My horse is wasted with me…

EquiTeam’s Liz Daniels chats about the feeling of knowing your horse is not reaching their full potential.

If I had a pound for every time I heard this statement I would be a LOT richer – which in essence means that if you have ever said this out loud then you are certainly not alone.

It’s a conversation we have touched on before in our blogs, but one that keeps arising in the arena, so let’s explore.

Breaking it down

I like to look at this is a very black and white way and break it down.

With the exception of being well looked after, kept in a routine, with his needs met – your horse; no matter how talented, has no expectations.

He does not sit at night studying videos of Badminton Horse Trials, discussing with his stable buddies which line he would take over the Vicarage Vee, if his fitness levels are on point, if his six pack is more of a six flab, or what it would be like to trot down the centre line at the Olympics.

He happily munches his grass, or hay, waiting for you to appear the next morning to give him more grass or hay.

While there are an abundance of talented horses all around the UK, the reality is that only a very small percent actually stand up to the physical demands of moving up the levels and being more competitive. And by no means do I mean even getting to the top level.

These horses are athletes, but with that comes physical and mental compromises.

It’s hard enough keeping any horse sound as they seem to come with an inbuilt self-destruct button, but once you start upping the game and moving through the levels, you add additional pressures and it gets even trickier to keep them at the peak of health.

My point being that your horse might be able to jump bigger than you would like to – or be able to go higher in dressage than you are currently ready for… but could they physically and mentally stand up to the work, or the vet visits, or the rehab, or the limited field time for fear of injury?

In my experience of being a top level groom and then working in an equine vet practice, my personal conclusion is no. Most horse’s physical capabilities do not match their potential talent levels.

Which then begs the question, are you better to enjoy your journey together within the parameters of their physical and mental capabilities with smiles on your faces, or would you like to feel bad that they have not ‘reached their true potential’?

Letting horses be horses

There is another way of looking at this as well. How lovely is it reading a feel good story about top riders who instead of passing their good horses on for money, give them a lovely ‘retirement’, which consists of them spending lots of time in a field with horsey friends, some low level work/hacking and allowed to be horses.

Bobby

A few years ago I was lucky enough to be in a very privileged position, where my old boss, Geoff Billington, gifted me his Nations Cup horse, Rosinus (Bobby), so that he could have a nice retirement with me and ‘be a horse’. He could have sold him for mega bucks to a Young Rider to show them the ropes, but instead I really admire Geoff for his kindness to be me and Bobby – he owed him nothing and he wanted him to have some fun.

Having spent many years as a top level competition horse there were of course some physical compromises but we certainly had a lot of fun together, did lots of hacking, some dressage and he lived out with my old boy Randi, and they played together for hours on end.

Our top riders are rewarding their horses with the lifestyle that most people give their horses on a daily basis.

So the next time you feel like your horse is wasted with you, take a minute to appreciate what you do give to your horse and I bet it is much more than you think.

Liz x

If you loved reading, please feel free to share

Don’t forget to join us and our friendly community of like minded people here.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email