09/24/2020
It's been awhile since we posted, but this is worth reading. It does matter -so does protecting your horse from impact-related soreness. We are here to support you and your 4-legged best friend.
It matters.
It matters where your horse goes for training. When I was a young intern with some of the “best” trainers in the world (I won’t share names/barns), this type of raking was more common than not. In fact I really don’t recall a horse in the barn without some sort of swelling, bruising or bloody sides or mouths.
It matters.
I also remember going to the shows with said horses worrying about what people would say… what a ring steward would say… But no one, NO ONE, ever said one thing about it. How did they not see these marks on the horses? Why was no one saying anything? Money? Prestige? I still don’t understand.
It matters.
I left that world as soon as my required internships were up and I never worked for another trainer like that again. The longer I train, the more and more I realize… there is a better way. And the better way can get just as impressive sliding stops, spins or piaffes. But it may cost you a 3 year old futurity. More often than not, if you are a fan of the “better ways”, you are also full of love and empathy for the animal, not just the sport. So you’re going to look for ways to keep a horse sound. Bring them up right. And slow.
It matters.
I want to be a Horseman, not a “trainer”. A horseman respects the horse. Mind, body, soul. We all have to make a living. But as a horseman I am always upfront with people about how I view quick fixes or demanded results. I don’t play that game.
It matters.
We can all keep learning better ways. We can all work to change the industry. We can choose the trainers we send our horses to. And we can alert others to bad practices. Always be a steward to the horse first, sport second. We can all do better.
It matters. These horses matter.
“A relationship built on trust is always stronger than a relationship built on truce.”
*I do not own this photo; I was given permission to use*
