Let's start a debate... Why are horses so much more "naughty"

[Geraldine]

I don't recall the horses I rode 20 years ago being naughty (thanks for making me realise how old I am by the way!!!), I do know that at that time - being a YOUNG teenager - I had absolutely no fear and would think nothing of having a bareback canter with just a head collar & lead rope. I still ride bareback (to the field!!!) but def with a bridle on!!! So maybe they were naughty but I just wasn't phased then so it hasn't stuck in my memory.

And on the subject of Warmbloods - Bob can't compete so we are Happy Hackers, am I excused????

 

[Nats_uk]

Total agree with you Shilasdair.

With the decrease in land avaliability and the cost of houses with land going up most people are forced to keep their horses stabled for longer periods causing them to need some way to expend their energy.

WBs are now avaliable for everyone not just the pro and people think they need them to do well. I know of a least one person who insists they need a 16.2+ WB to do what they want to do when an more 'calmer' type (e.g. Irish etc) would do fine but they want to have the image of a posh WB.

There is so many feed and supplement alternatives (instead of just simple sugar beet/bran mash and pony nuts) that people often overfeed or feed the wrong type causing their horses full of excess energy.

The roads are busier with cars and other distractions that make these already excitable horses more "naughty".

People now also do look on their horses more as just "pets" (as do I so not having a dig) rather then an animal which has the potential to be dangerous so wrap them up in cotton wool and often let bad behaviour go unreprimanded

 

[Alibear]

My childhood horses I hacked and took to local shows, pretty much what I hope to do with Atty now.

The world around us has changed so we have to do things differently with our horses now , but I really don't see the goal posts have changed.

Also someone said about kids getting on a hitting canter straight away, you really think kids didn't do that in the 70's? I know many who did.

Thing was becuase you were always out on your horses there legs could handle it etc.

The best thing is ovbiously horses living out and lots of long hacks , oh to do that. It's just not an option in today society.

For a start hacking out years ago everyone thought oh cute horse etc etc, now were just seen as a bloody nuisance.


Yes I'm off the rural france or spain when I get a chance

 

[MizElz]

[ QUOTE ]
Don't you think that expectations are different too though?
What I expect from H is nothing like what I expected from my childhood horses?
Kate x

[/ QUOTE ]

Depends whether you mean personal expectations, or influences and expectations of the environment. For instance, if you buy a warmblood, should you feel obliged to compete it? Is there anything to say that a warmblood could not be a perfectly content and happy hacker, if its owner so wished? I dont think there is, but there is such a stigma attached to breedy horses that people think they have to try to 'realise their potential' - which can in turn place the riders in a position where they are out of their depth.

I had no expectations of Ellie; she is reasonably well bred, but as long as she had done what we bought her for - jumping 2'6-2'9 and doing normal PC stuff - we would have been content. That she had the scope to go further, and gave me the confidence to take her there, was purely a bonus. And now we have turned to dressage instead of SJ, I have NO expectations, only hopes. Neither of us find dressage easy, and if we never go beyond unnaffiliated Prelim level, I will be content, for this little mare has given me more than I could ever have dreamed of. Expectations are what you allow them to be, I think.

 

[fairhill]

I think in some part H&S has had a huge part to play in all of this.

I was talking to the riding school where Chloe has gone, and they can only hack out in groups of 5 or less, and often only the pupil and escort go out. Otherwise their insurance is invalidated, and their licence revoked. I remember hacking out 20 years ago in a string of 20-30 from the riding school, and we'd go for a gallop along the railway sidings. Normally there would be at least one bolting/fall along the way, but the next week we'd all go again. Now they're only allowed to walk and trot outside the school.
So the next generation of owners/riders are already being made extra cautious.

My RI was also telling me about a BYRDs training weekend her daughter went on at Somerford Park. Her daughter was the only one in the group wanting to go round the farm rides and take on the jumps. Some of the other children were terrified at riding in high winds in the school, never mind outside it. Why? Because most were on super-dooper sharp WB ponies and had only ever ridden them in schools.

I have to say that from my personal experience, around my area the roads are still very busy, the hacking is still limited, and facilities for riders are still few and far between. However as a child and teenager I used to hack out in groups of at least 5 and go for long rides after school.

Now I'm the only one from my yard of 30 who will happily hack out for a couple of hours to get to the decent off-road riding. The others are far too scared - not because their horses are naughty, but because they might be. Or because a car might come too close. Or their horse might shy at something.
They're so scared of the 'what if's' that they'd rather not bother and stay in the safety of the school, or use their boxes to get to the bridleways.

I expect from my current horse everything I expected from my childhood horses. The only difference for me now is that I've got a sensible horse, whereas in the past all that I could afford to buy were the naughty ones with issues, so riding was never as much fun.

 

[nikkiportia]

Agree with most points here - what a great thread.
Has got me reminising quite a bit!

Whilst I do agree that there are a lot more cars etc. on the road, it is worthwhile remembering that horses worked in very cramped hectic cities with barely enough room to pull their carts. I imagine the hustle and bustle of victorian cities was more stressful than todays average road. And I can't imagine people got so scared of their mounts that they got off back then!
Perhaps it's because we don't NEED horses in our everyday lives, so we have the option to be unconfident, so to speak.
If we depended on our horse to get us to work and back and make us money, confidence on board would never be an issue. You'd have to do it!

Over feeding is also something I think is a huge problem. I doubt laminitis was such a problem years ago. And most people would feed more forage based, because it was cheaper!
I'm a firm believer in 'complicated foods make complicated horses'

 

[LEC]

For me these are the causes:

1) Better breeding - the quality of horses has gone up immensely throughout the 20 years I have been riding. Unfortunately better bred means more TB blood and being able to handle them.

2) More leisure/novice riders - horses have become accessible to all. A lot of the time they are clueless and do not know how to look after a horse/buy the wrong one.

3) Dropping in standards of BHS AI - AI half the time do not have a clue and should not be teaching. There are far too many poor ones. They cannot sort out problems properly.

4) Too much food. 15 years ago your choice of feed was limited. Now I am totally baffled when I go to a feed store with 20 years of experience so no wonder they are being fed too much.

5) Lack of exercise - the rise of arenas and poorer hacking. Horses are not being worked enough.

 

[RedVendetta]

Wow I have found this really really interesting. Ive been riding for nearly 20 years and have had my own horses for 10 of them. When I first got my own horse, that's exactly what we did, canter down grass verges, gallop about, jump natural fences, all sorts. Im now fully integrated to how things have changed.... and I hadn't even noticed until I read this thread! I sold a mare last year that was simply too much for me, I now have an ex-BSJA gelding that is perfect for me. He's quiet and can jump the up-to-1m classes I ask him to do with ease. But because he's so good and all my money goes in to him, I do wrap him up in cotton wool a bit. I dont like hacking on the roads as Im scared of cars driving into us, but I force myself to take him every now and then. I do hack round fields though and he has plenty of fun and is turned out a lot, but I worry if he so much as trips up..... whereas 10 years ago I treated my horses very very differently, and I was fearless, whereas now I am a complete preservationist and sometimes a 1m course can scare the hell out of me.
I dont know whether its me, the environment or the horses that have changed, but it is certainly very different now to how things used to be. The kids on our yard all have 'competition ponies', some of these ponies are worth a HUGE amount of money and they dont win very often at all! Whereas back in the day, prob about 16 years ago, my friends had cheap ponies that they used to jump round 3'6 classes will ease??
The mind boggles....

 

[0ldmare]

I agree, I think the way we are expected to ride causes tension, the type of horse that is now popular is inherently more firey and the way many of the are kept adds to it. Where I grew up we had about 10 horses for our family (yes it runs in the family!). All were Heinz 57 apart from my Mum's arab (who had much more bone than a modern arab) and my ex-polo pony. But they were all easy. I would hop on bareback to get them in, sometimes didnt bother with saddle going for a hack. It is odd.

 

[dieseldog]

Parelli and going Barefoot with unsuitable horses - your horse is in pain of course it is going to nap

 

[wkm]

How I have laughed reading all this, sadly I can only agree. 20+ years ago, in fact about 40 years ago I learned to ride at a proper riding school by hacking out. We learned on a wide range of mostly native ponies who were well exercised, yes fed on bran oats, cubes and sugar beet, turned out whenever possible etc. I never saw a martingale or any bit but an eggbut snaffle and have the pictures to prove it! Basically we "got on with it" though I do remember a few rugs, blankets and surcingles for the "best horses" who stayed in in the winter - no turnout rugs though. I was fortunate enough to "make the grade" and be invited to work at the yard in exchange for free rides and lessons in the school ( probably 3 or 4 a year!!! and that was enough it is so boring going round and round yawn!). I learned all I practice now with my 2 New Forest ponies, both of which came to me because they were "naughty". Well, I'd be naughty too if I was shut in a little box 24/7 or ridden by a novice who had expectations well beyond their ability. My two live out all year round, are fed and exercised regularly - hacked out, socialise etc, wear rugs in the winter as I'm a softie, we do a bit of jumping in the field in the summer and the odd fun ride. Really I suppose I haven't progressed in my expectation of having a horse to enjoy though I get lots of compliments about the beautiful manners and paces of my first bought mare and the quality of my riding - all progress was made out hacking - I had to overcome rearing, napping, spinning etc. I see a friend of mine wasting literally thousands of pounds on her horse - she bought a Welsh Sec D youngster to make it how she wanted it and not spoil it. Well the reverse has happened so the poor animal is subjected to weeks with an "expert", schooling, lessons, this and that from one person to another to get her horse in an outline, do cross country, dressage, showjumping etc when the bottom line is she is SCARED STIFF. I ask myself where is all this going - what is the point? The result is a miserable rider and a miserable horse, and a few bad accidents have taken place along the way.

Horses aren't more naughty, horses are far too easy to buy, and are not matched to the right owner far too often. They are to many a status symbol, the bigger, flashier looking, more gadgets, supplements etc and justifications they have to be able to do what they achieve with it is often an attempt to make them appear "clever" or a better rider. It is total rubbish!

Far too many unskilled unknowledgable people buy horses and ruin them, and there will never be enough commonsense riders able to redress the balance. With this in mind though I am glad it isn't just me that feels this way. Commonsense prevails!

 

[AnnaandStella]

Hmm.

I am really too young to contribute to this post tbh but:

1. I bought a very flashy looking warmblood as my first horse. After a couple of hairy moments when we first got her, she's turned out to be the most beautiful natured confidence building poppet of a schoolmistress I could hope for.

WHY did I get a WB?

Because cobs were TOO EXPENSIVE for us to afford. £5k for a horse who you have to smack to get into trot? You can bugger off if you think an unfit, badly trained, obese & badly put together horse is worth that much just because they're more likely to stop than to bolt.

2. Weren't anglo arabs all the rage in the 70's for rich ponyclubbers?

3. All the lovely liveries down on the yard have said they can't belive the buckers & rearers they used to ride. They've all got stories of teenage near death experiences which taught them stickability & ultimately made them safer riders than kids nowadays have a chance to be.

4. People don't have ponies at home so much anymore. Children learn to ride on riding school ponies, so the gap between an RS pony & a real horse or pony will ALWAYS feel enormous. If children still learned to ride on their friend's farm, there'd be more of a chance for them to understand REALLY what a horse is.

Lots of other things i want to say but i'm too slow at typing to attempt to write them!
xa

 

[H's mum]

[ QUOTE ]
Thirty years ago (and yes I am old enough to remember it !) you were a fairly inexperienced rider if you were showjumping at Newcomers level or eventing at novice level. Nowadays you are considered semi-professional to compete at these levels

[/ QUOTE ]
Sadly that is totally spot on!

Kate x

 

[H's mum]

LOL! at you're rant *removes soapbox from Mother Hen*
You're right though - it's really frustrating isn't it - I do dressage but I'm no dressage rider - I'm no where near good enough - and it's surprising how many people class themselves in higher brackets!

Kate x

 

[amandathepanda]

I don't think it is just horses that have changed, I think the attitudes of riders have changed too!

20 years ago at Pony Club you were encouraged to jump bareback or without reins/stirrups to improve your seat and balance. Now instructors are too scared of being sued if anything happens so riders don't learn to develop balance etc now like they did back then unless they spend hours on the lunge. As a reuslt, when things get sticky, riders are less able to cope than they used to.

I think people are also a lot more safety concious now to the point that something a rider would have accepted as normal horse behaviour 20 years ago is now considered scary and dangerous. As I kid I would regularly deliberately make my pony buck until I fell off, I would laugh and then get back on - it was just one of those things kids did back then. Now kids are so cossetted in body protectors and not allowed off lead reins for months because it's dangerous, I think they are conditioned to be less confident riders than we were 20+ years ao and of course, a horse is less likely to argue with a confident rider that sends a horse forwards than a nervous rider who is afraid to use their legs. I have a nappy horse who is fine if he is ridden by a confident rider, but if a nervous rider gets on he doesn't feel confident himself and therefore he will nap and refuse to go forwards. In my eyes, this does not make him a naughty horse but a horse who is responding to different types of rider.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not getting at the nervous riders out there as I feel there is room for all levels of riders to enjoy this wonderful sport but I feel with our expectations changing so much with what we want to acheive with our horses combined with increased concerns about safety (especially now that it is so easy to sue anyone for what might have just been considered bad luck or an unfortunate accident in the past) I think many riders out there are actually encouraging 'naughty' behaviour in their horses by their own lack of confidence or riding style combined with the more high powered, competition breeding which is now so fashionable but more challenging to ride!

 

[Geraldine]

[ QUOTE ]
For instance, if you buy a warmblood, should you feel obliged to compete it? Is there anything to say that a warmblood could not be a perfectly content and happy hacker, if its owner so wished?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm glad you said that MizElz, both Bob and I have knackered knees and much as I'd love to go out and do things (what would I give to be able to do X Country???) it's just not possible. I have had a few people (who know nothing about me or Bob) tell me I'm wasting my horse and he can't be happy just plodding about and it really p*sses me off.

If they had asked why we don't do anything I would explain but they don't - they just criticise. I wouldn't mind but generally Bob is far better behaved than their horses when out hacking!!!

 

[Flibble]

Its the same reason as the reason the cat in my sig is the naughtuiest I have ever owned its because we spoil them.

 

[Shilasdair]

Thought I'd add a further point - studs are breeding horses for competitors - event/SJ/dressage....so big sharp competition animals.
But what percentage of the horse owning public competes and wants this kind of horse?
Now if I were to ask you to point me to a stud which sold horses suitable for a nervous, novice friend - where would you send me?
I once knew a breeder, from NZ who had started off breeding big flashy Warmbloods...but had taken a second look at his market....and bought Clydesdale mares to put to TB stallions. His stud is thriving, and he makes a lot of money per horse, because the demand is so high.
Maybe we should do the same here?
S

 

[TarrSteps]

I would agree with all the good points people have made - I used to canter down the verges jumping garbage pails, jumped a horse off a bridge on a dare, broke into a race training facility and galloped on the track, went hacking all day with sandwiches in my pocket etc etc etc. And fantastically appreciative I had that experience.

I think we are living in a world where learner drives buy souped up Masseratis and then set out on the motorway and wonder why they crash. I can't believe some of the highly bred horses people somehow convince themselves will do whatever job they want. That's not what those horses are FOR, why would they do that job? And many people maintain these high powered sports machines at high condition because that's what's "best", not seeing the obvious end result will by pyrotechnics. And I believe many more people come to horse ownership thinking they have a far more well rounded education than they do.

On the subject of asking for help, I have to say when I was a kid I got help whether I asked for it or not. Competing happened mostly through Pony Club or the local RC so if one wanted to compete at all one had to put up with all those annoying old people who always knew best.

But I still can't get with the "everything was perfect then" mentality. (Straps Devil's Advocate body protector and skull cap on . . .) I distinctly remember people getting hurt and horses getting ruined. I remember horses with massive white marks on their backs from ill fitting saddles, which you almost never see now. I remember horses being very harshly dealt with for what I now suspect were pain issues. If you make it more painful to resist than to comply, the vast majority of horses (and people) will comply. Carried to the nth degree this is called "torture" and it's stuck around because at least in the short term it works. (No, I'm not saying people who correct horses are torturers. Absolutely not - I'm actually pretty hard line compared to most. I'm saying if you beat an animal hard enough it will likely submit, at least until it breaks.)

As far as horses coping with Victorian cities etc. - yes, that's what they were bred and trained for. But there are also scores of reports of horses bolting and killing pedestrians etc. so it was hardly without risk. Also horses died in numbers which would make even the hardest liners on here pause for thought. "Horse whisperers" - good, bad and positively frightening - were rock stars in that day and age, partly because there were so many "bad" horses around it was an essential social skill. Read a little on someone like John Rarey ("Cruiser" was his own horse and most high profile success, hence my old screen name.) and you will find absolutely horrifying tales of horses in the city.

 

[JHobbs]

A very thought provoking topic.......and some interesting and valid points made.

Key points I think that are contributing to naughtier horses as follows:

Mollycoddled and not 'allowed' to be a horse
Too much hard feed versus the work that the horse is doing
More people buying the flashier WB's which they can not cope with
More traffic on the roads
Inexperienced people buying a horse fullstop.

n.b - I thatched my horse a while ago under his rug as he was very wet and my 16 year old niece looked at me like I was nuts but I remember 'thatching' being common place!

Gone are days when people had a horse and were just happy to have a horse?!

I now know so many people who don't seem to enjoy owning a horse but only enjoy the competitions, where are all the happy hackers?? are they too scared now to hack their flashy WB's??

 

[Faithkat]

The article on gadgets in last month's HORSE magazine summed it up very well - there is far too little "horsemanship" these days and people want a quick fix to their problems. I learnt to ride over 50 years ago and have the same feelings as OP. 98% of horses were ridden in ordinary jointed, loose-ring snaffles, occasionally a pelham and even more occasionally a double bridle. I'm continually amazed at the people who have half a dozen riding lessons and then start jumping. When I was young, jumping was only something undertaken after many years of riding and experience. I was horrified by a picture in last week's H & H (I think, or maybe the week before) of a showjumper with the most astonishing array on his horse's head - God only knows what that's all about.

 

[MizElz]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
For instance, if you buy a warmblood, should you feel obliged to compete it? Is there anything to say that a warmblood could not be a perfectly content and happy hacker, if its owner so wished?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm glad you said that MizElz, both Bob and I have knackered knees and much as I'd love to go out and do things (what would I give to be able to do X Country???) it's just not possible. I have had a few people (who know nothing about me or Bob) tell me I'm wasting my horse and he can't be happy just plodding about and it really p*sses me off.

If they had asked why we don't do anything I would explain but they don't - they just criticise. I wouldn't mind but generally Bob is far better behaved than their horses when out hacking!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

I think it is very sad that people feel they have the right to judge what others should and shouldnt do with their horses. You have as much right to just hack out your warmblood as Tim Stockdale did to showjump a Shire X, as my neighbour does to do endurance rides on her heavyweight cob, and so on. Unless there is blatant cruelty, neglect or ignorance involved - I have no problem with the type of horse that people choose to buy. I intend to spend the rest of my horsey life hacking, fun-riding and going to local shows. Some may say this lifestyle would suit a cob far more than any other type of horse, but I would NEVER buy a cob. No reason other than they just are not my type of horse! My aforementioned neighbour, however, would never buy anything other than a cob; she loves them to bits. My mum, when she gets a horse, would never buy for herself something as fine and light as Ellie, but I would always choose this type of horse, whether that be Warmblood x, TB x or otherwise. It really is horses for courses!

And worth mentioning also that not every horse will fit its stereotype. I have known many placid and docile Warmbloods who simply cannot be bothered to jump or perform, but take them up the Downs and they will have the time of their life. My friend also has a schizo cob mare, who is as buzzy and hyper as any TB or WB I've ever known!

 

[Shilasdair]

Re gadgets - I was always taught that people using gadgets such as Pessoa's, Chambons, severe bits, martingales etc, were tacitly admitting they couldn't ride....
S

 

[pinktiger]

i dont agree that horses are more nappy now than 2o years ago!!! i think we are more sensitive to the horses napping for a reason, and want/can get to the bottom of it rather than ingnoring issues!!!!

 

[Geraldine]

I was actually looking to buy a cob, I didn't want anything bigger than 15.3. But a friend told me about Bob (she knew funds were limited and he was cheap cos of his knee) and I just fell in love!!! I will admit I did think 'F*ck me, he's huge' but now I just don't notice his size. He is 17hh and I am 5'2" -and yes, I can get on from the ground (just, with the stirrup on the very last hole!!!).

I do occasionally ride a friends cob and I have to say she is far more flighty than Bob.

 

[Faithkat]

Me too!! My son's maxim was always "if it needs more than a snaffle, it needs re-schooling" and I was very heartened to see exactly the same comment in the HORSE article on gadgets . . . .

 

[Leg_end]

Wow, what a thread!!

I have to say i am only 25 but have had the experience to be riding for 20 odd years and things have changed a hell of a lot. So why are horses more 'naughty'?

I dont think they are that much naughtier - I just think we hear about it a lot more! If you think back, or just read over these stories, moat people learnt to ride on a naughty little pony who would buck you off, bolt with you, whatever but you simply accepted it as a fact of life and moved on! I always went hacking with my old pony, I wasn't a member of the pony club (which in my area was for the smart little ponies and snobby kids!), entered local shows with no style whatsoever and never had a formal lesson from the age of about 8-16! I had my pony to have fun on and we rarely went in the school, i spent weekends hacking for hours, flying anything in my way and just having fun! I also rode whatever pony I was lucky enough to be given a sit on!

However if I did that now I would definately be looked down on - scruffy kid on pony at local level whizzing round the show jumping.. I'm sure people would be tutting and possibly even speaking to my parents about it. And that would be intensified on the occassions I had won

Problem is that our culture is much different now so not only have all aspects of equine management changed (which also has an impact) but our personal lives and expectations have also altered dramatically. When I was a kid my mum stayed at home, no real aspirations to do anything or get back to work (or thats how it appeared..) and university was quite an elitist thing. It has all changed though throughout my teenage years and now both parents work, kids have constant pressure to perform and perform well at school from about 4 or whenever SATS start for them. the total educational environment has changed which affects how people perceive they should be living their lives which I think has a big impact on the change in the way we ride. People think they should be doing something to get something out of it rather than pure enjoyment, how many of us on here have horses simply to enjoy them, of course it is a natural by product but usually we have aims for ourselves and, in turn, our horses to meet.

Also, they way we have learnt to ride has changed massively. I remember as soon as I could stay on, stop and change direction I was free to do what i wanted! In fact the pictures of my first 'lessons' aren't in a school, they are walking along a road and down some lanes.. there is no way you could do that now. People don't have the opportunity to learn in the way we used to, people don't hack, its something to be scared of or as a reward for a hard schooling session for the horses - not the riders! - whereas it should be a foundation of all our riding. I know that i experienced falling off quite quickly after I started riding but reading these forums you hear of people who have just had their first fall after 2 years riding... how is that possible?!

 

[MizElz]

[ QUOTE ]
Me too!! My son's maxim was always "if it needs more than a snaffle, it needs re-schooling" and I was very heartened to see exactly the same comment in the HORSE article on gadgets . . . .

[/ QUOTE ]

Now you see, I get slated for saying this kind of thing now! Ellie has always gone in a snaffle, and it saddens me to see all the bits of metal work that many horses have in their mouths these days. I was even told I was 'very narrow minded' for refusing to try Ellie in a Myler (this by someone who has never met me or my horse). I do not like Myler bits at all, and I see no point in going looking for problems when there is no need!

Have never had a horse that won't go in a snaffle, even if its previous owners have said wont.

 

[Grumpy Herbert]

I think everyone is in too much of a hurry these days. They buy a youngster, say, and want it to do it's job in as quick a time as possible. In doing so, they possibly neglect important parts of its education.

I also believe that owners tend to focus entirely on their discipline - be it dressage, jumping, hunting - and don't bother to teach the horse the basics of other disciplines. This, IMO, limits its usefulness in the future when its first career is over and the owner is looking to sell it on - it couldn't be classed as a good all-rounder and would probably be very difficult to retrain. (I have learned this from experience with one of my own horses!)

When I had my mare as a youngster I made sure she did a bit of everything, even though I only really liked to hack. As a result she is safe in traffic, can jump a reasonable height, can do a reasonable dressage test and hacks alone or in company. She was never going to set the world on fire in any particular discipline anyway, so I wanted her to be as versatile as possible. She has no vices (except a mareish temperament at times!) and is really a joy to own.

I understand that the world of competitive riding is a totally different kettle of fish, but I don't believe it does any harm to fully educate a horse.

 

[MizElz]

I agree, Grumpy Herbert, again from my own experience. Ellie will never be sold, but if she were to be, then we would have problems as far as advertising her as an 'allrounder' is concerned, because I was very closed minded about taking her cross country; as such, it was something we never really did. We focussed on SJ and SJ alone - this is probably why she's finding it hard now, eight years on, to adapt to the finer points of dressage!