Experience. What has been your biggest lesson?

Recently learnt a lesson about hard feed. So many exciteable and sharp horses are this way because they are over fed - it is much better to use good grass and ad lib forage to put weight onto your horse rather than buckets of hard feed. I managed to turn my dope-on-a-rope ex-racer into a maniac on springs briefly by over feeding - I only hack him, he does not need excess energy. Lesson well and truly learnt! :)
 
Keep calm. Things will go wrong, injuries will unfortunately happen, sort them out calmly and then sob/scream once you are back home.

Do everything that you can to stack the cards in your favour (to make the desired outcome, the easy option).

Sometimes you need to go back to something easy, end on a good note and build up to the harder thing another day.

The time it takes is the time that is needed. Don't be pressured by someone else's timescale.

You are not failing your horse if you just want to potter about on it. Horses don't dream of winning the Olympics, a kind home with equine friends, feed, water, veterinary care etc... is far more important.
 
I think the realisation that there are so many different ways to deal with different issues, that each horse responds differently and that you might need to think outside of the box to solve problems, and that I will probably spend a lifetime learning!
 
Definatly trusting my own instincts! Had a feeling something wasn't right checked her over and didn't find anything wrong next day boom full blown acute laminitis and been the same and caught mild colic early twice luckily :)
 
To listen - to your horse and yourself. You know your horse and by listening to him/her you can trust your instincts. And not to listen to all the know-it-alls who think they know what's best but to take advice from those who do know more than I do and there are many!
 
never think you know it all and to be kind to those who are struggling with their own demons and confidence cos its not a nice place to be!
 
The biggest thing I learnt on a yard is don't get involved!! I keep my self to my self and never get involved with yard politics! I remember one time I had two people both come up to me on two different occasions, bitching about the other one! I told them I come to the yard to relax and be around the horses, not get involved with arguments!
 
black_horse said:
Gut instinct is usually right...you never stop learning and no matter how much you love them, a horse is an animal and will react like one.
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This but I like to go a step further and say let them spend time being a horse, ideally living a less restricted life than so many seem to.

You never stop learning and should always keep an open mind as every horse can help you learn something new.
 
I've learnt that my horse is my teacher, I've just got to listen. She lets me know if I'm not concentrating or focussing, she lets me know when I'm daydreaming instead of riding, and she keeps reminding me that I've still got a lot to learn
 
If your not happy with your horse, then the horse is not happy with you.
Don't listen to the yard beetch, she only puts you down because she cant do what you do, or afford what you can, or have her horse love you the way yours does.
Be there for your horse, not just the good times but the bad, try as hard as you can to be the one that turns out, feeds.
Let horses live like horses
Praise praise praise, let even the oldest slowest stubbenest horse be praised for making an effort - you will be surpised at the progress you can make with this.
Use treats as treats - not just willy nilly had em over for nothing.
Listen to your horse - he may be trying to tell you that he really does not want to go down the dark wet lane because he has a cataract in his eye and he cant adjust his eyesight as quickly as you can
Love them every day, even if you are getting up from eating mud - it probably was your fault!
 
Gingerwitch said:
If your not happy with your horse, then the horse is not happy with you.
Don't listen to the yard beetch, she only puts you down because she cant do what you do, or afford what you can, or have her horse love you the way yours does.
Be there for your horse, not just the good times but the bad, try as hard as you can to be the one that turns out, feeds.
Let horses live like horses
Praise praise praise, let even the oldest slowest stubbenest horse be praised for making an effort - you will be surpised at the progress you can make with this.
Use treats as treats - not just willy nilly had em over for nothing.
Listen to your horse - he may be trying to tell you that he really does not want to go down the dark wet lane because he has a cataract in his eye and he cant adjust his eyesight as quickly as you can
Love them every day, even if you are getting up from eating mud - it probably was your fault!
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omg i love this :)
 
That i don't know as much as i could know, but sometimes i do know more than i think i do and i should trust my own judgement.

That the first thing you should look at when buying a horse is its feet - they don't say "no foot no horse" for nothing.

A little fear is not a bad thing - its essential for self preservation.
 
We've only had Knobberpony for just under a year,but I have learnt that just because something is always done the same way,it doesn't mean it is right.
 
To never forget that your horse is just a horse, and let him have time every day to be true to his instincts and act like a horse.

Oh and one thing a friend told me when I bought my horse several years ago "you will never meet so many "experts" and opinionated people as you will in the horse world".
 
You're not the worlds biggest failure if it doesn't work out with a horse. On a couple of occasions I've had to throw up my hands and admit that the horse hasn't been what I thought it would be and it's stopped being fun so I've sold them on. These have been heartbreaking decisions, but as a leisure rider who spends all her time, energy and money on her horse I've come to the decision that if it's not working out then it's better for you and the horse to move on. The horses I've sold on have gone onto fantastic homes and I couldn't ask for more, the horses just weren't for me.
Thankfully, I haven't had to think of such things for a while as the boy I got two years ago is going nowhere!

Also - I'll never buy from a dealer again. I know there are good one's out there but I've had two bad experiences which has put me off for life!
 
Nicnac said:
To listen - to your horse and yourself. You know your horse and by listening to him/her you can trust your instincts. And not to listen to all the know-it-alls who think they know what's best but to take advice from those who do know more than I do and there are many!
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This /\ Listening to your horse and yourself is so important

I have so much to learn still, had horses for 22years and they teach you so much, and I enjoy learning.

The biggest lesson I have learnt is how good horses are for my soul really. They are such beautiful and trusting creatures and if you get the right match of horse and owner/rider nothing beats it.

And never rush anything, give it time and patience and it goes a long way with a horse.

Some lovely stories here :)
 
Gingerwitch said:
If your not happy with your horse, then the horse is not happy with you.
Don't listen to the yard beetch, she only puts you down because she cant do what you do, or afford what you can, or have her horse love you the way yours does.
Be there for your horse, not just the good times but the bad, try as hard as you can to be the one that turns out, feeds.
Let horses live like horses
Praise praise praise, let even the oldest slowest stubbenest horse be praised for making an effort - you will be surpised at the progress you can make with this.
Use treats as treats - not just willy nilly had em over for nothing.
Listen to your horse - he may be trying to tell you that he really does not want to go down the dark wet lane because he has a cataract in his eye and he cant adjust his eyesight as quickly as you can
Love them every day, even if you are getting up from eating mud - it probably was your fault!
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Best quote so far.

Wagtail - have to thank you this is the best thread EVER !!!

Great reading
 
If it doesn't do the job, get rid.

If it can't be fixed easily, it probably can't be fixed at all, do not waste years and £££s chasing lost causes. Take an easier, cheaper option, just replace the horse.

Lower your aspirations and you're less likely to be disappointed.

Most horses have something wrong with them and the ones that haven't, soon will have. :p
 
What an absolutely lovely thread and some of the replies haven been so true.

My biggest lesson is to not ignore the small things, if your horses character changes in any way no matter how small, get it checked out, there will always be a reason, the horse is not just being naughty or awkward.
 
That she's not being naughty; she doesn't understand the answer, because I'm asking it wrong.

And that finding my soulmate has been enlightening, entertaining and life saving. And that I would fight to the death for my girl.
 
As others have said that I don't bounce anymore , also that just because you can ride a horse it doesn't mean that you can 'ride' a horse and probably that know matter how much I think I know there's always someone who knows more and the best teacher is your horse.
 
I definitely don't bounce; more of a splat really :rolleyes:


That I don't speak horse, and that my horse doesn't speak English. As I'm the one trying to get the horse to do something, it is up to me to learn how to communicate that to my horse.
 
Keep your mouth shut and your eyes and ears open! Easier said than done.;)

Better to keep your mouth shut and appear a fool than open it and remove all doubt.:D
 
Mine would be don't trust anyone. You know your horse better than anyone. What may work for you may not work for someone else. Every horse is an individual and should be treated as such.

When buying horses, not to buy them out of sympathy (have seen that done and it didn't turn out well!).

All experience is valuable experience, mistakes are to be learnt from, and listen to the horse!
 
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