What's the most important lesson you have learnt?

Don't get ahead of a horse when loading on to the lorry.

Especially when it stops, has a think, then decides the ramp isn't safe to stand on and then jumps the whole thing :mad:

Outcome: landed on the back of my leg and sent me flying into the partition, luckily we had horses on already and he was last on otherwise I'd have landed on the floor and it could have been a lot worse! Huuuuge bruise on the back of my calf and my foot :( ouchies!

Bit nervous of loading horses I don't know, I only load my boy now as I trust him 100% :)

Oh, and let go of the rope when they're bad mannered enough to pull away from you in the field :D trouble is I just don't know how to so I end up running 100mph next to them haha! :p
 
my most useful lesson with this one....


dont ever turn your back on a food aggressive youngster when eating. ever.

i learnt the hard way. twice.
:D
 
Whatever you're doing to a horse, they're more inclined to put up with it if you act like you know what you're doing. This is especially important if you don't.
 
PolarSkye said:
. . . that horses need boundaries - a horse who doesn't know what the "rules" are (and for whom those rules are inconsistent) is an unhappy horse.

Yes, kindness definitely has a place, but so does firmness.

P
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Yes I learnt this too late. Cheeky behaviour moved on to naughty behaviour because I didn't nip the cheekyness in the bud. Lesson learnt for next time.
 
Absolutely that you never stop learning, it's when you think you know it all you're in trouble! With a youngster I've had to learn to be adaptable and not be afraid to try new things if something's not working.
 
kat2290 said:
Since helping out with a horse on a local yard the most important thing I've learnt is that actually the horsey world isn't that scary after all! Everybody is lovely and actually nobody cares if you don't do things perfectly all the time! :D
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What sort of yard are you on? It sounds divine and a long way from the cold hard truth!

I've learnt that if you allow enough time and don't panic, things tend to happen a lot quicker.
 
9tails - yes it is pretty much the perfect yard! The owners are lovely, the liveries are very friendly, no bitchiness or snobbery, great facilities and hacking...I could go on :D it's the perfect place for a novice like to me learn the ropes
 
That no matter how careful you are, if you're wearing anything which absolutely needs to stay clean, that particular item *will* be the item getting covered in a) mud, b) gob, c) worse (or all of the above).

Plus, ditto the never stop learning comments. I've had horses for ever and things still surprise me.
 
9tails- yards like Kat describes do exist- they are just rare!

We also manage to educate and encourage novices without ripping heads off
 
Absolutely agree with Polos Mum - the more you learn the more you realise you don't know! All horses are different but all respond to routine, kindness, firmness and understanding the boundaries.
 
You will NEVER have enough money...The more money you have, the more you will spend on them!

Many lessons learnt come from mistakes made.

There will always be someone who knows more than you and always someone who knows less. You can learn from both of them.

I love to learn from others experiences and knowledge, but sometimes it needs to be taken with a pinch of salt! :p

Many lessons I learnt were when I worked in a riding school years ago. It was full of rescued Shetlands and they certainly taught me a lot about my own safety around horses!!!!
 
That every horse should be treated as an individual - what works for one might not work for another....

I have 2 that are the polar opposite - one very tough and hard skinned, can cope with being told off or occasionally walloped if misbehaving, and the other completely neurotic and high maintenance, and can't even raise my voice to, or has a meltdown!

They both have their quirks so deal with them in entirely different ways.
 
Five lessons:
1) You never stop learning (this goes hand in hand that whatever you do, someone else will have decided they know better)
2) Your horse looks to you for leadership - if you won't lead, why should he follow?
3) That the one on the yard that asks for your advice and then for everyone else's on the yard is never going to listen to anyone and is going to do it how he/she sees fit, so you may as well save your breath and the heartache you suffer when you see the horse suffer
4) That you must never think you are useless, or you will never improve, and finally,
5) That the short word 'No' is the hardest word to deliver. Especially when you have fallen in love with the horse and it has failed the vet. Badly.
 
You never stop learning.
Paitence, Paitence and more Paitence!
Your horse is worth all the silly or naughty things it does/ up all night worrying/ time and money because they give so much back.
You don't have to be Carl Hestor or Mary King, you can be just a happy hacker the important bit is being happy with what you are doing together.

I could go on for days really :D
 
Along time ago from a wise elderly person "horses are not machines. like humans they are allowed to make mistakes. its hw they learn" a very kind but firm gentleman :)
 
to actually look for what your horse is trying to tell you - they don't just behave like an ass for nothing
 
That they can bring you to earth quicker than a flash!
Always think why there doing what they do.
Always praise & love them : D
 
Lovely thread: go with your gut instinct - if you think something is wrong - there will be. Either now or soon enough. Also - three times as long and four times as expensive might just cover anything to do with horses. Which leads on to never add up what it all costs on a yearly basis.
And finally, don't give up because you will regret it,
 
Hevs said:
Do not walk into a field of 8 horses with a feed bucket in your hand trying to get one of them to come in :D

Queue me chucking bucket in the air and sprinting out of the field for all I was worth as 8 horses came charging towards me
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I can visualise and can't stop laughing!!!!!
 
Never jump by yourself..
Lesson learnt after I knocked myself out and sat by myself at the side of the arena for ages finally being able to call my mum some time later. This was on a busy livery yard, but nobody came over to see if I was okay. I now only jump when someone is there on the floor.
 
Not to get so blinded by protecting them that you forget to have fun. :o

Blue and I grew apart for a while because I was obssessed with his safety & not letting him hurt himself.

Now we have fun together and I don't wrap him up in cotton wool we're as close as when we were kids :D
 
Patience, patience and more patience, learning how to be very patient now i have a youngster.

Go with your gut instinct

Enjoy every moment you spend with them, because when they are gone you only have the memories and not the soft muzzle to nuzzle into.

If you love them let them go, rather a week too soon than a day too late its the hardest thing to do, but i never regret it for a moment
 
To appreciate them for who they are and to never take them for granted. To have them is a privilage, not a right.

You never stop learning.

To be firm but fair.

Gadgets are not a substitute for working through a problem.

Keep it simple.

Always, always go with your gut no matter what.
 
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