Falling off the Tracks

When I sold Cash two years ago, I knew he was going to a good home. The young woman who bought him wasn't the best rider, but Cash totally babysat her and, for me, that was enough reason to let him go with her. She was kind, though had an unforgiving hand and not the best seat. Maybe it was a mistake, but we agreed to keep in touch, and so we are friends on Facebook. I get to see updates of their progress (without badgering her about him), and I enjoy seeing how far they've come.

As a horse owner, I've always prided myself on my horses' appearances. Shiny coats and a healthy mane and tail are trademarks of my horses. Partly, it's due to good genetics. But I also pick their feed very carefully, not to mention I have a certain grooming routine to keep them shiny and healthy.

So when I saw some pictures of Cash today with a scraggly looking coat, my first thought was "what has she done to his beautiful coat?!?!" He was filthy with no shine (and this horse gleams). This is not to say I made a bad decision in selling him to her. He's in good weight, and looks happy. But, where is her sense of pride in her horse?


Sometimes I wonder if good horsemanship has gone the way of the Dodo. It seems as though today we are turning out mere riders, and not horsemen. Young riders don't seem to want to put the effort into good horse care. When I go to local shows, I see dirty tack, filthy boots, stained horses... the list goes on. Though I understand these are schooling shows, not rated, why isn't good upkeep more of a priority?

I have a former riding friend (still on good terms, but no longer "friends") whose parents bought her a $20,000 mare. When the mare transferred hands, she was in good weight and shiny. Skip to one year later and the mare has a dead coat and is at least 100lbs underweight. It's not as though this girl does not care about her horse, but she doesn't exactly put in the extra effort to keep the mare in tip-top shape. On top of this, the rider's bridle is as stiff as cardboard! Now, maybe I'm just nit-picking, but if my parents shelled out 20k for a horse, and then another 40k for a supremely nice trailer, I'd sure as Hell be working my ass off to keep those things in pristine condition.

As it stands, I have a $125 horse and a $9,000 two-horse slant trailer. I'll admit my trailer isn't pristine (it's been too cold to take the mats out and wash it), but if I may steal a line from Annie, my horse gleams like the top of the Chrysler Building.


Our most recent picture; taken indoors on a cloudy day.

Why is it so difficult for some riders to spend time grooming their horses? When riders, like the girl mentioned above, spend thousands to take their horses to A-rated shows, how is it not a priority? Is riding more of a formality to people like her? Does she ride because of the sport, or because of the horses? And does it even matter?

Let's be realistic - there are a lot of products out there to keep a shine on your horse. Maxi-Glo, SmartShine, and other supplements. Horse Haircare Moisturizor, LaserSheen, Show Sheen, and Vetrolin. But nothing puts a gleam on your horse like elbow grease. All you need is a curry and a goat hair brush (not to mention good nutrition). Half of the time, I don't even curry my horses! A soft brush with natural, not synthetic, bristles will go a long way in making a coat shine. For a healthy tail, all you need is your fingers and the (very) occasional detangler. Excess amounts of any detangler or shampoo (especially those with silicone like Show Sheen or Vetrolin) will dry out the coat. A cactus cloth will help bring out natural oils to promote shine, and even just rubbing your hands over the coat will make it gleam.

There is a lot of information out there on good grooming - all you have to do is open Google and search!

But while we're on the topic of good horsemanship, let's talk reading.

I just ordered Horsemanship by Waldemar Seunig, and Breaking and Riding by James Fillis. These are the two latest editions in my ever-growing collection of books on horsemanship and riding. I love to learn riding theory. Be it in books, or online, or listening to Miss Sherry talk about it... it's something I enjoy. I've stated in the past that I'm not a great rider, and I stand by that. I'll never go to USEF Medal Finals or a large hunter derby. But I can spot tension almost anywhere in a rider, and usually can help them fix it. I know a lot of different exercises to reposition, supple, or strengthen the body; and I know how those things affect the horse.

I just started reading The Complete Training of Horse and Rider by Podhajsky, and in the very beginning of his book, he talked about theory versus practice. I'm going to quote it for you:

"Ideas with regard to the importance of theory over practice will always differ, but they will agree on one point, namely that the one is not complete without the other. Theory without practice is of little value, whereas practice is the proof of theory. It is the theoretical knowledge that will show the way to perfection. Theory is the knowledge, practice the ability. Knowledge must always take precedence over action."

The final part of the first sentence bears repeating: "...one is not complete without the other."

But how many young horsemen (and women) read? I can think of one. It's no accident that she's the most talented up-and-coming local rider.