationship.

You see, these types of quirky horses you can't get to know from merely watching a few fails videos or one short, raw clip of an exciting day. You have to meet them, handle them daily. See what they're actually like. You have to get to know them to even remotely understand the complexity of their funny little brains. These horses are enigmas, ones that run people out of the horse industry or teach them to have the patience of an absolute saint. They are not for the faint of heart. The amount of times I have wanted to quit riding or give up on Milo are excessive. I think these things in times of immense frustration, though, more times than not, I knew that I would never follow through. It is so hard to see people accomplishing things in weeks or months when it would take and has taken my horse so much longer to figure them out. In fact, sometimes it's excruciating. To have the patience that so many people in the horse world don't, the patience to stick it out even if it means giving up showing for a while or knowing that when you do show, it'll be a hit or miss day because your horse is that unpredictable and inconsistent. It's really hard. To find the right types of trainers and barn staff that also possess the amount of necessary patience and understanding to deal with horses like this is even harder.

In the horse world nowadays, people want quick fixes. They are inflexible. They want their horses to be perfect in the most immediate way possible. Unfortunately, this often results in overtaxing horses such as "The Most Infuriating Hell Has to Offer", they simply cannot take the same amounts of pressure as less sensitive, less quirky horses may be able to handle. They may snap under said pressure. Perhaps, this is what created their weird "quirks" and difficulties in the first place. Or, perhaps, they're born like that. Regardless, they're so widely misunderstood and unwanted in a world like the one today, where quick fixes and immediate rewards are so sought after. People view it as an inability to appropriately train if they are not fixed on the same timeline as other horses or if they simply lack the ability to be just like other horses. They have a cookie cutter method of training and viewing horses that they oftentimes don't want to sway from. It's really unfortunate to see, as now people are disallowed to have these difficult horses without being made to feel guilty for not rushing, not fixing them sooner or lambasted by people online who assumed that it must be X physical or behavioural issue that the owner has neglected to take notice of. Like I said, it's a good thought to rule out pain before tackling any problem, however, to assume that people have not done this is unfair. Ask questions first, judge later.

So, here's to all of those who are working with horses that make contemplate why the hell you ride horses in the first place. Horses who are the reason behind your high blood pressure. Your anxiety. Your stress. Horses who are more exhausting than studying for finals, most stressful than your exams. Horses who are not everyone's cup of tea and in some people's eyes, may just be the worst. Keep on keeping on, do your thing and do right by your horse and try not to bash your head against a wall, lord knows I'm trying to do the same.

Anyways, while Sally-Sue shows the 1.20s, I'm going to be hoping that we don't refuse out of the 2'3" ring at the next show when a jump looks at Milo wrong. I know you're jealous.

Becoming Self-Made in the Horse World— How do you do it?

Following up on my last blog post about the sheer expense of being an active participant in the horse world, I want to elaborate on steps that you can take to become self made and help secure your position career-wise in a world that is hard to penetrate without having a fair amount of money. As I've stated before,  no amount of hard work will guarantee that you'll be able to compete at the pinnacle of the sport or to live a comfortable life working in the horse world. Situations differ and for some, it just simply does not pan out. For myself, although I am actively working within the horse world, I'm also pursuing a post-secondary education because the inconsistency of the horse world and how dependent my (dangerous) work is on me staying injury free...scares me. I want a back up plan.

Now, luck will have it that the current age of social media is beneficial to helping people coming from more humble financial backgrounds. Companies are offering more and more ambassadorship or sponsorship type positions to people who have a solid following on social media. This allows for more exposure as well as a break in financial costs for certain products, should you obtain a partnership with a company. So, my first recommendation to building your "empire" in the horse world would be to network. This includes social media and everything outside of it. Share what you do, let people get to know you as a person and the work that you do or intend to do. Share your riding journey; be honest about your goals and dreams. Never stop dreaming. Most of all, be conscious of the fact that everyone knows somebody in the horse world and because of this, it is exceptionally easy to burn bridges. You may think you can get away with acting a certain way online or talking out of turn about other riders at shows, but chances are, someone important will eventually see said behaviour. So, be a role model and portray yourself as elegantly as possible. Refrain from saying or doing anything that could severely damage your reputation. Reputation is everything in the horse world. Companies and clients alike do not want to work with someone who will inherently make them look bad. Do not be that person. Try to connect with as many people locally and out of area as you can. Build your list of references, be they work related or merely character references. Build your list of people who are invested in you not only as a rider, but also a person- people who care about your success and want to help you succeed. You will need them.

Milo is outfitted almost entirely in equipment from sponsors and company partnerships. My whole outfit, minus boots, helmet and vest is covered by sponsors. 

Now, with sponsorships or ambassadorships, as "unfair" as it may seem, they are largely only beneficial to companies if you have a decently sized audience to advertise to. So, build your audience. This could be done in person through showing and building up your show record and becoming a "known" rider on the circuit. That way is undoubtedly more of an expense, but it does work. On social media, this can be done, once again, through networking. Share your story and be a relatable, listening ear. Have something that you offer that's different from others: develop your brand and make your account follow the equestrian niche. Good quality photos, eye capturing videos and honest, real captions tend to draw the eye. Comment on the accounts of others, connect with your fellow riders and watch as your connections grow. Instagram and YouTube, in particular, offer a lot of incentives when it comes to partnering with companies. Through the use of my social media, I have developed professional relationships with a string of companies, including some big names like my recent sponsorship with Back On Track. Without my audience online, I would have little to offer due to my inability to show as frequently as most people on the circuit at my age. So, trust me when I say this: social media matters and with the social media age comes more opportunities.

My next tip kind of goes hand in hand with the last paragraph about social media. Don't be afraid to reach out to people. Don't be afraid to try to create your own opportunities. I've contacted a lot of companies to express interest in developing a professional relationship and if I hadn't, I wouldn't have gotten a lot of the opportunities that I now have. Similarly, I've contacted a lot of people locally to express interest for certain job opportunities or collaborative work and if I hadn't done that, I wouldn't have my job currently. I reached out to my now boss about 4 months before I actually started to work for her over 2 years ago, and she turned down training me as a gallop rider due to them looking for someone already trained. I then turned to people I know, including my own mom, to find mutual connections to racetrack people. Turns out, one of my mom's high school friends works for my now-boss, so I asked permission to contact her and voila, instant reference. I was referred to a different trainer, under whom I started training  before he became injured and after that, my current boss took me on. Things don't always go smoothly, so you have to be resilient and always willing to persevere. My very first gallop, on a 4 year old grey TB gelding at Clyde Racing Stables, I ran the horse right off the track. Yep, you read that right. He bolted on me and blew through one of the corners of the farm track and ran into tall, uneven grass and probably almost gave my boss a heart attack. The track did not have rails so he had nothing to flip over and some how managed not to end up falling on his face, so we both made it out unscathed... and for some reason, my boss allowed me to get on another horse, which I promptly did even though I was shaken from what had just happened. And so, I kept trying and trying, doing what I could to learn as quickly as possible and now, hear I am, one of the main gallop riders for this farm and also the person who helps market their retired racehorses and obtains commission from it. It was a very rocky start, but here I am.

The margin for error is often slim in the horse world. People are impatient and expect you to learn your job fast or get out. They are blunt and it can be demoralizing at times. I want to prepare you for this by being honest about it. It is so easy to get burnt out working in the horse world. Be aware of this and be prepared for it. Now, that aside, if you aren't in the position to try to secure a job like I did in the racing industry and prefer to go the training route, listen up. I also now work professionally as a trainer, mainly breaking horses, working with green horses and retraining OTTBs. The key to this was getting on as MANY horses as possible in my younger years. I'd get on anything. Anything that was offered to me no matter how unpredictable or green. With that said, I've always been a pretty ballsy rider and had people around me whom I could trust not to overtax me or intentionally put me in a dangerous situation. Use common sense and if you're uncomfortable with something, speak up. Anyways, get on all the horses you can. Seize opportunities to learn the ropes of riding green and unpredictable horses. Ask to shadow trainers and watch the starting process of unbroke horses. Look into working student positions, and take as many lessons as you can. If cost is a prohibitive for lessons, look into situations where you can work lessons off, look for up and coming trainers wanting to practice instructing, film your rides and watch them back and so on... There are many options out there, you just have to create them. Watch lots of videos online. Read studies pertaining to the horse world. Read books and articles written by important people in the horse world. Soak up all the information you can like a sponge.

I think what a lot of people fail to mention is that with training, it's often a slow start. You'll likely have to ride a lot of horses for free or very cheap but you need to do so in order to build your reputation and have references in the first place. You need a means of proving that the work you do is worthwhile. That takes time. This is why relationships with already established trainers are so important- they lend you credibility. Don't take that for granted.

Now, truth be told, not everyone becomes the type of rider you need to be to do things like horse training or galloping racehorses. Both of these jobs are fast paced and involve getting on scary and difficult horses. If you are a nervous rider or too inexperienced to start in on this, you need to be honest with yourself and re-evaluate your goals, at least for the time being until you get more confident and get more experience. With that said, there are lots of jobs that involve working with horses that don't require the same type of iron will and affinity for near death experiences! Starting out in grooming positions can provide a wealth of learning. You can learn everything associated with the day to day care of high caliber horses while getting your foot in the door for showing purposes and getting good trainer references. This is something I would highly recommend to anyone. Similarly, there are management positions at a variety of equine based organizations that would be worth looking into, especially if you intend on pursuing a post-secondary education. There are jobs in the marketing side of equine businesses: in equestrian fashion, in journalism, vet science jobs, vet tech, working in rehabilitation centres and so on. There are lots of opportunities out there, so do your due diligence and look.

Touching back on what I said about social media, there are ways to make money using your social media platforms that I'd highly recommend, not really as your "job" per se but as a means to helping you develop security in trying to find your career or just having a bit of extra cash. YouTube, in particular, can be a lucrative business if you get enough views. Setting up AdSense, which you need to do to make money, is more of a pain nowadays but totally worth it if you're dedicated to producing good content. Similarly, blogging, like what I'm doing right now, can be a means of both getting free products to test and review as well as making money should you choose to place ads on your website. Companies also pay for advertisements on a variety of social platforms, provided you have the audience they seek after. You can make a modest income from this that can go towards paying for shows and all of those extra little expenses that come with horses. It can be a hobby, just for fun, but also a small income. Definitely worth considering and I don't think enough people are aware of it.

Lastly, a call for all of the writers out there. Did you know that you can contact equine magazines and send in articles for them to potentially publish? Most don't offer money, at least the first few times, but this is a great way to establish yourself as a writer. There are rules for submission, so take a look around and establish what exactly you need to write to be able to submit it, but please consider this if you're looking for a way to get your name out there as a blogger, writer, journalist etc. The same goes for photographers, you could do this very same thing and even try to contact businesses to express interest in featuring your work for product photos. Once again, worth a try. There's always the chance that they'll say no, but the chance that they'll say yes is worth any potential, short term disappointment.

This has been what has worked for me. Obviously, I'm still young and very much up and coming but if you'd asked me a few years back if I'd be here now, I would have said absolutely not. Companies that have taken a chance on me have helped to pave the road to my success, to allow me to use products that have helped me fit the part and helped with the health of my horses that I wouldn't otherwise have been able to afford. And of course, the people. My success would not be possible without the immense support from people like my mom, my barn owner, my boss, trainers and everyone around me that pushes me to continue reaching my dreams and has never made me feel like I can't accomplish something. Thank you!

So, to every young rider out there with big goals, this is for you. Create your own opportunities and dream. Dream abundantly, dream viciously, dream with a love so complete that you put your whole self into the things you do and nothing less.

Equestrianism: Unrealistic Financial Outlooks

As someone who's grown up on both sides of the equation, in terms of financially well off (keep in mind, this is in consideration for the HORSE world, so money is skewed in ridiculous excess) and scraping by, I feel as though I can have a bit of insight on both sides in relation to the horse world. When I was growing up, I got into horses at the age of 4. I got frequent lessons, shows and lots of horsey time. All of which, of course, was covered by my parents. At such a young age, I had no concept of money or just how fortunate I was. Looking back now, though, I see it. Several horse shows a year adds up, especially when coupled with full training fees each show weekend and in some cases, year round.

By the time I was 8, I got my own horse. Now, I've never owned a "made" horse, by that was more or less by choice at the time. I fell in love with a green 6 year old Arabian gelding, so that was the horse I wanted and that was the horse I got. Now, when I mention this, especially on social media, I get the whole spiel of how lucky I am and often times get told I'm spoiled or that people "wish they had my life". Sure, I was exceptionally fortunate but what people on the outside fail to realize (or more so, fail to ask) is how I acquired said horse. Farley, my first horse, was $7,500 which, sadly, is considered "cheap" nowadays despite being able to put a dent in a lot of major adult expenses if not pay many off in entirety. It is a lot of money for the average person. I was fortunate in that regard. My parents supported my equine habit for years and my dad bought me a horse. BUT- my dad also suffered from a massive stroke that nearly killed him, before buying said horse. Money for the horse came from the insurance money resulting from the stroke. So, yes, I had a horse but I also had a suddenly disabled, unable to work father who was now a far different person both physically and mentally than the man that I knew as my father in my younger years. That is incredibly hard for such a young person to cope with, maybe the horse was meant as a distraction.

Fast forward a few more years, I started to work at the barn at age 11 to help pay for my horses due to now having a single-parent income. Gone were the days where money came to me entirely worry free and I never had to worry about the cost of things. It was only to get harder from here on out. Fast forward a few more years, family savings embezzled, bye-bye university funds, horse on the brink of being sold, very devastating young teen now going into the real work force and working part time during high school. I was still VERY fortunate that my mom worked exceptionally hard and sacrificed so much to allow me to continue some semblance of what my "normal" was. I leased my horse out partially to help afford it and worked at a fast food restaurant three days a week. I moved from the fancy barn with an indoor arena and lots of amenities, to a more simpler barn with only an outdoor. I haven't looked back since. I've toughened up, learned not to rely on an indoor. To ride in the rain and heat, though I may still complain. 

Around 16 and 17 is the time where the value of money really became apparent to me. Unable to show frequently, even at schooling shows, due to the cost of it, my eyes were now open to how largely inaccessible the sport is to people who aren't in the higher bracket of wealth. Sure, you can tell people that " if they really want it they just need to work hard enough and it'll happen" but is that really the case? As a student in high school, trying to make the grades necessary for my desired universities, to save up tuition costs so I don't have to go completely on student loans AND budget for my horse, where did the extra time for harder work come from? I'd have to sacrifice my childhood, neglect to hang out with friends and potentially cancel my university dreams for a faraway "maybe" that riding would become a full time career for me. For some people, this risk may be worth it, but for those who try to remain more pragmatic, the fear of something as simple as an injury that no longer allows you to ride or forces you to take time off from it is enough to push you to guarantee a back up plan should your riding dreams not pan out. And what about the people who don't want a career in the horse world, but just want to be able to ride and show? They shouldn't be expected to put the bigger picture of the future on hold just to prove that they love horses and want them just as badly as those who were born into money and stayed in good financial standing through childhood, adolescence and adulthood.

My $400 rescue gelding

In my experience, those who encourage others to "just work harder" and "pick up another job" and tell them "if you wanted it badly enough, it'd happen" are not generally the ones who are trying to budget their lives on their own. At the very least, much of these people have their university tuition covered which opens up tens of thousands of dollars that they no longer need to even consider. Much of them have cars purchased for them, gas paid or car insurance paid. Once again, routine expenses or large, one time expenses that open up savings for other things. A lot of them have their shows paid for, or at least  horse board, farrier etc. Even those who DO support themselves and still say this, they are likely living in a different reality than those they're trying to encourage, but unintentionally discouraging by implying that they're being lazy or don't want it badly enough if it hasn't happened. Not everyone gets paid the same wages. Cost of living differs, too. Gas prices differ. Horse board costs, monetary obligations... There are so many things to consider. Maybe some riders are having to help support their family on top of trying to tackle their dreams. Maybe they're too new to the game or too nervous to take on certain working student positions. Maybe they can't afford to just up and leave to follow their dream to a farm faraway to work at. No one is living in the same reality as you are, so let's not make it seem like there's a simple solution to everyone's financial problems in relation to the horse world.

In North America in particular, horse show costs are very high. I've spoken to people overseas and have been astounded at how much less they pay for show fees and stabling. Prices of things here are outrageous. There is a problem when people in the horse world think dropping five figures on a fancy farm animal is "cheap". That shows a very skewed perspective on money. I do think that the horse world should be made more acceptable. This isn't to say that everyone should be able to have automatic access to expensive, fancy horses but what about more financial incentives? Scholarships? More affordable show fees? A more accessible world. As it stands now, it is undeniable that a lot of people who may be talented enough, are disallowed to show off said talent solely because of finances. Horse shows are available to those who can afford them and unfortunately, many use them as a means to determine people's prestige and level of riding even when absolutely incredible riders could be flying under the radar due to simply not having enough money.

The skewed perspective of money also promotes elitism. People flaunt money, make those without as much money or who simply do not care to spend extra for the popular "it" brands feel small. Make people feel like they are not ever going to be successful because they aren't seated on a 6-figure, bred to the nines Warmblood. This isn't to say that everyone is like this, but it happens commonly enough that you hear about it frequently if you have an open ear. Materialism is alive everywhere, not just in the horse world, but the amount of people who view it as acceptable to openly demean others for the amount of money they have to spend is startling. 

Now, on the flip side, there are those who are the less privileged that go on the attacked for riders born into more financial privilege. They call them spoiled. Make them out to be lesser riders because they can afford the nicer horses, more lessons etc. Say that money bought them their position, that their lives are easy. This is the exact same shallow type of judgments that are imposed on the less privileged riders and it needs to stop. Money does not guarantee an easy life, as I stated before with regards to what happened with my father, no amount of money could fix that. No amount of money can fix broken homes or trauma resulting from terrible events. Wealthy people aren't immune to heartache. Don't be nasty to someone just because you're envious of them. We would all take extra financial help should there be a willing party to provide it. Judge people based off of their character, not how much money they may or may not have.

This has become a rambling jumble of words. I suppose what I'm saying is that I wish there weren't such stark financial barriers in the horse world. I wish it was more accessible to people coming from all walks of life. I wish there were more incentives to encourage people to try to make it big. I wish, like other sports, we had similar opportunities for scholarships, fundraisers and bursaries to help out those who need it. I wish people were more open about the cost of things instead of trying to play it off like there is always equal opportunity if you work hard enough. For some, no amount of hard work can make up for their financial position. Money, in many aspects of life even outside of the horse world, does give people a bit of a head start, or at least an easier means of making their way in an already hard, competitive world. 

Enjoying a $40 schooling show because shows are fun and don't need to be rated!

I cannot wait for the day I will hopefully be financially secure enough to be able to help out the hardworking riders who need an extra hand to get their "leg up" in the horse world. I can't wait for the day where people wealthy and not-so-wealthy realize that we are all lunatics who spend an outrageous amount of money on a glorified farm animal and remember to be humbled by that.... and remember, paying thousands and thousands for an animal who spooks at its own farts is more than a little bit insane no matter how much of a deal you think you've gotten! Muggles must think horse people are nuts for thinking a horse that's the same price as a luxury vehicle is affordable.

The Horse World is Toxic and I'm Tired of it

I adore horses, I love riding, I love my job within the horse world. I really do, it makes my life whole. I don't think I could be without horses in my life and there are many truly incredible people I've been so fortunate to meet all because of our mutual love of horses... however, the horse world is an incredibly toxic place and growing up in it has forced me to develop a tough skin, but also be incredibly quick to assume the worst in people when their comments can be even remotely construed as something insincere. Why? Because, people are so frequently terrible in the horse world that it really isn't far off to always assume the worst in people. Now with the popularity of social media, it's getting worse. People are holding their peers to a higher level of accountability than the top level professionals of the industry. If a junior/amateur rider posts a video where they miss a distance, where their leg slips back or where something imperfect happens, as it regularly would in schooling, they are torn apart. Now, if the same thing happens with a professional where their equitation sways from what is considered the acceptable "norm", people more often than not pull the "they're a professional, that is just their style and clearly it's working for them." While that may be true, I'm certain that odd equitation styles develop long before a rider becomes a winning professional at the pinnacle of the sport, they don't just randomly decide to start riding differently after hitting a certain level of prestige.

So, when did we become so resistant to critique professionals but so willing to absolutely tear apart lower level riders for every little thing? In doing so, we're creating a world where it's unacceptable to still be learning. This means that people are encouraged to lie about the reality of their riding journey or hide it completely in order to avoid the hostility of other riders. In all honesty, it's completely and utterly ridiculous. Above anyone, the top level riders who essentially run the sport should be the ones who are subject to most critique. This doesn't mean we should be petty and constantly nitpicking riders who are effective just because they don't look like they're ready to step into an equitation ring and win, it means that we should be more critical of the lapses in correct and ethical horsemanship of people who are the most likely to get away with it. Turning focus away from people who largely ride for pleasure or are in training with experienced professionals that help guide them in the right direction and directing it towards those who set an example for everyone within the horse world is a shift that we need to see. Or, direct your anger towards those who are actually abusing and neglecting their animals. There are tons of horses out there in need of homes. Why not use your voice to rally for their well being instead of ragging on Sally Sue for missing a lead change?

The malice in the horse world has become a disease. I am embarrassed to say that I'm apart of a world that is in so many ways, completely unwelcoming. People no longer even know the meaning of constructive criticism anymore. They instead try to write off their words, which are more often than not dripping with condescension or full of profanities, as being helpful. I'm certain that deep down, people must not be so ignorant. They've got to know exactly what they're doing. If you're truly invested in helping someone, you should not be going out of your way to make them feel small or make them feel embarrassed in front of a crowd. Now, with that said, even in the case of constructive criticism, why is it that people online think that sharing photos or videos is an automatic invitation for critique? Would you walk up to someone at a show, while they're being trained and start talking over top of their trainer, entirely unsolicited? Would you comment on a friend's profile picture and start tearing apart what you don't like about their makeup? I highly doubt that. These sort of basic social graces should extend to being online. Many of the riders we see and follow on social media are in programs with highly experienced trainers. I find it terribly unlikely that there are so many junior and amateur riders out there who have such good eyes that they can point out things from short, edited videos that trainers are unable to find in hours of unedited, unfiltered training. If that is the case, then we have a mighty talented generation who need to capitalize on "internet training" because clearly people are wasting their time on "in person" training... But... I doubt that. Another issue with this sort of presumptuous critique is that there's no way to really screen people to see if they're qualified to be advising other riders in the first place, especially when it's unsolicited. At least when people solicit advice online, there's some sort of back story. But, without that, we often have hoards of unqualified people feeding potentially dangerous advice to impressionable people. It's an accident waiting to happen.

We all enable this type of thinking. We all enable people to be nasty, we do so by shrugging it off and being like "oh, that's the horse world for you, horse people are crazy!" Yes, we are crazy for getting on dangerous flight animals, but we don't need to be bitches to each other. We don't need to be in constant competition with each other and trying to tear each other down even outside of horse shows. We need to take a stand and denounce this type of behaviour. We need to have higher expectations when it comes to sportsmanship and common human decency. If someone is old enough to use a computer or use their phone or converse with other riders around the barn, they're old enough to learn some semblance of respect. If you're a parent, keep an eye on your child. Bullying is all too common in barns, especially ones with lesson strings filled with youth. Make sure they're not a victim. Make sure they're not participating. If you're someone who utilizes social media frequently, take a stand when you see people being unnecessarily terrible. Use your voice for good.

I guess what I'm saying is that until the horse world truly becomes a place where people can feel safe in honestly portraying their journey and all of the hardships that come with learning all of the ins and outs of riding and training unpredictable flight animals, there is no easy way for people to honestly be able to offer helpful, unsolicited critique. The environment we've created online in particular is so hostile that people are often quick to jump to the defense, myself included. But, in a world where people make you feel like an absolute failure for making mistakes even the best of the best made at some time and in some cases, still make on occasion, it's hard to see the best in people. It makes me sad and so very tired. I'm tired of feeling anxious every time I see I got a comment. Tired of feeling sick to my stomach when I know I'm being more "honest" than most when choosing clips to share of my horse's most recent schooling. But most of all, I'm tired of being contacted by people so much younger than myself and with so much to offer, who are more tired than me. So tired, in fact, that much of them end up leaving the horse world all together because of how nasty people have been to them. So tired that they may be afraid to go to the barn if they haven't quit yet. Afraid to share their riding photos and videos online even though they desperately want to. Afraid to participate in what should be an inclusive environment of like minded people but what is really like a game of Russian roulette, trying to weed out the good people from the absolutely mean spirited and toxic ones. 

The amount of mentally ill horseback riders may surprise you. Depression, anxiety, eating disorders... All of these are far too common in the horse world. Even coaches push people to developing such disorders by having ridiculous expectations in terms of weight as well as being allowed to be far too mean to their students because, apparently, that's just what the horse world is like. Harsh. Social graces go out the window because we allow each other to have no self control. We allow people to be terrible. We are all responsible. You never know what struggles someone is dealing outside of horseback riding. We place such a huge focus on something that in reality doesn't matter anywhere near as much as being a good person. Your value isn't created by how many ribbons you win or how your equitation looks, how many cute riding outfits you have... No one really cares about these things except for people who are so caught up in the horse world that they neglect to realize being a good person trumps all. Your riding prowess isn't going to win the hearts of people who don't give a damn about the equestrian world. Your personality and kindness is. This isn't to say that horses aren't a lifelong passion, because they totally are.. It's just to say that there's more important things to focus on and we get far too caught up in it all. It's time to take a step back and remember how what we do effects others. It's time to start working towards creating a more inclusive environment for everyone, from beginner to advanced. 

Guest Blogger: Overcoming One's Fear of Horseback Riding

Overcoming One's Fear of Horseback Riding

When spending time riding horses it does pay to be aware of the dangers and have a fear of the potential risks and injuries which could happen. However, if that fear grows into one which prevents you from enjoying horse riding then it needs to be resolved.

Many horse riders experience fear, particularly after a fall or other incident, however, rather than put an end to your riding career, try out these tips first to get back into the saddle.

1. Don’t push yourself too far

With horse riding it can be tempting to try to gallop before you can walk but it’s important to take it all at your own pace and only work with what you are comfortable doing. Trying to do too much can mean you end up losing control and this is what can cause the fear.

Focus on staying within your comfort zone for as long as you need to. Stay at the pace you are happy to ride in, until you are really ready and prepared to step up to the next gear. If you are really suffering with fear then stick to stable work and contact with horses to start with.

Try grooming and lunging for a while until you feel truly ready to get back into the saddle. The important thing is to get you feeling comfortable around horses again, however long that might take.

2. Always wear the right safety equipment

There is always a possibility that your horse might get spooked and throw you off, no matter how confident a rider you are, but to save that fear from paralysing you into not riding at all, make sure you are always protected by wearing the right safety gear.

Ensure your saddle is correctly fitted and comfortable for you and make sure you are wearing an appropriate riding helmet. Having the right kind of footwear can help to stop your feet from slipping in the stirrups so always ensure you are fully kitted out before heading out for a ride.

3. Choose an understanding horse

Some horses can smell and respond to fear so if you are feeling afraid make sure you work with a horse which ignores your fear and doesn’t react to it. When you start back in the saddle again you need to work with a calm, collected horse which will take your fear in its stride.

Once you have your riding confidence back from dealing with a good horse, you will be able to move onto more difficult animals to challenge yourself and grow further as a rider.

4. Take good risks, eliminate bad ones

While staying in your comfort zone can help to fight fear on one level, you will only increase your confidence and abilities in riding by recognising good risks to take. Moving from trot to canter, or trying a different route from where you had a fall, are all good risks which might help you to grow and move past your fear.

On the other hand, going against your instincts and riding in a reckless and inappropriate way can lead to bad risks which not only add to your fear but could have incredibly serious consequences. The important thing is to understand the difference between the two types of risks and to recognise them.

5. Try using positive techniques like visualisation

Visualisation is a well-known technique for helping to overcome fear and improve confidence when facing a situation. You need to sit somewhere quietly, and mentally imagine the whole ride which you are planning to do that day.

Literally picture yourself on the horse and imagine every detail including how the horse moves and reacts, and how your body and mind will be at the time. Successfully completing the whole riding in your head, before you actually start to do it, can really help to calm a fearful mind and reassure you that there is nothing to be scared of.

6. Get stronger through exercise

There is no doubt that horse riding takes its toll physically so the stronger and fitter you are, the easier it will be for you to balance, stay with the horse, and hold on to him if anything did make him spook and then buck.

Exercising regularly to keep yourself strong and physically fit will help to boost your confidence when you venture back out into the saddle. Being stronger means you are more likely to be able to stay on board the horse, so less likely to suffer an injury.

7. Work with a riding instructor

If you are really scared one of the easy ways to get over that is to work with an expert so find a really good riding instructor and get them to help you overcome your fear of horse riding gradually by learning new skills and techniques.

A good instructor will help develop your confidence gradually and help you get back to enjoying the activity once more, rather than dreading it.

Mike Shortridge is a freelance writer who contributes regularly for Horseseller.com.au blog. During his spare time, he likes to binge watch on his latest TV obsession and go hunting for obscure vinyl toys.

Breed Discrimination — A lack of professionalism?

5y/o me at one of my first shows on an Arabian mare named Sam.

I've always been a major fan of the "hotter blooded" breeds. I started out riding Arabians on the Arabian Horse circuit, learning to ride on them when I was just 4 years old. I got my first horse, a 6 year old Arabian gelding named Farley, when I was 8. During my youthful years, I didn't hear as much of the breed stereotypes against my beloved Arab, solely due to the fact that I was almost always around Arabian horse fanatics. As I grew older, I heard a lot more of them. "Arabians are crazy" , "Arabians are airheaded" or "Arabians are spooky and can't think." And now, I'll be the first to admit that my beloved Farley was spooky. He was hot and he  was difficult. He bolted on me a lot and injured me a few times. But, never once did myself, my trainer or family blame that on his breed. We blamed it on his youth. His lack of experience. In reality, much of it was my fault. Our fault. We dropped the ball on his care. He didn't get enough turnout, he was stalled too much and out in a small paddock. The only real time he got to really get out and move was during our rides. That is not fair to do to a horse, especially with the expectation that any reaction, any "playing" is bad behaviour and indicative of a crazy horse of a crazy breed. 

As I grew older and ultimately decided to retire from Arabian shows, I finally made the move to allow Farley proper turnout. While his bolting problem got better with age, it was still very much something that he did. With turnout, it completely resolved. He was also MUCH less spooky. Happier. Less hot. The only problem that he DID develop was being hard to catch. Which, again, was my fault for depriving him so much in his earlier years. One of my biggest regrets but also my biggest lessons in terms of understanding these "hotter" breeds and how to care for them. These basic equine care staples should be apart of any horses' life, not just the sharper, hotter breeds who are less likely to put up with deprivation of space.

Now that I've moved onto Thoroughbreds, I hear pretty much the exact same stereotypes. I predominately ride Thoroughbreds but I've also ridden a lot of other breeds including ones that are traditionally stereotyped as quieter, safer.... When in reality, they're not. No horse is truly safe. Thoroughbreds ARE typically more sensitive, but realistically, you shouldn't be riding any horse much differently. Soft hands, a quiet seat and an understanding rider should be apart of any and all horses' lives, regardless of breed. I've had some insanely quiet Thoroughbreds who were safe for kids to deal with while they were kids themselves. How did I make them like this? Desensitization, calm and quiet handling, understanding and TURNOUT. I'm never going to deprive my horses of stimulation again and expect them to robotically obey my commands without having anything to say about it. Misbehaviour isn't always misbehaviour. Horses, like us, have lapses in judgment or random expressions of joy, anxiety or fear. We are imperfect. We are not collected all of the time and would especially not be if we were locked in a small room for much of the day. Why are we expecting more from our horses?

My now sold 4y/o off the track Thoroughbred gelding. He was able to be used in beginner lessons.

If you are consistently having problems with a certain breed to the point where you deem them stupid or unsafe and completely write off ANY and ALL horses of that breed, ask where your shortcomings are as a rider and handler. A good rider, a good hand and a good trainer should be able to handle horses of all types of breeds. You shouldn't be limited to only sitting on the breeds that are stereotyped as being less sharp and more willing to handle the mistreatment that comes with lack of turnout, poor handling and overly loud hands and seat. Finesse your riding so you can ride even the most sensitive of horses. It'll make you a better, more adaptable rider and better you as an equestrian.

We all love horses, presumably, so why do we hold such animosity to certain breeds? Preferences are understandable and everyone has them. My passion for Thoroughbreds is obvious. I adore them along with many other breeds, however, I as a horse lover and professional would not refuse to ride or train certain breeds in the same way that I've seen other trainers do or even had them do TO me when having students look at my sales horses. Especially in the position of a professional rider, to turn down an entire breed and insist that they're all one in the same when they all, like any breed, have individual personalities and different training backgrounds, is just utterly unprofessional and unacceptable. Provided a horse is suitable for the work you want them to do and suitable to what you as a rider need, their breed should be irrelevant. I've seen all sorts of breeds work out in disciplines that they wouldn't typically seen in and that's because the individual horse breaks that barrier and has someone open minded enough to take the chance on them. If the stereotypes predominately directed at hotter blooded breed were true, how is it that such young children are able to learn on them? That beginners are able to lesson on them, riders who aren't at "professional status" quite yet are able to bring them along? Thoroughbreds and Arabians alike are incredibly popular mounts for people of all ages, if they were truly the out of control, crazy animals that some people like to stereotype them as, this would not be possible. People also claim that Warmblooded influence chills horses out, I'm not denying that these horses can have less of the sensitivity associated with hotter blooded breeds, but if I were to go off of personal experiences and stereotype all Warmbloods off of my personal experience, I would view them as hotter and spookier than Thoroughbreds... BUT- I've worked with probably twice as many TBs as Warmbloods and my Warmblood gelding was previously abused, denied a good start and thus made into an overly cautious, nervous horse. Another gelding I used to ride, an Oldenburg, was far spookier than any Arab I'd encountered, now would it be fair to say all Oldenburgs are incredibly stupid and air headed? Absolutely not. My anecdotal evidence, based off of a handful of experiences doesn't define reality. I still firmly believe that the way in which horses are brought up is what influences them the most.

My saint of a Thoroughbred, Dallas, who I retrained off the track when I was just 16 and he was 5. I rode him bridleless a month after his last race.

There are always exceptions to breeds. Horses who prove stereotypes  "correct" and horses who disprove them. For the most part, those with the most limited association with said breeds are the ones who stereotype them the most. Why is this? Why do they get the right to have such foul and unrealistic viewpoints on breeds that have horses of all personality types and upbringings falling under these registries? Some horses, of all breeds, are disallowed the type of calmness and natural tendency to take things in a stride. Why, you may ask? Because people neglect to desensitize them from a young age or may handle them overly roughly, instilling fear. They may be not handled enough or handled poorly by people too inexperienced to bring them along properly. Some horses ARE naturally more cautious and worried but this trait is seen in all different breeds. Getting a Quarter Horse isn't going to guarantee you a calm, quiet horse. If you're looking for guaranteed safety, it's probably best to avoid horses entirely. 

We need to treat these animals as the individuals they are and realize how our biases develop, usually off of limited experiences. Remaining open minded and reasonable in how you go about dealing with said biases is the right way to go. If you completely write off entire breeds, genders, colours etc, you're really going to miss out on a lot of amazing horses that could have easily changed your preexisting biases. It's our job as horse people to give horses of ANY breed the best start, the best shot at being good horses. Unfortunately, many people drop the ball on this and subsequently ruin certain breeds for those easily swayed by a handful of bad experiences. This is a call to all riders, but especially the professionals of the horse industry, to not allow preexisting biases to force them to flat out refuse to consider horses that would be otherwise suited for what they or their students require.

View Halloo Competition Journal Review

 

 

 

 

​I have been looking into getting an organized notebook or journal to track my progress with my personal horses as well as client horses for quite a while now. After trying and failing to maintain an organized planner with a traditional lined-paper notebook, I came across the View Halloo competition journal. As someone who has extremely messy printing and cannot draw straight lines to save my life, the competition journal has been a saving grace for organization. I had high hopes when I chose to order this particular journal and those hopes were met and exceeded. The competition journal includes every possible thing you could think of tracking with regards to horse related information, it has more than I could have possibly imagined and more.

The most useful pages for myself, personally, are the ones for tracking farrier information, vet visits and the general pages for training related information. These have come in handy throughout my horses’ rehab program and will be useful even as we work out of it and into a more regular riding schedule. There are also pages for supplementation tracking, medication and emergency contacts, making this journal a useful piece of equipment for leaving with people in the event you go away and have someone else taking care of your animals.

Aside from the content behind the cover, the journal is also very physically attractive on the outside. As someone who is very passionate about reading and writing, there is just something about leatherbound books that can’t be matched. With the gold embossed print on the cover, the journal is very classy and aesthetically pleasing. They even personalized it with my name on the cover, it is a truly beautiful way to plan and track the progress and important health records of our equine companions. The inside pages are stunning as well, with beautiful watercolour prints on some of the pages. They are well organized which makes it extremely easy to try to be neat, even if you’re like me and have the scrawl of a 5 year old.

This book is extremely well made and very organized, including everything you could think of tracking and more. It has more content than I may ever use, but it’s there if I ever need it and each individual second has numerous pages for writing on, making it so that the journal should last for quite a long time. I have to say that this unique Equestrian info journal is a must have if you’re looking for an easy way to keep track of all things horsey and want something that will look stunning on your book shelf.

Maelort & Co Ringside Bag Review

I've been a fan of Maelort products from afar for quite a while now, in particular their one ring side bag: black with brown accents. I'd been fawning over this backpack for a while and finally got around to ordering it and I must say, I was not disappointed!

When the bag arrived, I was thrilled to find it packed beautifully with a lovely draw string bag to keep it safe and clean in shipping. This was double exciting for me, as I'm always in need of new bags and these drawstring gym-type bags are so useful for all sorts of things (especially around the barn!). Upon unpacking the bag, the material of it surprised me. Sleek and much higher end than I was expecting. I've looked at many other brands of high end backpacks, particularly the equestrian-based ringside bags and none of them have ever felt anywhere near this well made. The durable nylon base is sleek and smooth but extremely durable. I often run into problems with stitching undoing and bags tearing due to the weight of what I carry in them, but I cannot imagine that happening with this particular bag.

The leather accents are beautiful and add a unique finish to the bag while keeping it classy and stylish. They are what immediately caught my eye and made me start fawning over the bag in the first place and more importantly, they also feel exceptionally durable and well made. I can hang this bag from hooks at school or around the house, with my books AND laptop in it and not have to worry about the seams starting to tear or leather handles coming off... Something that I almost always worried about and avoided with my previous bags. The bag also has fancy magnetic buttons, making the bag close quickly and easily and also "self seal" in a way if you leave it open by accident (which I tend to do far too often). They also stay closed even if the bag is filled to capacity with all of my course books, laptop, lunch and 2 different outfits for the day... Literally fits everything!

Now, this bag is technically called a ringside bag and would be exceptionally useful for shows but I will be mainly using it for school because it is so beautiful and so so much nicer than my previous school bag, I don't think I can go back. BUT- as a ringside bag, I must say that it'd also be phenomenal. This bag has so many pockets, on the inside and out. It can fit everything from laptops to books to crops to chapstick to helmets to braiding elastics.. You name it, there's probably a pocket for it. Even the smaller looking pockets fit more than you could possibly imagine, I managed to comfortably fit my laptop charger, deodorant, pens and glasses case all in the front pocket.

Aside from functionality and durability, comfort is a major concern to me when I'm shopping for something that I'll have to tote around for hours, especially with heavy items inside. I have to say, that even being the fussy person that I am, I've no complaints about this bag! I've gotten rubs, sore shoulders and back from previous bags but have seen none of that with this Maelort bag. The straps are nicely padded and SOFT, no abrasiveness for sensitive skin! Even with how full I always seem to have this bag, I haven't had any problems with the straps digging in or rubbing me, which I'm ecstatic about.

I am a very frugal person but have to say that this bag is worth every penny. It is by far the nicest, most well made backpack I've ever owned and it exceeds the quality of many of the other major backpack brands out there, both for regular school bags and horseshow bags. I've yet to discover a brand that holds a candle to the quality, durability and beauty of this incredible backpack. I am thrilled and so happy to have it. Maelort boasts the most beautiful ringside bags on the market and I'm here to tell you that with that beauty comes FUNCTIONALITY! So, if you're looking for your new school bag or ringside bag, consider these ones! They're definitely made to last.

OTTBs: Buying, feeding and training Thoroughbreds

Galloping Ava, a 3y/o filly that came from Florida last year.

There are tons of misconceptions regarding off the track Thoroughbreds, many of which I believed myself prior to starting work with Thoroughbred racehorses on the track. People view these horses as crazy, hot headed athletes who come off the racetrack knowing next to nothing when that really is not the case. I've been blessed to have owned and retrained several of these magnificent athletes as well as having ridden dozens of different horses on the track. They are truly the most amazing horses and I am so passionate about their training both on the track and off. There is nothing quite like a Thoroughbred. 

Now, I think the main thing that a lot of people seem to forget is that these horses are broke. Yes, they are "track broke" so they won't be as fine tuned as people's performance horses, so to some less experience with working with greenies, the way in which OTTBs are trained may be confusing. They don't just go out on the track and gallop every single time. They're broke w/t/c and much of their training is at a slower pace than a true gallop. Breezing them everyday for work would only serve to set them up for a breakdown, much like jumping the crap out of your horse every single day. The track is busy. Hectic. Loud. Think of taking your horse out to a horse show to ride EVERY time you school. Public tracks are exciting and Thoroughbreds are made to deal with this at a very young age. They've seen a lot by the age of 2. Much more than most people's young horses do in the show world. Now, for some horses, this can fry them, however, for many it sets them up for further success in the future and allows them to effectively deal with excitable situations with an air of calm, once they realize they are no longer a racehorse and therefore don't need to go fast or be excitable.

My favourite horse to gallop, Roger, is a bit of a brat and likes to throw bucks when he is excited!

While these horses may be broke to do more than just run at a flat gallop everyday, it's important to remember that as racehorses, they still won't ride just like your riding horse. They'll feel green, often stiff to the right due to mostly going to the left. They don't work on circles or bending exercises to anywhere near the same extent as a horse would in an arena. It's also important to remember that when buying horses straight off the racetrack, the vast majority of the time you will not be riding them first. You need a license to ride on a public racetrack and taking a Thoroughbred out on a private track can be really dangerous if you don't know how to gallop a Thoroughbred as you can get bolted on. Some trainers may let you ride in arenas at private barns or through the alleyways at track but most will expect you to buy off of watching them jog and feeling their legs. Riding them in a track setting or small arena really won't give you much of an idea of the sport horse they'll become because they'll feel so green. You more or less will have to go off of build and soundness. Look for a horse who is alert and curious, interested in the surroundings and in the people around them. Their trot may look tense and short, too, especially on concrete. Their muscles are developed differently than your riding horses due to the work they do. The loose, flowing and bigger trot will come with training. 

Also, it's important to keep in mind that due to the exciting and ever changing nature of the racetrack, coupled with the high energy feeds, racehorses may be reactive and silly at the track in a way that they won't be after settling from let down time. Even some of the worst horses that I gallop, who are prone to throwing some big bucks, rearing or wanting to bolt would be considerably easier to ride in an arena setting or after letdown time. Heck, you might just catch me getting on bareback. Keeping these athletes contained when they're fit and out with other excitable young horses on the track that they know they get to race on or do their works on can be difficult. This doesn't mean that horses who get silly on the track or who've thrown their riders or act up in the paddock before races won't make you a good riding horse. It's all relative and they'll undergo some big attitude and body changes as they develop the right muscles and get introduced to a quieter lifestyle, more turnout, lower energy feed and different types of work.

Another thing about these athletes that seems to run people into trouble with them is that they're sensitive. If you aren't a soft rider or if you're a little too excitable yourself, for lots of these Thoroughbreds, that can be a deal breaker. You can't expect a horse to be quiet if you're not quiet yourself and if you make a big deal over minor mishaps, you're simply setting your horse up to be a nervous wreck. Take things slow. Delight in lots of trot work and bending exercises when you're putting the first rides on them after the track. Make your rides as relaxing and lacking in excitement as possible. Don't give your horse a reason to get "up" as soon as you sit on them. Talk to them. Tell them stories. Be soothing and quiet. Lots of the riders on the track talk to the more nervous and reactive horses, so you may just find that doing the same helps yours relax. 

Racehorses are fed a VERY high energy diet and burn lots of calories with their level of work when they're in training as a racehorse. Because of this, coming off the track is a bit of an adjustment nutritionally as well as in relation to the level of their work load. I would personally recommend allowing the horse to settle in turnout for at least a couple weeks. Turn out is a necessity, in my opinion, even in the event the horse has turnout anxiety and "prefers" a stall, I think it's important to get them happy and comfortable being outside if you want them to relax and be quiet in the future. Now, nutrition wise, the adjustment can be difficult. Many horses coming off the track will have ulcers, if they were not preventatively treated. So, this is a discussion you may want to have with your vet regarding treatment and/or prevention options. The main thing that I find a lot of people miss the boat on nutritionally is good hay and enough of it. In a perfect world, your horse should have constant access to hay. At the very least, they should be getting lots throughout the day and never going much longer than an hour or so without any forage to munch on. This will help to prevent ulcers in the future as well as keeping weight on.

Now, on top of lots of high energy grain, they're often fed very rich hays such as alfalfa. Again, this means that the adjustment to a new diet can be difficult, especially if they're fed low quality hay or too little of it. Make sure your hay is sufficient in both volume and quality. If the hay isn't up to standards, you'll likely end up wasting a ton of money on weight gaining supplements and grain only to see very little in the way of results. 

My current OTTB, Archie's transformation from race fit to hunter/jumper fit. Note the change in his stride length and freedom of the shoulder as well as how he drives from the hindend.

For supplementation of top of good quality grain and hay, I've had really good luck with oils. Some people swear by things like rice bran, but personally I don't love this unless it's in oil form (and then I prefer other types of oils) as it sticks to the teeth, lots of horses I've had haven't found it particularly palatable and it can add a lot of volume to the grain. Any how, for oils my favourites have been the following: Cocosoya Oil ($35-$40 a jug and lasts around a month or so for one horse) and O3 Animal Health Equine Omega Complete ($60 a jug and lasts a month... But I have a code for $20 off two gallons so would be more comparable to the Cocosoya with more health benefits: code = Dennis). O3 also has a Mega Gain oil that's more targeted for weight gain, but I've had amazing results so far with their Omega Complete. I use it on both of my horses for its health benefits but it can also be great for adding weight to a thin horse. Other alternatives to oils that I've used include soyabean meal, flax seeds, black oil sunflower seeds. Now that my OTTB has a good weight on, I've pulled him off of all supplements aside from the Omega Complete and Biomane (for hair growth). The Omega Complete helps him maintain his weight while having added benefits that include soft tissue health, hoof health and more. My OTTB is a particularly picky eater and I have had great luck with keeping his volume of grain to a minimum and avoiding soaked alfalfa cubes (hates them, but will eat his alfalfa mix hay) and avoiding powdered supplements (or if you must feed powders, try to mix them with something wet... like fibremax or an oil and mix well. Add molasses if you have to). Anyways, give them time to adjust to their diet. They may lose some weight while adjusting to their new lifestyle and it may take some playing around for them to get the right fit diet wise. Young, growing horses may be even harder to keep a good consistent weight on as they adjust to more turnout, different food and rapid growth. 

Archie's first jump school.

Patience, understanding and taking your time in building a strong foundation on the flat and the basics prior to throwing more exciting things (like jumping) at your off the track Thoroughbred will help set them up for success. Some are more reactive than others, just like any other breed or type of horse and may require more time. It's easier to take it slow and avoid frying a horse than it is to fix a horse who has had way too much thrown at them and as a result, become even more nervous. Trust me, I've made this mistake in the past myself and with trusting the wrong people with my beloved Thoroughbreds and it's easier to take the extra time to build your horse up, rather than trying to fix a horse who has had its confidence crumpled. It will all be worth it in the end. Teaching them to work properly and quietly on the flat should come first and foremost, once this is achieved, you will find that everything else will come easier.

While Thoroughbreds off the racetrack often aren't the crazy, spooky, out of control and hard to train horses that people often love to stereotype them as, it's important to remember that they are green and powerful horses who often come off of the track high energy. They are not, in most cases, suitable for anyone without training experience or support from a qualified trainer. Getting a horse straight off the track as a novice rider is a great way to ruin your confidence. If you want an off the track Thoroughbred but are a nervous rider or don't have the necessary experience to retrain one from track broke, consider getting an OTTB that has been retired for a while and has had relevant retraining off the track. You'll get all of the work ethic of the Thoroughbred while getting a horse that rides in a manner that you're more comfortable with. There are lots of organizations that offer ex racehorses with some retraining or trainers who specialize in retraining and resale of Thoroughbreds off the racetrack.

Archie schooling recently.

Imprint Training Foals: Critique

This is a paper I did for an Equine Behaviour class through Guelph University, hope you enjoy!

Imprinting is the idea that there is a special category of learning during a very sensitive period early on in an animal’s development, most commonly thought of in reference to birds when they learn to follow a “mother figure”. The idea of imprinting in horses was originally introduced by Dr. Robert Miller, who used the term to describe the behaviour of young foals during a sensitive period when the “following response” is first learned, which happens within the first two days of life (McGreevy, 2012). During this time the dam is usually the nearest animal to the foal and to whom the foal will bond with most strongly.

Imprinting is first brought about by sense of sight, but sound and smell also play a role. Miller used his findings on imprinting in horses to coin the term “imprint training” and to introduce a new methodology to change the behaviour of newborn foals. His philosophy attempts to reduce the likelihood of foals developing aversive behaviours and aggression-based defense mechanisms towards humans while allowing the horse to become sensitive to the very popular pressure and release methods used in most forms of horse training.

Miller’s recommendations to appropriately imprint train a foal are very hands-on and involve a lengthy process in which the handler is required to habituate the foal to common stimuli as well as to sensitize the foal to important stimuli such as the pressure and release associated with leading with a halter. Miller’s method involves 30-50 different interactions, which Miller refers to as “stimulations” of the foal, of each region of the foal’s body (McGreevy, 2012). During the foal’s first hour of life, imprinting will begin with drying the foal immediately after birth and cutting the umbilical cord. Within the first day of life, habituation starts with the foal learning how to tolerate being held securely by a human while it stands; this process will continue until the foal learns to stop fighting and relaxes. After this step, the foal is touched all over its body in a rubbing motion until it becomes acclimated and relaxes as a result. This process begins with the ears (which includes the inner canals), face, lips and mouth/tongue and nostrils before spreading to the eyes, neck, abdomen, back, legs feet, rump and tail area and finishing with the perineum and external genital areas (McGreevy, 2012). After the rubbing process, imprint training calls for introducing the horse to aversive stimuli such as clippers, rectal thermometers and “practice” rectal exams. These stimuli are continuously introduced until the foal relaxes, seemingly amounting to flooding. The habituation for the foal to unusual objects moves onto the handler uses a piece of crackling plastic or tarp to rub over the foal’s entire body until the foal ceases to panic. Miller’s program also calls to habituate the foal to sounds such as  gunfire, sprayers, whistles, loud music, flapping flags and swinging ropes (McGreevy, 2012). To prepare for the sensation of a girth when riding, habituation to girth area calls for the handler to encircle the foal’s girth area with their arms and squeeze at rhythmic intervals until the foal learns to stop resisting the sensation. Following the habituation process is the sensation process of imprint training. This is where the foal is taught to learn pressure and release for leading in a halter, which is also a process seen in other forms of training using negative reinforcement and is not exclusive to Miller’s method of imprint training. This includes applying pressure until the foal succumbs to it and moves off the pressure, then releasing the pressure. This form of training is widely used for horses in hand and under saddle.

While some of Miller’s method is justifiable for enhancing mare and foal safety, such as teaching the foal to respond to pressure from a halter and lead appropriately at a young age, much of what Miller recommends to “imprint” the foal excessively hands on when keeping the age of the foal in mind. Studies have shown that foals separated from their dams even just for an hour generally go on to show patterns of strong dependence on their dams along with little play, social withdrawal and aggressive tendencies (Henry et al, 2009). This is of concern due to the need for persistence in physical restraint of the foal in Miller’s method. It is also important to keep in mind that physically restraining a foal can increase its risk of injury, due to the struggling and fighting that is sure to ensue if it is kept away from its dam and become panicked from being restrained. Another issue with Miller’s program is that there lacks sufficient evidence to show that waiting until the foal is older won’t produce similar results in terms of habituation and learning to cope with aversive stimuli. The exact occurrence of the sensitive period for learning in foals still remains to be found, however, some studies have concluded that handling throughout the first 42 days of life improved foals’ performance in halter-training tasks when compared with handling from 43 to 84 days of life (Mal & McCall, 1996). This suggests that the sensitive period of learning may occur within the first 42 days of life. Other studies have indicated that when foals are only moderately handled up until a year and a half of age, they showed greater problem solving skills than extensively handled horses (Heird et al, 1986). This same study also found that extensively handled horses showed to be less emotional, showed higher maze learning performance and were more trainable for riding than the less handled horses. Studies such as this show that there is evidence to necessitate early handling in foals with regards to habituation to reduce flight response, but this does not necessarily require an invasive method such as Miller’s imprint training.  Recent studies show that imprint training doesn’t correspond with any natural communications or patterns in equine behaviour and often times foals are very distressed and strongly resist these methods (McGreevy, 2012). There has also been no beneficial effect to be found on the behaviour and trainability of foals later in life when tested on foals handled at 12, 24 and 48 hours after birth compared to their behaviour at 1,2, 3 and 6 months of age. This alone displays that Miller’s method is far too invasive when keeping in mind the pros and cons of training. It may be easier for the handler to introduce a foal to certain stimuli when it is younger, smaller and not as strong but as a handler of horses it is important to keep the best interest of the animal in mind when choosing how to work with it, and Miller’s method calls for some questionably invasive tactics that can be traumatic and very distressing for such a young animal. Specifically, introducing the foal to stimuli such as clippers and rectal exams should definitively be left until later in life. Certain aspects of Miller’s imprint training method are beneficial in terms of teaching foals to learn to tolerate necessary handling such as picking up feet or being comfortable enough around humans to readily approach them; early handled foals demonstrated both of these things more readily than unhandled foals. It is important to keep in mind that teaching a foal to pick up feet or be comfortable around humans is a lot less hands on than what most of Miller’s method calls for. Most of the positive learning can be done without flooding the foal with so much aversive stimuli at such a young age, especially when keeping in mind that studies have found that aversive stimuli were not found to be more tolerable from imprint training, as demonstrated when comparing foals who had been imprinted to those who hadn’t when fitting halters and clipping at 3 or 4 months of age (McGreevy, 2012). Similar studies have also shown that neonatal handling of foals only reaps short term benefits and after a year, the handled foals tolerated handling (haltering, picking feet, being touched all over) equally as well as the unhandled foals. Along with this, handling did not appear to have any effect on the reactivity at foals at any time during the study, meaning that even imprinted foals had the same level of reactivity to aversive stimuli as the unhandled foals. Imprinted foals also did not show any heightened spatial or discriminative learning capabilities and the study concluded the benefits of early handling to be temporary (Lansade et al, 2004). Further scientific evidence in another study performed by Texas A&M University showed that neither the frequency nor the duration of imprint training sessions influenced the foal’s behaviour after six months of age and in this particular study, imprint training showed no evidence of better behaved or less reactive foals.

While more research still needs to be done on the handling of foals and the best way to produce a trainable athlete who is well adapted to humans, the studies that are available on imprint training unanimously conclude that there are either no benefits found or only negligible temporary benefits. In addition, there are a variety of studies that bring up concerning behaviours and potential issues that can arise because of the very invasive handling imprint training calls for in neonatal foals. As a result, it is worrisome that imprint training is being marketed as a great way to handle young horses and to create willing, well behaved athletes. Based off the findings of behavioural science, imprint training should not be considered by handlers as a way to create a well-adjusted foal, due to the importance of the mother-foal bond and the stress resulting from overly invasive handling that can cause behavioural problems later on in life, including but not limited to, aggression. While some of the basic aspects of imprint training may be beneficial in terms of safety for mare and foal, the vast majority of the handling Miller’s method calls for is overly invasive and unnecessary. Introducing aversive stimuli such as clippers and faux rectal exams are training procedures that do not need to occur with a neonatal foal and doing such is very likely to cause undue stress for such an immature animal. Given the fact that the purpose of imprint training is to create less reactive, more manageable and easier to handle horses, the fact that studies have shown that unhandled horses show the same levels of reactivity as imprinted foals did after 6 months of age is substantial evidence to disprove the entire mindset behind imprint training. This coupled with the presence of undesirable behaviours found to be associated with any potential distress caused from introduce such young foals to aversive stimuli and separating them from their dams for any amount of time for training should make it clear to horse handlers that there are better ways to create well-behaved horses. Another issue with imprint training is the potential for flooding to occur, which could be incredibly overwhelming for a young foal. In some cases, flooding can result in tonic immobility which is an animal’s last attempt at survival during perceived danger. During this phenomenon, the body goes into a state of paralysis, which could easily be interpreted as submission and relaxation in Miller’s method, since imprint training calls for the continuous introduction of stimuli until the foal accepts it and relaxes (Randle, 2015).

In lieu of opting for Miller’s complete imprint training method, handlers could choose to take certain aspects of it (which are largely seen in other methods and not necessarily specific to imprint training) such as introducing a halter and basic pressure and release training at a younger age and under the close supervision of the dam. This type of handling can come in handy for emergencies in which the foal may need to be moved quickly and halter training along with knowing how to pick up feet may improve the safety of both the foal and dam.  Along with this, those who are breeding should be conscious to develop a close and comfortable relationship with the dam as studies have shown that this can influence the foal’s behaviour and reactivity around humans. This is an incredibly easy and non-invasive way to help encourage neonatal foals to be trusting and compliant around humans and can start prior to them being born (Lesté-Lasserre, 2015). Basic positive reinforcement training, such as offering the foal scratches when they approach humans willingly may also help to improve the foal’s response to humans and human handling while reducing their reactivity to human interference (McGreevy, 2012). Another important factor in handling foals is to ensure that they are allowed to be well socialized and free to practice natural behaviours. Allowing foals to spend time with their dams along with other conspecifics of similar ages will help them to shape important social skills that will in turn better their behaviour as they grow older. This along with adequate turn out and the ability to express other natural behaviours has been shown to improve overall trainability and ease of handling (McGreevy, 2012) and is far less invasive and time consuming for humans than what Miller’s method suggests. Other than that, studies have demonstrated that foals can be largely left unhandled and still be comparable to intensively handled foals when compared at six months of age.

Ultimately, much of Miller’s method is of concern from the standpoint of equine behaviour and the long term benefit versus the short term gain. The potential for unwanted behaviours to develop due to over-handling at a young age far outweighs any temporary benefits this method may offer. Allowing foals to practice natural behaviours alongside their dams and develop social skills through play with their dam and peers while having access to a turnout setting in which they can practice natural behaviours has been shown to be far more beneficial toward the equine ethogram. Handlers should use caution when choosing which handling methods to employ on young foals and should be conscious of what equine behaviourists have found to be the most successful, along with any potential risk factors and behavioural issues that may be found with a given method.

Works Cited

Lansade, L., Bertrand, M., & Bouissou, M. (2005). Effects of neonatal handling on subsequent manageability, reactivity and learning ability of foals. Applied Animal Behaviour Science,92(1-2), 143-158. doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2004.10.014

Lesté-Lasserre, C. (2015, May 28). Study: Dams Shape Foals' Relationships With Humans. Retrieved April 02, 2017, from http://www.thehorse.com/articles/35853/study-dams-shape-foals-relationships-with-humans

McGreevy, P. (2013). Equine behavior: a guide for veterinarians and equine scientists. Edinburgh: Elsevier.

Miller RM (1991) Imprint training of the newborn foal. Western Horseman Inc., Colorado Springs, CO.

Randle, H. (2015, September 24). Learned Helplessness in Horses. Retrieved April 02, 2017, from http://www.thehorse.com/articles/36478/learned-helplessness-in-horses

Rossdale PD (1967) Clinical studies on the newborn thoroughbred foal i. Perinatal behaviour. Brit Vet J 123: 470-481.

Sellnow, L. (1998, January 1). Foal Imprinting. Retrieved April 02, 2017, from http://www.thehorse.com/articles/10405/foal-imprinting

West, C. M. (2006, February 17). Foal Imprinting -- Research Review. Retrieved April 02, 2017, from http://www.thehorse.com/articles/15847/foal-imprinting-research-review

Williams, J. L., Friend, T. H., Collins, M. N., Toscano, M. J., Sisto-Burt, A., & Nevill, C. H. (2010). Effects of imprint training procedure at birth on the reactions of foals at age six months. Equine Veterinary Journal,35(2), 127-132. doi:10.2746/042516403776114126

Equine Ulcers

This was a fact sheet that I did on Equine Ulcers for my Equine Nutrition class through Guelph University. 

Introduction

      Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) is extremely common in horses and foals. It is most commonly associated with performance horses (~ 60% contract it) due to the changes in natural social and housing needs. EGUS is seen predominately in racehorses who are not on preventative treatment for it (~90%). EGUS is the presence of ulcerative lesions affecting the tissues of the esophagus, stomach and entrance to duodenum. The majority of ulceration cases affect the non glandular region of the stomach referred to as the squamous mucosa (8). This problem is relevant to this course and my personal equine experience because of how common of a problem this is with performance horses as well as how it affects the overall nutrition and physical and mental health of the horse. The presence of gastric ulcers and the prevalence of them is direct evidence of the unnatural living conditions in which horses tend to be kept and cared for in the performance world (2).

       The general consensus is that excess acid, bacteria and stress are the main contributing factors to EGUS, but it is not currently known for certain exactly what contributes to ulcers in horses. Because horses are always producing acid, their stomach should not stay empty for extended periods of time. As horses have developed alongside humans over the years, their digestive systems have not changed to adjust to our modern day feeding strategies. Horses have remained trickle feeders, meaning that their bodies are meant to be grazing throughout the day and their stomachs are to be consistently intaking small amounts of food throughout the day (3).

      Due to how common this particular ailment is, knowledge of EGUS is relevant and important to this course itself as well as horse owners and horse handlers worldwide. While this problem isn’t typically deadly, it causes a lot of discomfort and can decrease the performance and health of horses greatly. Understanding the equine digestive system, how it works and why it works the way it does is essential to understanding EGUS. This problem is relevant to my personal life due to my presence in the racing industry for my job, my life as a horse owner and my experience rehabbing and reselling off the track Thoroughbreds. This is a problem I have witnessed frequently and have had to deal with my personal horses.

Clinical Signs

The majority of horses afflicted with gastric ulcers will not show outward clinical signs.The symptoms are often more subtle, such as the following:

• Poor appetite
• Dullness of coat
• Changes in attitude
• Decrease in performance
• Reluctance to train
• Weight loss
• Frequent low grade colics
• Loose feces
• Poor body condition
• Recumbency
• Discomfort during brushing or tacking
• Aggression during saddling

More serious cases of ulcers will also be symptomatic with colic episodes and/or grinding of teeth. In serious cases, some horses may even be found on their backs (most common in foals) as this can provide some pain relief in the case of acute gastric ulcers (7). Other signs of more severe cases of ulcers are seen in horses who will walk away from their food for a period of time as discomfort increases when the food first enters the stomach (2).

The clinical signs of EGUS in foals are: intermittent colic (seen after eating or drinking milk), laying on their backs frequently, interrupted nursing due to discomfort (for same reason adult horses will walk away from food in the case of ulcers), diarrhea, poor appetite, teeth grinding and excess salivation. If a foal exhibits these clinical signs,the case is likely to be severe and treatment should ensue immediately. The only definitive way to diagnose ulcers is for the vet to perform a gastroscopy of the esophagus and stomach. Palpating is a less accurate way to diagnose but can be helpful (2).

While using these symptoms to determine whether or not your equine suffers from EGUS can be useful, it is not always accurate. Horses who have mild to moderate ulceration may exhibit all or most of these symptoms, while severely ulcerated horses may exhibit none (3).

Cause(s)

   While the exact causes of ulcers are not fully known, research has shown what the probable causes are. Horses are constantly producing stomach acid, and because of this, the stomach lining needs to be protected with a steady supply of both saliva and forage. As our use of horses has evolved, so have modern day feeding practices. These practices generally consist of feeding large meals 2-3 times per day, which leaves the stomach empty for long periods of time,  increasing the lining’s vulnerability to being damaged by these acids. Exercise can also exacerbate this by moving the acids around the empty stomach and pushing them into the sensitive upper portion of the stomach (1).

   Parasites such as botflies are also a cause of ulcers. The larvae of parasites are easily consumed by horses (8). Botfly larvae can live inside a horse’s stomach and create holes that, with consistent irritation from stomach acid or the introduction of bacteria, can become gastric ulcers. New studies show that bots are becoming a larger problem as they become more resistant to worming treatments due to routine worming regimes without checking fecal egg counts (1).

    In conjunction with certain feeding strategies causing ulcers, stress is also a contributing factor. The way many choose to keep and stable their horses in the modern day increases stress levels. Horses are grazing, free roaming animals who are meant to wander and forage throughout the day. Excess stabling causes stereotypies such as cribbing, weaving, stall walking and wood chewing. All of these are outward signs of boredom and stress and are thought to contribute to ulcers due to the release of the stress hormone Cortisol lowering the pH of the stomach and thus increasing the risk of ulcers.

It is also said that certain breeds such as Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds may be predisposed to ulceration, however, there has not yet been any correlation in age or sex in the majority of studies performed. Some say that increasing age in turn will have an increased effect on the severity of ulcers, but there are no conclusive findings regarding this (6).

Management Strategies

Treating ulcers starts with the prevention of them in the first place. In order to prevent ulcers, most people will need to rethink their feeding and stable management strategies. Knowing that having an empty stomach will increase the amount of acid in the stomach, thus making the horse prone to developing ulcers, horse owners must take steps to ensure the horse has access to forage throughout the day (9). This can be offered in several different ways. Many people opt to free feed forage via a round bale of hay, flakes of hay thrown to replenish throughout the day, allowing the horse to graze 24/7 on a grass pasture, or using slow feed hay nets and other devices to slow down the intake of forage and allow the horse to trickle feed without having to increase the volume of forage. Ample turnout will also reduce stress, which is a contributing factor to ulcers (5). Studies have also shown that turnout allows for more movement, which in turn will help with digestion and reduce risk of other digestive ailments such as colic. Studies have also shown that turn out with other horses appears to reduce risk of ulcers due to reduced stress from being allowed socialization (6).

The use of processed feeds also increases risk of ulcers, another reason why modern day diets high in processed grains (more common in performance and sport horses) increase the risk of ulcers due to the larger feedings fewer times a day. Offering horses high fibre material consistently throughout the day allows their stomachs to be full near constantly, thus reducing the risk of excess acid creating ulcers (4). To avoid acid splash (build up of acid in the stomach moving and causing irritation during exercise), feeding of forage about fifteen minutes prior to exercise is recommended. This could just be a flake of hay or a small amount of soaked hay cubes to coat the stomach and prevent irritation. Alfalfa is said to be useful in coating the stomach so chopped alfalfa cubes are recommended (8).

The only current FDA approved treatment of ulcers is Gastrogard. Gastrogard is the brand name for a medicine called omeprazole, which is also used in humans for ulcers. Gastrogard works by inhibiting the proton pump that produces stomach acid, meaning it allows the stomach to produce enough acid to digest food but not enough to create an excess build up of acid that is a major factor in causing ulcers. Gastrogard is typically used in a full dose of 2.28g per day for 28 days. Many vets will also recommend tapering the dose off for an additional two weeks until the horse is weaned off the omeprazole. Gastrogard also has a preventative treatment called Ulcergard which works by being used in smaller doses during times of stress (such as travel, showing, moving barns, stall rest, etc) to help prevent the reoccurrence of ulcers (5).

Take Home Points 

• Allow for constant access to forage (grass, hay, chopped hay cubes) throughout the day in order to keep stomach full and reduce risk of excess acid build up.
• If constant access to forage is not feasible, the use of a slow feed mechanism such as a small-holed hay net in order to slow the intake of feed down should be used. 
• Reduce stress levels by allowing horses frequent access to turn out and limit stalling in order to avoid release of the stress hormone Cortisol, which is said to lower pH of stomach.
• Use Ulcergard as a preventative prior to stressful or new situations that may increase the risk of developing ulcers which can occur in less than 5 days. 
• Limit the amount of process grains that are fed. Try to split large grain-based meals into smaller, more frequent meals. Stay away from grains like corn. 
• In foals, speak to your veterinarian about ways to prevent the occurrence of ulcers during stressful times such as weaning.
• Have horses who are displaying potential symptoms, or who have been used in an industry such as racing where ulcers are extremely common, scoped and treated as needed prior to the problem getting out of control. 
• Gastrogard is the only FDA approved treatment for ulcers in horses.
• Ulcergard is Gastrogard’s other ulcer medication that is to be used for prevention only, not treatment.
• Avoid acid splash during riding by ensuring the stomach is coated and not empty. Alfalfa cubes are a good option for this.
• Be conscious of your horse’s outward condition and how comfortable they are during tacking and riding. Work alongside your vet to keep an eye on your equine and lower risk of developing or redeveloping ulcers.

References

1. http://www.succeed-equine.com/education/gi-health-care/health-risks/equine-gastric-ulcer-syndrome/
2. http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/ceh/local_resources/pdfs/pubs-Oct2012-sec.pdf
3. http://www.clydevetgroup.co.uk/equine/newsletters/apr07.htm
4. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?aid=1587
5. http://www.ulcergard.com/treat-with-gastrogard/Pages/default.aspx
6. http://www.horsetalk.co.nz/2015/09/07/specialists-gastric-ulcers-horses/#axzz3m2CTIBe2
7. http://www.thehorse.com/articles/36028/gastric-ulcer-prevalence-in-feral-domestic-horses-compared
8. http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/digestive_system/gastrointestinal_ulcers_in_large_animals/gastric_ulcers_in_horses.html
9. http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/ceh/local_resources/pdfs/pubs-Oct2012-sec.pdf

Equine Social Media: Let's be Real

I started posting my riding progress to social media at a fairly young age, starting with just my Facebook friends, those who were close to me. By 15, I had my equestrian-based Tumblr blog and over a thousand followers. With outside views came more negativity. The second people who were complete strangers had any shred of anonymity to share their opinions on me, my horses and my riding, they jumped at the opportunity. It wasn't infrequent to get anonymous messages picking apart the clothes I chose to ride in, whether or not my heels weren't far enough down, if my leg slipped back slightly over a jump. Sometimes these messages went as far as attacking my appearance and other things entirely unrelated to the purposes of my social media. Superficial, materialistic things that in the grand scheme of things do not matter or effect these strangers even slightly.

Now, almost 7 years later, I've amassed even more of a following. I've also improved my knowledge and care of my horses and really changed as a rider. I still get hate. I still get entirely unnecessary, condescending comments. Many focusing on entirely unrelated things, like my appearance, where I get my money from and other things that strangers have no business commenting on. I've also noticed even more how much of an importance people place on superficial things. What you wear to school in some how effects these complete strangers. They say bright colours are unprofessional. That you should always be dressed to impress. All the power to them for doing that for themselves, but why do they care about what people they don't even know wear? Why are these things focused on more than correct care of our beloved horses? Why are people so much more vocal about these things that realistically do not matter? It's a weird sort of superiority complex, people grasping at straws just to find reasons to put someone down and make them feel small.

Another thing that really bothers me is the unrealistic focus on having perfect equitation. Not function at all, but whether or not you fit the picture of perfect equitation, regardless of how green of a horse you're on or what you're trying to do. Forget trying to teach a baby horse correct aids that they don't yet understand (meaning that you have to be "louder" with them), you have to look like you're ready for the Maclay finals at all times to fit in on social media! Also, if your horse ever acts up ever, it's 100% your fault for training incorrectly, causing them pain or riding poorly. Forget the fact that horses are individuals with minds of their own and won't have a robotic level of compliance. Social media disagrees with reality, we promote fake-ness by attacking people for being real. Genuine outlooks on what it's like to train a young horse garner hate because people expect perfection all of the time. It's sad, to say the least. 

This superficial, perfectionist approach to horseback riding is concerning. We forget that we all started somewhere. All of us were unable to post the trot at one time. All of us had noisy hands. Yet, people still see fit to attack people for learning. For making mistakes. For being imperfect. Instead of supporting each other, we're cutting each other down for being different. For being more honest. For not being good enough. We've created a place that isn't safe for beginners. For honesty. For mistakes and it's devastating, to say the least. The amount of times I've been contacted by new riders, people who ride infrequently, people who are just pleasure riders and have had them express concern about making a social media account to share their progress. They want to, but they're afraid. Afraid of negativity, of being attacked. So, they opt not to do something that they'd really like to do and it's horrible. I'm ashamed that the horse world has become such a place that people are scared to share photos of their beloved equines and of the sport they're so passionate about.

The focus on equitation and aesthetics over proper care and handling of horses is ridiculous. The fact that people are more concerned whether or not Becky has her heels down over every jump than they are about horses getting starved, deprived of any turnout or handled roughly is absolutely unacceptable. Choose your battles. If you're going to comment on someone's equitation or something that in the grand scheme of things is not the end of the world, do so politely and in a constructive manner. This nastiness and shaming doesn't help anyone. All it does is teach people that they should just avoid sharing their journey in fear of bullying and if they do this, then they aren't getting any constructive advice, period. If you truly are concerned about the welfare of a horse or the safety of a fellow rider, then there's no reason to be rude. Besides, a lot of people would prefer to share the good and bad parts of their riding, the reality. This doesn't mean that they're not aware of what needs improvement or that they aren't seeking professional help. Don't make assumptions. When in doubt, ask and ALWAYS be kind if you want there to be a hope in hell of you making any positive difference in someone's life.

The way I see it is that people view the internet as somewhere they can let all regular social graces dissipate and where they can treat people like absolute garbage. If it's inappropriate in person, it is still inappropriate on social media. You're just less likely to have to face any actual consequences or get the type of backlash you would when people can see exactly who you are. You'll never regret being respectful and kind to others, but negativity and meanness can leave some nasty scars and really hurt people and create huge regrets and guilt for you. 

For those of you who've been bullied online in the past or subjected to unnecessarily unkind commentary, don't let it stop you from improving or from sharing your journey. Mean spirited people are out there and they're in higher abundance on the internet because it allows them to express opinions that they're far too cowardly to voice out in the real world. Don't let people who feel crappy about themselves and who, the vast majority of the time, do not have any footage of their own riding prowess make you feel small. They're not worth it. 

Social Media is Not Real: Breaking the Stigma

There is nothing quite like feeling like no one truly understands you and living in a society that promotes that attitude is even worse. I've been active on social media for years and for those of you who are also on social media, I think you'll know what I'm getting at in saying that it often brings out the worst in people. Everyone is so much more horrible and nasty if they feel they have an ounce of anonymity. Even if you can see their account name, they still don't have to say these things face to face in person. Social graces go out the window. People choose to target complete strangers online and project their own insecurities or frustrations onto them and it's awful. BUT- there is also the flip side. People on social media also only tend to post their triumphs. Life can look perfect. But we all need to realize how deceiving that is. The number of times I've been told "Wow! I wish I had your life!" is excessive and honestly, reading these comments pains me because I look at them and think "If only you knew." I don't truly believe that people would honestly want to trade lives with me just to be able to own horses and ride like I do. They just see the equine part of my life which looks good even during bad parts... Because, at least I have horses, right?

So, I wanted to talk a bit about living with anxiety and depression. These seemingly "invisible" illnesses. No matter how awkward, out of place or borderline panicky I feel, I've realized that I'm pretty good at hiding it. More often than not, even people who know me exceptionally well do not pick up on this internalized panic. I spend my days worrying. Constantly. Whilst driving, I worry that I'm going to get t-boned when I make a turn, despite there being no cars present. I worry about family members getting into car accidents, having heart attacks and leaving me behind in this life. I worry about people close to me deciding they want nothing to do with me and leaving me behind. I worry that my friends hate me. That it's all an act they put on because they feel bad for me, that I'm simply a burden to them. I worry about my horses, getting injured or dying, knowing that I could not cope with that. I worry constantly. Every minute of the day, my body is on high alert. Muscles tensed. Heart racing. Sometimes, I don't even have an exact reason. I just feel on the verge of panicking... And people hardly ever notice. Don't get me wrong, it's not their fault. I hide it well because I DON'T want them to know. I fear talking about it, not because I don't want to, but because I don't know how to explain it and feel uncomfortable talking about it. Speaking about it out loud often times gives me more anxiety. So, people remain in the dark about how I'm truly feeling, often times the only tell is how much I fidget. Which is also constantly.

Now, aside from the worries, I can hardly ever focus on one activity at a time. I always feel like I have SO much to do, even on days that I don't really have all that much to do. I plan out a schedule and get stressed if I fall behind. I feel like everyone needs a piece of me and when I have set times for shifts and appointments but things to do before and/or after, it is extremely bothersome to me. Even when watching TV, I almost always need to be doing something else on top of that. My mind cannot stop. I'm constantly having random, intrusive thoughts popping into my head and often times, when I try to stop them, it just gets worse. It's like my brain is an intersection where all traffic lights are broken and there's cars coming in from every which way, narrowly missing each other as they pass by. It's a mess. It is anxiety.

Often times, depression and anxiety go hand in hand. So, lucky for me (not), I also struggle with depression on and off. More often than not, it's seasonal and I find myself far more depressed in the fall and (especially) winter months. So, here I am, falling into the lethargy and emptiness that seems to accompany depression. And it's about 10 times worse when you spend all the energy you do have fidgeting and being stressed about things that most people don't even think about. I often feel like everyone needs a piece of me. Like it's my job to ensure their happiness. They don't put this pressure onto me, it's all on myself but with the other goings on in my family life and others close to me, my struggles are the least of worry. It's my duty to be the good kid. The one on a straight path and the one who knows what they want. The one that people don't have to worry about. I strive to fit into that cookie cutter and be that person because I don't want to be a burden. And, you have to understand, that my anxiety and depression issues (no matter how I may have made them sound) do not hold a candle to the substance abuse issues that I have to cope with in other people close to me.

Like anxiety and depression, addiction is a mental illness and largely misunderstood and condemned by society. This is not my story to tell fully, but it is a piece of my life so I just want to talk about the lack of support for all mental health problems but ESPECIALLY addiction and the ongoing fentanyl crisis. Until someone you love falls into substance abuse, you may never quite get it. They may have made a poor decision to take a certain drug, but no one wants to be an addict and they often know exactly what mistakes they've made and where they've gone wrong to get to where they are. No one wants to be an addict. No one strives to be one, but often times by the time they notice they're dependent on a substance, it's too late to just "decide" not to take it. Detoxing from addictive substance is brutal and couple that with the stigma behind addiction and lack of societal support services to adequately assist people in getting off these drugs, it must feel impossible to some. Addiction rewires the brain. It can turn someone you love into a ghost of who they might've been before. Make them say and do things they otherwise wouldn't have said or done. And it can make anyone close to them, even those not prone to anxiety, fear things constantly. My social media doesn't showcase the fear I feel checking on a person who might have finally gotten something laced with fentanyl. It doesn't sound the pounding in my heart when they're sleeping, worrying that they might not actually be breathing. It doesn't detail the heartbreak of hoping and hoping that the person you love will get better, get clean only to feel let down time and time again. It's an exhausting life dealing with all of these things. It sometimes feels like running on a highway, trying to keep up with speeding cars. I can't possibly keep up. So, often, I elect to shove these problems to the back of my mind and ignore them. And so many people do this, but I can't stress it enough in saying it's not healthy.

Sometimes, after dealing with my internal battle along with external forces, mustering up the energy to drive to the barn feels damn near impossible for me. But once I get there, I'm always happier. Anxieties fade. I don't worry as much. My mind slows down some. So, people often do not see this side of me unless they read or watch the few posts and videos where I've specifically talked about it. It's not even like I'm actively hiding anything, it's just that people take everything at face value and make judgments of my entire life based off of the select few posts they do see. So, I don't really know what I'm trying to say other than please don't idealize the lives of others. It only serves to give you an inaccurate outlook on like and it will only make you feel worse about your own situation. Despite my struggles with mental health and other difficult situations in my life, I do know that I have it better than a lot of other people and that I'm fortunate.

These societal pressures that encourage us to only post happy things on social media, to hide our struggles in fear of being judged or viewed as "attention seeking" simply aren't healthy. They encourage people to bottle up emotions and hide problems when they should be seeking help. They make people feel guilty for having mental illnesses, feel like outcasts in society. They stigmatize these problems and make them out to be some made up thing that's "all in your head" which, yes, it is in your head (hence "mental" illness) but cognition affects everything. What's going on with you psychologically influences every aspect of your day to day life. You aren't weird, damaged or attention seeking for struggling with mental health. Just like with any physical ailment, it's something that needs attention may it be through therapy, familial support or medication.

By normalizing mental health issues, we can make mental health services more accessible. Generally, health care here in Canada is quite good but as someone who just got put on a newer anti-depressant, I have to jump through some hoops or pay $100/monthly for this medication. So, instead of starting it last week like I was supposed to, I'm trying to find the paper work to convince Blue Cross that this is something that I need. For those trying to get off the opiates that are so frequently laced with fentanyl (aka the reason behind many fentanyl related deaths), suboxone can be up to $25/per day if you don't have the right health plan. How are we supposed to combat mental disorders and the addiction crisis when a lot of the support is too expensive for the average person or simply too hard to access? It's devastating, to me, that even those who want to seek help may be unable to get it depending on where they live, what sort of healthcare they have and how much money they have.

I'm not really sure what this blog post was supposed to be, it's a bit all over the place but I want to encourage you all to be more open about this and talk to someone if you're struggling. My inbox is always open. Don't be afraid to reach out. We are all fighting our own battle and no one should feel alone. I hope that one day soon, I can have my guest blogger write about their battle with addiction and how they overcame it. 

Selling Horses: A Betrayal or Part of the Industry?

Saying goodbye to my ottb, dallas, before he headed to his new home where he still is 3 years later. he lives out on many acres and is a companion/trail horse.

Anyone who's been in the equine industry for a long time will come to realize how common the selling of horses is in this world. May it be due to moving up to a level that someone's current riding horse is incapable of, a clashing of personalities and abilities, loss of interest in horses or some other reason in the vast ocean of events that lead us to come to these often very difficult decisions. Now, I think it should go without saying that this sport is unbelievably expensive. Don't believe me? Walk up to a "normal" person and start listing off the costs of our equipment and routine bills like horse board, training, farrier and vet bills. Or, better yet, why don't you show them the receipt for a week of showing on the A-circuit and compare it to their week long soccer trip. Anyways, there's no argument against the immense expense of being apart of the horse world. It's just a simple reality.

For whatever reason, though, there is a huge divide in opinions regarding how ethical buying and selling horses is and often times, for those who are against it, the deafening nature of our bills goes unheard. I can see some points on both sides of this debate, but frankly, I think that it's absolute nonsense for people to be guilting others about selling their horses to good homes, for any reason. Get angry at the people who mistreat horses, who lie about them and sell them to unsuitable homes. Get angry about the people who are actually wronging their horses, not the responsible sellers. Now, buckle up, ladies and gentlemen. This is going to be a wild ride of me telling you why you're being ridiculously nonsensicle for being so upset about people (responsibly) selling their horses. 

Now, don't get me wrong, I don't think people should be selling willy nilly. If someone continuously is buying unsuitable horses with 0 intention of having them as a resale project, therefore not disclosing that to the seller but then goes on to sell the horse pretty soon after purchase, this is shady and not cool. People should be careful and cautious when buying. They should look for horses who suit their needs instead of merely impulse buying. If you ARE buying for resale, then that's something that should be disclosed to the seller because not everyone wants that for their horse's new home.

These are just things that should be common sense and a normal part of being a decent and honest human being. It should be a piece of cake. Be honest, be responsible. Remember that you're buying a real animal, not a Breyer horse and that it's a bit ridiculous to try and pawn one off for a reason that you could've realistically figured out prior to purchasing had you had any foresight or thought through your decision in the manner you should when making a financial commitment like the one associated with horse ownership. BUT, even with all of that said, I have few complaints about people selling responsibly. I just think that even as buyers, we do owe the sellers an ounce of honesty and if you're not intending to keep the horse long, then that should be disclosed. But, alas, life does happen and some things are out of our control.

So, anyways, onto the discussion about why people shouldn't be upset about responsible sellers.

1. If you ever intend on buying a horse, then you're only promoting the sale of them and the subsequent "ripping them away from a home" (an argument I see a lot of anti-sellers using). So, if you're anti-selling, I certainly hope you're only intending to breed horses from a horse that was bred from generations of horses only owned by your family members. Otherwise, you are being a hypocrite, my friend. You can't be on everyone else's case for selling if you're ever intending on purchasing, because then you'll literally be the bad guy who's promoting the entire nature of selling by being a customer and supporting the industry by giving people your money, taking their horse and opening up another stall for them to potentially do the same thing. You can't have one without the other, so if you're ever planning on being a buyer, then you should seriously consider whether or not it's remotely productive to be condescending and self righteous to the responsible sellers who may one day sell you your dream horse.

2. If you're anti-selling, you should also be anti-leasing. Leasing, in the horse's eyes at least, is exactly the same. If your horse has to move to a new property and get used to a new rider and new people handling them for feeding, grooming etc then  it's the same idea as a selling. A horse has no concept of ownership. Absolutely none. There is no difference for them, with this in mind. Leases can also go bad. Horses can get mistreated or abused. In some cases, leasers can even try to sell the horse. So, there is still the same risk of them ending up in a bad situation. Yes, you have the chance to get them back but depending on your contract, even this can be difficult. Screening leasers and buyers is equally important but often times, especially for a more expensive horse, you're more likely to find people willing to put in better care for a horse they'll own because they can't just give it back once it's "used up". It's a very slippery slope when advocating against selling horses. These animals are so expensive that the average person isn't going to be able to see through 20+ years of horse ownership without needing to lease or sell. Let's be realistic here. Encourage responsible selling and leasing practices. Encourage people to expect references and do background checks. Basically, just advocate for being responsible in any case where you have to give up some type of control and allow someone new to accept the responsibility of caring for your horse.

3. Your horse isn't as attached to you as you may think. Provided your horse has access to adequate socialization with other horses, they probably don't care when you leave the barn. I doubt they're calling to you and pacing like they do sometimes when separated from a heard setting. I bet they just watch you leave and calmly resume eating. So, with this in mind, why are we not more concerned about separating horses from their herds? You know, something they care more about and something that often causes obvious outward signs of anxiety. Herds get changed up frequently when horses move barns, go to shows, go on lease, etc. This is seen as a non-issue despite the obvious fact that horses get more comfort from other horses than they typically do from humans. People are giving themselves far too much credit while ignoring the obvious fact that horses generally prefer other horses and need this type of socialization far more. So, instead of freaking out over responsible selling, why not advocate for the necessity of allowing horses to socialize and allowing them proper turnout? Refer to my last blog post for more on this.

These are some of the key reasons why I don't think that the anti-selling argument is a fair one. On top of this, those who seem to lead this argument are people who aren't even horse owners or have never been in the position to need to sell a horse. So, why is it fair for them to judge everybody when they've never seen a reason to need to sell? A horse shouldn't come above your education, family or other ever changing things in life that can require a large financial commitment. We need to remember, that unlike dogs or cats, horses are costing thousands a year just to feed. The cost associated with them is astronomical in comparison to other pets. Along with the work you need to put in to care for them properly, or the money you need to pay for someone else to if you can't. There is truly no comparison.

Now, lets also consider the fact that if horses were not bought and sold, beginner or more unconfident riders would be mostly out of luck in finding a horse that they can ride safely. These horses don't come out of the womb safe for these types of riders. They're made that way by dedicated riders who produce them and then move them onto deserving riders who need a been-there-done-that type horse. Those who operate as a business of training and rehoming horses make this a possibility for riders who aren't yet skilled enough to fully train a horse or who need a finished one to learn on. Not everyone out there is ready to start a horse from scratch or maybe they simply don't want to. Not everyone who gives these inexperienced horses a chance should be signing up to keep them for life. We need responsible trainers who put miles on horses and then move them on to suitable homes. They are what drive the industry and make it possible for riders to get the horses they need without dedicating the years to produce a horse from scratch. That's just the reality.

So, instead of jumping down the throat of anyone and everyone who has ever sold a horse or will ever sell a horse, be upset with the irresponsible ones. The ones who dump their old, retired horses at auctions instead of seeing their lives through or being responsible enough to know when is the time to euthanize and how quality of life triumphs over quantity. The ones who lie and mislead potential buyers, tricking them into buying an unsuitable horse and thereby resulting in the horse being resold again and again, eventually ending up somewhere bad. The ones who buy horses willy nilly, not considering what they should really be looking for. Then selling them weeks or months later, only to buy another unsuitable horse again and again. Those who buy horses they cannot care for and neglect them (refer to Milo's story...). There are many to choose from and no, they're not necessarily those who get projects horses to make into nicer horses and rehome. A lot of people do that responsibly.

I'll leave you with this: this anti-selling, "keep the horse no matter what" attitude is what pushes people to keep horses past their limits. People who think they're doing the best thing in keeping their horse even when they cannot afford to properly care for them or do not have the knowledge to properly care for them.  People who over horse themselves and continue to put themselves in dangerous situations because they're afraid of being the "bad guy" and finding someone more suitable for the horse. Let's not continue encouraging people to keep their horses no matter what. Let's encourage responsible ownership and responsibility in finding new owners in the event that people cannot keep their horses. Make your horses into responsible, desirable mounts and don't set them up for failure. Set them up for success, whether it's with you or someone else. Push to change breeding regulations and be upset with those who continuously produce mediocre, poorly adjusted horses who inevitably end up at auctions and in poor situations. Be upset with those who continue to populate the world with horses who should've never been bred in the first place. Don't attack those who may take these exact horses and turn them into something that people want to have. Those who create the show horses and ponies that your child may one day ride around on. Those who made that horse husband safe for your love to hack about the trails on. Be mindful of whose responsible and whose not. Blanket attacks help no one.

Breaking out of Jail: Reform Stalling Practices

Milo while he was on paddock rest. The stalls have bars so he can touch and see the other horses.

Imagine your friend wants to get a dog. They've decided on a larger, high energy breed of dog that you know will need a lot of exercise and be higher maintenance. They've decided this knowing that with their busy lifestyle, they will be needing to kennel the dog anywhere from 20-24 hours a day every single day. They really want the dog, so they plan on getting it regardless. How does this make you feel? Most sane animal lovers would say: "do not get a dog if you do not have time for it, especially such a high energy breed." But, what about if we reverse the roles and applied this to horses, who often times are doing just that for their entire lives, isolated in the horse version of a kennel: a stall.

I've heard every excuse in the book. "This is the only option we have here" or "I ride her for an hour each day!" or "I turn her out in the arena for half an hour!" , "She gets to go and hand graze for 20 minutes each day", "I don't want him to get hurt!" or "He doesn't like being outside, he loves his stall!" and none of this is enough and it is so disheartening to hear people continually trying to justify this type of treatment for years on end for the entirety of the horse's life.

We have more than enough information that tells us all we need to know about the detriments of depriving horses from turnout, especially on a year round, 24/7 basis. We also have evidence supporting that turnout doesn't involve a heightened risk of injury (McGreevy, 2013). Science today tells us that excessive stalling is on of the root causes of stereotypic behaviours like cribbing, weaving and wood chewing. None of these occur in the wild (wood chewing is a slight exception, though the extent at which it occurs in the wild is nowhere near the beaver-like desperation of bored horses in stalls). We also know that excessive stalling causes poor circulation, impedes digestion and heightens the risk of digestive ailments like colic astronomically. It can also cause respiratory issues, due to the fact that the horses are standing in the urine and feces for much of the day even if the stalls are cleaned daily. Stalling also can create anxiety responses when horses are eventually turned out. Imagine if you were locked in a tiny room for your whole life only to one day be thrown out into a huge open area by yourself or even with several other people after never having gotten the chance to properly socialize. This would be stressful, would it not? But, no, with horses, far too often we see the anxiety response to the sudden introduction of turnout being written off as "they just don't like being outside!" which is, frankly, ridiculous.

No horse comes out of the womb fearing the outdoors, wide open spaces and other horses. It's quite the opposite, actually. As flight animals, they're naturally more wary of enclosed spaces and being isolated because this would put them at a safety risk if predators were around. Humans introduce them to these abnormalities and they adapt and realize that they are not in danger. Humans are also the root cause of anxiety in relation to turnout because of our practices with keeping horses. We cause these anxiety responses by disallowing horses to practice natural behaviours. By forcing them into isolation in small quarters and then being shocked when they don't react properly when thrown out into a completely different scenario. As humans, we also don't often give them a good shot at adapting to turnout situations after being stalled excessively.

People far too often give up and say that the horse doesn't like being outside or that they'll hurt themselves and so on. They're impatient and expect the horse to settle over the course of minutes or hours or a day when sometimes, in extreme cases, this can be a long term battle of gradual introduction and working the horse through the anxiety. If only we had the patience and care to introduce horses to turnout in the manner we do with things like trailering anxiety or fear of jumping spooky jumps. People don't just give up on those things after a day or so and say the horse just "doesn't like it" or that they won't get over it, now do they? Perhaps, selfish reasoning is more of a motivator than the actual health of our beloved animals. I sure hope not. 

Now, this isn't to say that you don't love your horse if they don't have the ideal turnout situation. I'm certain people do. Many of them just are not aware of the detriments of over-stalling or they don't want to become aware. They listen to idols like trainers or barn owners who ignore the facts just because it's easier or because they don't want to believe them, but, there is FAR too much information proving that this type of care is simply inadequate to continue to ignore it. Look up the multitude of studies that show how stalling heightens certain health issues, how stalled horses see huge increases in stereotypic behaviours. There is so much out there that it is so easy to find and impossible to write off as fake or coincidental. There's peer reviewed studies on these types of things that are incredibly easy to access. We all owe it to our horses to do our homework and learn instead of putting our heads in the sand just to make ourselves feel better about the care we provide. That's selfishness and it's really not what animal ownership should be about.

A very open concept style of stalls. Photo courtesy of Susan Falconer in Australia.

Now, to clarify, stalls aren't the devil. But, we need to rethink how much stall time is acceptable and the mechanics of stalls in general. Studies have demonstrated that stalls where horses can see and touch each other through the bars drastically reduce stress responses. So, stalls with metal bars or grates or even group housing (less common in North America, but a cool concept) should become commonplace over stalls where they cannot easily see or touch each other. Also, the size of them should be increased. 12 x 12 should be viewed as a minimum. Horses should be able to easily lay down and roll without risk of being cast. Best case scenario would be a stall with a paddock or field attached as if the horse ever begins feeling anxious or stressed, instead of pawing, weaving, cribbing or chewing, they can walk themselves outside and escape the indoors as they please.

Horses in In/out stalls. Photo courtesy of Tara Martin.

As for stall time, horses should ideally, in my opinion, always have the choice whether to be indoors or out. Especially for horses who have anxiety in turnout, this would be an excellent solution. Provide a horse with a stall that opens up into a large paddock or field and they can let themselves in and out as they please, thereby never developing stall anxiety in the first place or if they are anxious, they can eventually start to allow themselves outside to eat and drink and build up to being more comfortable outside at their own pace. Now, if this is not available, I think people should be mindful of the fact that stalling should be kept to a minimum. If your horse spends most of their day stalled, this should be viewed as being not ideal and steps should be taken to change or make the situation better for the horse. If people are ignorant of the detriments of over stalling, they're not likely to make the steps to make it as bearable as possible for the horse.  

None of us are perfect and over the course of our lives as horse people, we will make mistakes. Horses I've had in the past haven't gotten enough turnout due to my lack of education on the importance of turnout. Once moved somewhere where they did get enough, the differences in their personalities was huge. My Arab, who used to always be very spooky while riding (even in arenas he'd been ridden in daily for years), became a far calmer horse who was even beginner safe when on daily field turnout. He became a far more pleasant ride than he used to be. Milo has been lucky enough to have field turnout and an in/out stall for the entire time I've owned him, but the changes in his demeanour are huge when he has to be stalled for longer than a few hours. Even in an in/out paddock with no field turnout, he is a MUCH different horse if kept out of a large, open area for too long. He becomes much more difficult to handle on the ground, hotter and even crankier. The benefits of turnout are extremely evident to me just by looking at the differences in my horses' dispositions when allowed turnout versus when they don't have enough. Some horses can cope better than others with being stabled, but even ones who present no outward signs when in stalls or during ground work, have had a significant reduction in undesirable behaviours under saddle and just an improvement in overall happiness. So, seeing that as well as knowing how much healthier it is for them to be out tells me all that I need to know. 

We need to rethink a lot of how we've been doing things in the horse world. Horse people are resistant to change, but we should start with re-evaluating how we've been keeping our horses. More and more, the beautiful open concept barns that allow horses to interact with each other are becoming more popularized and that's an excellent start. But, we need to change people's entire viewpoints to what constitutes a beautiful barn or "horsey paradise" because in all honesty, beautiful and aesthetically pleasing stalls are nice for the human eye and they are nicer for the horses if they are more open BUT, the best thing for your horse and your biggest focus when looking for barns should be decent turnout.

Horses in turnout. Photo courtesy of Adriahn Bain.

No horse should be subjected to a lifetime behind bars, only to be brought out for ridden work. Year round, 24/7. That's not fair. They're not here solely for our pleasure. If we're going to use them for sport, we owe it to them to allow them their own free time to do what they want. We owe it to them to allow them to express natural behaviours and to be able to move around freely, more so than they can do in the standard sized stall. We owe it to them to allow them some socialization with other horses, even if it's just over a fence. We owe them a better lifestyle than what seems to be the standard in a lot of cities. We need to make this known, so we can start doing what we can to improve their lifestyles. This isn't about expecting an immediate change, but about educating people so they do their best to improve equine living in any manner that they can.

My two boys playing in their turnout.

McGreevy, Paul. Equine Behavior: a Guide for Veterinarians and Equine Scientists. Elsevier, 2013.

Here are some other good reads:

Behavior of Stabled Horses Affected by Meal Feeding Frequency and Roughage
Stereotypic Behaviour in Horses
When in Doubt, Turn Out
Consequences of Stall Confinement
The Short-Term Effects of Increasing Meal Frequency in Stalled Horses
Are Stabled Horses at Increased Risk of Colic?
Horses Stabled Alone (Stress Study)
Foraging Enrichment for Stabled Horses: effects on behaviour and selection
Air Quality for Stabled Horses
Cross-sectional study in Compulsive Behaviour
Staying Sane on Stall Rest
The Equine Digestive System
To Stall or Not to Stall
Weighing Your Options: Stall or Pasture
Importance of Turning out your Horse
Stall Versus Acreage
Keeping Stalled Horses Happy
Stereotypic Behaviours
Study on Stereotypic Behaviours
 

The little red horse that changed my life

Milo soon after being seized

            Shortly after my competition horse injured himself during turn out and I decided he’d be better suited to a light riding/trail horse career, I started looking for a new horse that I could train up and compete on in the future. My main focus was finding something that would be ready to start training or retraining relatively quickly; so I started looking at OTTBs and young prospects ready to be broke. Eventually, I came across the ad for a “Chestnut Thoroughbred cross” named Bandit listed for adoption at the SPCA, his ad claimed he was a yearling. Despite him being much, much younger than what I was looking for, his ad spoke to me and I knew I had to go look, so I sent them an email. Now, the BCSPCA doesn’t list their horses’ exact location, it simply says “Provincial rescue” and they could be anywhere in the province. Despite this, I was already begging my mom to prepare for a road trip if he was not local. Luck was with me and he was being fostered out a mere twenty minutes from where I lived.

MILO AT THE SPCA

   My mom and I went to go see him shortly after I’d emailed to book an appointment. We were supposed to see him at the same time as another potential adopter, but luck was with us. They didn’t show. The chestnut gelding was skittish, still quite skinny and very stunted in growth compared to what he probably should’ve been, standing a mere 14.2 or 14.3 hands. But, despite his poor start, he was incredibly curious of people and had an interest in learning and meeting us. After seeing how beautiful his natural movement was, along with his natural curiosity of things, even if he was nervous of them, we were sold. We filled out an adoption application and were accepted after the SPCA performed a home check. Prior to bringing him home, we had the vet out to vaccinate him and do a basic sales exam on him. We found out that he was, in fact, not a yearling. He was two! We brought him home on July 21st, 2014 for an adoption fee of $400

            We change his name pretty much immediately, I did not think Bandit suited him and didn’t particularly like the fact that the name had come with him from his previous, neglectful home. We called him Milo. Milo was a small package but full of personality… And stubbornness, attitude, fight and many other unpleasant qualities. He was hard to catch, hard to lead, impossible to hose, impossible to blanket, impossible to fly spray… The list went on. He was nervous and afraid of a lot of things and outright stubborn about others. He’d be fine with something one day and then would rear straight up or lash out the next. He was incredibly difficult and soon I grew very frustrated with him and even considered giving him up. I took a few days’ break from the barn and my mom worked with him. When I came back with a refreshed outlook and a horse who was slightly more desensitized than the last time I saw him, we got to work and boy it was work. By the beginning of fall, he tolerated hosing (though he made sure we knew he did not like it), barely tolerated being fly sprayed, would lead and lunge, was easy to catch and would blanket; but still, Milo was always sure to remind us that he had a mind of his own. Milo was also a lot different than other horses I’d worked with in that his fight reflex was a lot stronger than most. If he ever felt cornered or threatened in anyway, he would strike out or threaten to charge. He was a lot more cautious this way of strangers and still is.

   Not too long after adopting this stunning gelding, I sought out more information about his previous life in an attempt to better understand him, so let's rewind in the life of this crazy chestnut horse just a couple years. From information I was able to gather from both the SPCA and an alleged neighbour of the people who'd previously owned him (the neighbour reached out to me after recognizing Milo from a social media post), Milo's story became all the more sad. The SPCA had first come out to check out the property after numerous calls from neighbours and passersby, their first visit was prior to Milo's birth but while his dam was heavily pregnant. The owners were issued a warning but legally, the SPCA could not perform a seizure just yet. They wouldn't be able to for almost another two years, shortly before Milo turned two. According to the neighbour of these people, the stud was just left to run loose with several mares. Most of the horses, including Milo, were not halter broke until they'd been seized and handled by the SPCA. Milo likely was essentially feral due to the immense lack of handling at this place. There was another colt that was about a year older than Milo and then a standardbred gelding, a couple mares and a stud. The neighbour had inquired about the amount of horses being seized and to their knowledge, there were a few that were unaccounted for, this led me to wondering where they may have gone, the thought terrifies me. I was never able to find out.

Milo shortly after being seized

Anyways, onto this sad story regarding Milo's previous owners. Nearby neighbours offered up free grain and showed Milo's previous owners how to make beet pulp and offered to help them with basic nutrition, however, despite their help and free grain, there were no noticeable differences in the horses. One neighbour apparently even offered up their hay field for these people to hay, which they did, then allegedly went onto sell the hay for their own personal gain. Nothing was done for these poor horses until the SPCA seized them in absolutely deplorable condition, the one mare that they seized who was heavily pregnant (again) was in the worst condition. Luckily, her foal who was born shortly after the seizure was healthy. Milo was in terrible condition as well, so stunted when they first seized him that he was aged originally at 10 months old at the time of his seizure in April 2014. It was later on, when we had him aged again after adoption that we found out his real age, which was further confirmed by the rate of his tooth loss. 

Just a taste of what milo can be like in cool weather...

 The cooling of the weather for winter brought even more difficulties. Milo could not contain himself as he began feeling healthier and friskier. He’d be leading normally and would suddenly fly up into the air and launch into a massive buck or rear straight up. He managed to kick me twice (luckily he was barefoot) and my mom once. Working with him became extremely frustrating, again, and also dangerous. We gave Milo the benefit of the doubt due to the fact that he’d never felt this good and therefore had never been taught to contain this type of energy. We managed to survive winter without too much difficulty.

            With spring came the better version of Milo. He was growing easy to handle. He could be hand walked out on roads and on trails with ease. He was growing into himself and steadily gaining weight and looking more his age. He was now over 15 hands. He was a gentleman… Most of the time. We started preparing him more and more to be started under saddle as his third birthday neared. He took it all with ease, which surprised us given his stubborn nature in the past. As his third birthday came and went, I started him under saddle myself. It was the most uneventful, easygoing thing ever. He was awesome! Milo came along with ridden work beautifully, so long as we were certain he got enough exercise throughout the week. May it have been from pasture turnout, lunging or actual riding. Other than the occasional stubborn moment where he’d stop and refuse to go forward, he did not often do anything bad. Even with time off, it was just a few bucks here and there. Soon we were doing walk/trot steadily with some canter. We did our first walk/trot show in summer 2015 and placed 3rd. I started introducing him to bridleless riding shortly after starting him under saddle and he was perfect. Milo was always certain to take care of me.

Starting milo under saddle

            With winter, came the bad version of Milo. I now refer to him as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, because that is exactly what he is. When cold weather comes, his relatively calm and collected nature goes out the window and he cannot contain the added energy that comes with less work through the winter. Milo proved could quite literally be a saddle bronc, if I ever decided not to continue to use him as a riding horse. He could be doing a beautiful, quiet trot and then would hear a noise or a gust of wind would ruffle his tail and he would be doing airs above the ground and launching himself up and down .3 seconds later. Luckily, he refined my seat and created a stickier butt and we, again, survived the winter.

Milo as a 4y/o

            With spring 2016 came a mature, well-muscled 4y/o who had hit 16 hands despite out vet’s original reservations about him finishing under 15.2 and possibly being too small for me to ride and show and remain “aesthetically pleasing”. We started more bridleless riding, he was absolutely perfect at it. Never set a foot wrong, always respected not having a bridle on and remained his usual self, just like he would be with a bridle. We lightly started over small cross rails and he loved it. Milo proved he had finesse and beautiful style like that of a much more expensive horse. As he learned to carry himself better, his already stunning movement became even more beautiful. He turned heads whenever he went to shows, even if it was sometimes due to nerves-induced bucking. Needless to say, people were shocked to hear that he was an SPCA rescue. We trail rode lots through the summer, showed in a cross rail jumper derby series and ended up Champion at the end of the series. We also refined our partnership through bridleless riding and bonding exercises. Milo had become a lovely horse, he was respectful to ride, brave and flashy. He still had his moments of silliness or stubbornness, but that is just who he is as an individual and it makes him more fun.

            As we entered the fall and winter months once again, I wondered if Milo’s version of Mr. Hyde will return or if Mr. Hyde is gone for good. Due to an unexpectedly cold and snowy winter, we hardly got any riding in due to the absence of an indoor at our barn, however, we were able to ride on and off and in comparison to the previous years, Milo was awesome. Come January 2017, we were able to ridea bit more when there was a break in the snow and we went to Thunderbird's New Year's Welcome show to get him out and about at a slightly busier schooling show. Milo was his typical dragon-esque self off property and due to the lack of consistency throughout the winter, we had lots of bucking fits and several refusals. As he landed a particularly large buck, my hand got caught under the rein and slammed down into his neck knuckles first. I heard a faint crack and felt some sharp pain, but thought nothing of it and assumed it was just my knuckles cracking. We finished our ride and even got most of the way around a schooling round in the jumper ring at 2' - 2'3", which was great for him considering how apprehensive he could be off property. After I got off, I noticed my hand was very swollen and thick. I couldn't move it without sharp pain, so, after dealing with Milo and ensuring he was comfortable and settled in at the show, I headed to the hospital. X-Rays showed that I'd fractured my hand in two places. I was in a splint for 4-6 weeks. At this point, I'd already paid for the show, so in my mind, I was committed to getting around the show and giving my horse a decent schooling experienced. Due to the broken hand and how silly Milo was being, we only showed the cross rails but he jumped everything and though we got around the hunter course in a very jumper style manner, we made it through. No ribbons at this show but it was a valuable training experience.

Milo jumping as a 5y/o

Flash forward a few months, our training program becomes more consistent as the ground thaws and we can ride again without worrying about another impending snowfall. We attend the March Gateway show at Thunderbird and this time, we make our big debut in the Thunderbird jumper ring in both 2'3" and 2'6". Milo was fantastic and jumped everything, no refusals in the show ring which is uncommon for him to go an entire show without. I was ecstatic.

As the weather got warmer, our schedule got more consistent and I was getting him out 4-5x times a week on average. We got the okay to show bridleless at a local schooling show venue, so we went and showed crossrails to 2'3" without a bridle and Milo was absolutely incredible.

We then started prepping for our first A-rated show at Thunderbird where we would show in the 2'6" ring. Milo developed an aversion to trailering, where he'd rear straight up and panic and not want to load. This slightly dampened my mood around show time, but we got him loaded and we arrived at the show. He settled in very well and was fairly calm (for Milo standards) for warm up. Warm up day, we went into the jumper ring and had one refusal at the first fence but then he jumped everything and was great. I was really looking forward to our classes.

Milo in the 2'6" ring at thunderbird

Our first day at the show, we had two awesome classes and went double-clear in both. We were fairly slow, however, so secured a 6th and an 8th place out of 19 horses in each class. I was thrilled with him and excited for the rest of our classes. The next day did not go so well, he refused out of both classes and I ended up scratching him the rest of the week after seeing sand had gotten under his boots and severely irritated his white leg. We had two light work days where he was just lunged and handwalked and then his legs were absolutely slathered with diaper rash cream. The rash started to become less red and angry and we finished the last day of the show with a lesson. I was in slightly better spirits, though still disappointed with not being able to do better for my horse and prevent the skin dermatitis before it happened. My spirits didn't stay high for long, because walking back to the barn, my phone fell out of my pocket and Milo stepped on it, absolutely shattering it. Needless to say, our first rated show together was a very memorable experience.

Throughout the rest of the summer, I only did one more jumper show and then we went back to a flatwork only schedule near the end of August after finding out that Milo's locking stifle, a problem he'd had as an early 3 year old, had started becoming a problem again. This was presumably due to a recent growth spurt and subsequent loss of muscle. It locked up once and has not since in over a month since we first called the vet. The flatwork based program we've been working has done wonders for him. He's packed on muscle and is more confident and a far more consistent partner to ride. I'm so excited to see what is to come for him. He is now 16.1 and has surpassed everyone's expectations in terms of how well he's grown up and how talented he is.

Milo as a 5y/o

I love sharing his story because he truly is proof of how great rescue animals can turn out with time and patience, and BOY did he ever take a lot of patience (for real though, he’s been a brat his entire life, some of his previous foster parents have admitted that he was a major jerk!) but in the end it has been totally worth it and I love looking back on our crazy adventures, frustrations and accomplishments. I know there are more to come and I am so excited for the journey with my beautiful, redheaded angel.

Watch the full in-depth video below: