Experience. What has been your biggest lesson?

Wagtail

Wagtail

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Over the many years I have owned and worked with horses, I have learnt many things. The most frightening thing is, that I am still learning! But if you are to look back on your experience with these magnificent creatures, what would you say was your most valuable lesson?

For me, it was the transition from believing that horses were 'naughty', 'taking the mick', 'quirky', 'difficult' etc to realising that this was hardly ever the case! There is always a reason for what they do, and most of the things they do, which we object to, is pain related. I have also found that you should trust your instincts with your own horses, even if the experts are telling you otherwise. They get it wrong a frightening number of times!
 
Trust. No matter what you tell them, your secret stays safe with them and better still, they never judge you because of it. The horse sees you as a friend, a best friend even, who loves you unconditionally.

Build that trust together, and anything is possible. You can turn a once 'naughty' horse, into a superstar.
 
Stroppy Mare said:
Trust. No matter what you tell them, your secret stays safe with them and better still, they never judge you because of it. The horse sees you as a friend, a best friend even, who loves you unconditionally.

Build that trust together, and anything is possible. You can turn a once 'naughty' horse, into a superstar.
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So true.

Asha said:
My biggest lesson - has to be i dont bounce anymore.
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Lol, me neither. :D
 
Never buy a horse/pony because you feel sorry for it. I have done it twice. They were both total disasters (health/temperament problems). Perhaps I should have learnt after the first one!
 
That a lot of people in the horse world take being two-faced to a whole new level!! (Nobody on here don't worry LOL)
 
I've learned that I don't bounce too!

But I think the most important lesson is to listen to my gut feeling - if you think there's something wrong, there probably is. I've also learned not to feed supplements with more than one ingredient, the 2 are related!
As OP says, after almost 50 yrs with horses, I'm still learning.
 
listen to my horse and learn to "read" her behaviour.....



Vets do not know everything - and they certainly do not know my horse better than me!


nuff said?! :)
 
That if horse isn't giving the answer I want then try asking a different way, and also that people who've been around horses a long time don't necessarily know better, they may just have been doing it wrong for a long time.
 
Ask for advice but trust my own instincts. Several lightbulb moments along the way but too long to explain here. Still learning so much despite years of experience and still so much more to learn.
 
Apart from taking the plunge and deciding to learn how to ride (until then I was a conscripted shovel/wheelbarrow wielder), I think reading 'Shy Boy' by Monty Roberts put me on the way to understanding the world from a horse point of view and has provided a context for the million and one lessons I've learnt since! :D
 
Trust. Persistence. Accepting help.
The horse world is always changing and i continue to learn, but accepting that others don't do that, is a lesson I have had to learn!
 
Realising that when my beautiful 3 yr old welsh sec D boy falls asleep with his muzzle on my boot, arms around his neck scratching under his jaw - that he is a baby and needs me almost as much as my three year old daughter. His trust makes me well up !!
 
To know and openly admit you limits.....i.e dont go out and get a Stunning eventer because you like it but you cant do what it does. Seem it happen so many times......personaly dont worry what others think of me and try to change to suit the yard "groupys" i am who i am deal with :D
 
Loving these comment. Some make me laugh, others are quite moving, especially the 'trust' ones.

Many people agreeing that you should trust your gut instinct, and that we are all still learning.
 
Patience. With a baby horse everything takes 5 times longer than you think it will (except for the learning of bad habits). Budgeting. Everything will cost 5 times more than you think. And that at the end of the day you need to do what you think is right for your horse.

Also, today I have learned that I really should not put things off and the British summer will always let you down. Planned to ride this morning, put it off as it was raining, about to head to the yard to ride now - it's not raining anymore, it's absolutely pouring!
 
Never get complacent, and always buy the longest leadrope in the shop. I realised this as I lay flat on my face in the mud the other day after Alf spooked and knocked me over. I've spent most of my career working with youngsters, stallions and fit competition horses, and it never occurred to me that I would have any trouble with a 15yr old schoolmaster!!
 
Asha said:
Blasted flies !!!

I have left my latest (£470) for my OH to see, hoping he will take pity on me...;)
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We have only one bank account and it's a joint one, so he gets very peed off every time my lovely horses cost him even more money.
 
For me, it was the transition from believing that horses were 'naughty', 'taking the mick', 'quirky', 'difficult' etc to realising that this was hardly ever the case! There is always a reason for what they do, and most of the things they do, which we object to, is pain related.
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and thinking whether they are actually doing what you are unintentionally asking eg it took me a while to work out why my youngster kept veering to the right everytime I asked her to canter ..... until I realised that I kept shortening my right rein everytime I asked her to canter.

Major lesson learnt poo-picking in a wet field on Thursday - never push a full wheelbarrow uphill if your boots don't have a good grip. I will leave you to imagine the consequences!!!
 
Don't rush, don't trot before you can walk and don't canter before you can trot.

Spend time on your flatwork, to give them time to understand what you are asking when you move up a gear.

Invest in things which will make you and them more comfortable.

There is always another day.

You will get splatted, fact.
 
as a first time horse owner (eek had him 4 years now) my biggest lesson has been learning who to trust for advice and lessons.
As the well known saying goes "opinions are like a**eholes, everybody has one" so find one person you can trust and only listen to them.(Ive always chosen a dammed good instructor for advice on everything from feeding to general manners)

Re instructors - take advice from your horse!
If he is happy after a lesson so am i - i knew id found a good instructor after id moved recently when she told me she would teach me for the benefit of me AND my horse and never push either of us too quick too far - that my horse nuzzled her after each lesson shows ive found the right one - i had one who jumped on him and jabbed, jabbed, jabbed at his mouth all the way round the school.
He was looking at me the whole time - i didnt book her again :(
 
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Miss-rose said:
Admitting when i need help lol
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Second this! Getting as many different opinions as possible and using them in line with your own knowledge of your horse. Not easy for me as I 'm a novice owner and a pretty shoddy rider but I'm prepared to pay/listen/read/watch to get all the info available.

Accept criticism graciously, use it and learn from it whilst always keeping your goal in mind.

Horse-riding is a sport, don't expect your horse to be an athlete if you can't walk up a hill without gasping for breath. (although we are both fat biffers at the moment :o)

External rein contact.....................:D (we're getting there!)

My most recent one is that if the horse really isn't feeling it - have a blimmin' holiday! Just turned mine out for 2 weeks and now he's really back and somehow, my legs and back have relaxed (even though we're both rather fatter - we're happier)

Best advice from instructor - if you're really not in the mood to ride (bad day at work etc), lunge.
 
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