Best advice

Mrs B

Mrs B

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Ok - what is the either the best piece of advice you have been given about horses in your life or the best piece of advice you would offer someone else?

Mine came from an old rogue of a dealer in Leicestershire (where I grew up) called Ron Tivey:

"There's only one thing you can be sure about with horses: They'll make you look stupid".

Amen to that :rolleyes:

Your go! :)
 
Firstly, Hello Kate - haven't spoken to you in a while. Hope all is good :-)

Mine would have to be from my mother:

'you will never make money working with horses, become a doctor'

We compromised, and I am aiming to be a equine vet when I graduate... still won't make as much as a GP, but will at least be doing what I love and being able to pay some bills!!!
 
'No foot no horse' from my lovely farrier and 'whats in the brain goes down the rein' from my hardarse coach

non horsey 'keep your friends close but your enemies closer' also from my hardarse coach
 
Think mine would have to be 'no foot no horse'. My first horse was pts due to cushings related laminitis and my current horse has thin soles and a tendency to long toe/collapsed heels so needs a lot of attention from the farrier. So I am a bit obsessive about feet.
 
A family friend who's a vet gave this brilliant pearl of wisdom:-

"If there's an accident waiting to happen a horse will find it".

It's pretty ironic but I think very true. And every time I see something even slightly dangerous this quote comes to my mind and I fix it asap!!!
 
'Leg on!'

Hasn't failed me just yet, sure it will at some point. But keep kicking and chuck the reins at it if need be and me and horse seem to scrape through even if the ground seems to be getting too close for comfort.
 
studentvet said:
Firstly, Hello Kate - haven't spoken to you in a while. Hope all is good :-)

Mine would have to be from my mother:

'you will never make money working with horses, become a doctor'

We compromised, and I am aiming to be a equine vet when I graduate... still won't make as much as a GP, but will at least be doing what I love and being able to pay some bills!!!
Click to expand...

Wotcha, Dear! I'm fine and hope you are too!

Good piece of advice from your Ma, I have to say.

Another one that comes to mind about jumping (while hunting in my case) was the old: 'Throw your heart over first' - must remember that now I am older and break more easily....:o
 
I have to agree with KS... throw your heart over and the horse will follow is a brilliant reminder when hunting in particular.

also my dad always says that dealing with horses is the ultimate con job, you con 500kg of horse into thinking that you are in charge.
 
'leg on' a def for me too! Also (forget where I read it, prob on here!), 'horses are reactive'.
Really helps when I'm getting stressed about things not going right, helps me take a step back, take responsibility, and calm down for a different approach.
 
These pearls of wisdom from my trainer;

1. Make the Right thing easy and the Wrong thing Difficult

2. You will make mistakes, your horse will make mistakes, as long as you can get through them together that is fine.

And finally when I was getting in a flap about how much to offer for a horse that was grossly overpriced but liked very much

"the only sure price for a horse is based on how much it weighs, after that it is all emotion, how much the owner thinks they want for it and how much you need to have it"!
 
Mine i actually got off here, when asking your horse to move forward, think of lifting the horses ribcage up with your calf muscles instead of kicking him on, very subtle but very good!!!
 
i cant remember the exact quote i read but its meaning has stuck with me - always use the minimum reprimand needed to correct your horse
eg if being bargey or pulling, shout first, then light tap if needed etc
Dont lash out with a great big wallop straight away - xxx
 
Not necessarily a piece of advice but true none the less..........

If you put a horse in a padded cell, it would still find some way of hurting itself.
 
Oh gosh: here goes -

"No foot no 'oss"

"Feed your horse before yourself"

"Never put a sweating horse to bed coz by next morning it could be dead"

"What's in the brain runs down the reins"

"Reward the behaviour you want not punish the behaviour you don't want"

"You are eternally responsible for that which you've tamed"

"Too much spring grass means a Sh**Ty A*ss"

"Throw your heart over (a jump) first and follow it like hell"

and finally (from Pony Club days) - if hunting, remember the Field Master is God Incarnate!!!
 
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