What's the hurry?

Over the weekend, I had the rare good fortune to visit a spectacular farm in Thetford, VT. The farmer wasn't sure exactly how long it had been in the family, but told the assembled group that the original land-grant from the King of England had been some time in the late 1600's, and that he could trace the family history back at least 200 years, without having to really think about it. We were attending a forestry workshop, so the farmer was talking about his woods, his sugar-bush, and other aspects of forestry management. What really struck me was the very long view that this farmer and his family, past and present, were taking with regard to the stewardship of their land. This got me to thinking about horses, and how we caretake and interact with them. I'll be honest: for me, everything relates to horses, in one way or another. I worked recently with a very nice woman and her equally nice horse, who had attended a clinic with a big-name trainer. The trainer reiterated something that my client had heard before--that there were some holes in her riding education, that she really needed to fix before she could expect to move up the levels. My client, to her everlasting credit, took a deep breath, put her ego aside, and took the opportunity to learn from this, to really listen to the trainer and resolve to fill in the holes. I noticed a difference in the way her horse felt--his back was less sore, hamstrings less tight. I predict a bright and happy future for the two of them, with lots of fun along the way. I worked with another client whose horse is recovering from another bout of Lyme Disease. My client wanted to know whether or not I thought her horse was ready to go back to work. After working on the mare, I came to the conclusion that she needed more time to recover. My client was very grateful for the feedback, the mare was grateful for the session, and I left feeling a deep sense of accomplishment. After all, for me, this is what my job is all about: helping your horses have long, useful, athletic careers. So, what's the rush? I encourage everyone to take a deep breath and step back. Take a look around, and evaluate where you want your horse to be in a year, 5 years, 10 years, even, maybe especially, 20 years, if you have a promising youngster. I'm sure the answer for everyone is that, bottom-line, you want your horse to be sound and pain-free, well into their golden years. So, let's all slow down. Give your youngster time to grow up and develop good bone and a good brain before you put them to work. Give your horse plenty of time to rehab from an injury or an illness. Short-term, you might miss a trail ride or a show, but in the end, who cares? Sometimes, getting out of our own way, getting our egos and expectations out of the way, is the hardest work of all. I promise you that ultimately, you'll feel better knowing that your horse had the benefit of your patience and hard work.

Stretches for your horse

Hi all--Many of you have asked me about stretches for your horse. Here is a link to a GREAT article featuring Hilary Clayton, one of the world's foremost experts on equine biomechanics. Enjoy, and email me with any questions! http://www.thehorse.com/articles/34482/rehabilitation-exercises-from-the-ground?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=lameness&utm_campaign=09-03-2014