Before I rant, let me say that I am not a know-it-all. I spend a good amount of my time learning different methods and new things because the one thing I know is I don't know it all!
I also want to say that I respect my elders, and all people for that matter, and I also respect the experience and guidance of all horse people, young or old.
Now...
Years do NOT equate good, applicable experience.
Years do NOT equate good horsemanship.
And years do NOT give you the license to ignore the different needs of each individual animal or ignore the fact that there are a billion right, good, and correct ways to take care of a horse around the world and across climates and disciplines!
Man am I tired of horse people know-it-alls. In fact, I've begun to think that the mark of a bad horseman/woman is one who thinks they know everything they need to, and that everyone should do it their way!
The amazing thing about horses is that you are never done learning. You are never done growing. Anyone who ignores or denies this is ignorant!
People really abuse the '___years of experience with horses' phrase. If you've been riding every week on a pay by the hour tourist nose-to-tail trail horse for three years with no other experience, that does not qualify you to take out a real riding horse and go trotting and galloping about!
If you've got however many years around horses, but then are not willing to accept that maybe you've been doing something wrong, or maybe your way doesn't work for that horse, you lack the fundamentals of good horsemanship!
And if you really dare to use your years of experience to justify the way you take care of an animal, in this case being that your way compromises the health and safety of that animal, then you should not have or care for that animal!
This was sparked by a conversation I had today, where the person boasted riding since young and years of experience with horses, and then turned around and said the reason why they don't clean their horse's stall is because the horse has a health problem and needs soft ground to stand on. This is with free, soft fill dirt available on property that can be taken and put in the horse's stall.
(ETA: I was polite. I did not rant or lose my temper. I only mentioned anything about it because the stall had been let go for a week and a half. I very politely mentioned the fill dirt I put in my own horses' stalls.)
Your experience, education, etc. does not justify bad animal husbandry, bad management, abusive training methods, or unwillingness to cater to the needs of the individual animal.
Rant over.
I feel better now :pinkunicorn:
I also want to say that I respect my elders, and all people for that matter, and I also respect the experience and guidance of all horse people, young or old.
Now...
Years do NOT equate good, applicable experience.
Years do NOT equate good horsemanship.
And years do NOT give you the license to ignore the different needs of each individual animal or ignore the fact that there are a billion right, good, and correct ways to take care of a horse around the world and across climates and disciplines!
Man am I tired of horse people know-it-alls. In fact, I've begun to think that the mark of a bad horseman/woman is one who thinks they know everything they need to, and that everyone should do it their way!
The amazing thing about horses is that you are never done learning. You are never done growing. Anyone who ignores or denies this is ignorant!
People really abuse the '___years of experience with horses' phrase. If you've been riding every week on a pay by the hour tourist nose-to-tail trail horse for three years with no other experience, that does not qualify you to take out a real riding horse and go trotting and galloping about!
If you've got however many years around horses, but then are not willing to accept that maybe you've been doing something wrong, or maybe your way doesn't work for that horse, you lack the fundamentals of good horsemanship!
And if you really dare to use your years of experience to justify the way you take care of an animal, in this case being that your way compromises the health and safety of that animal, then you should not have or care for that animal!
This was sparked by a conversation I had today, where the person boasted riding since young and years of experience with horses, and then turned around and said the reason why they don't clean their horse's stall is because the horse has a health problem and needs soft ground to stand on. This is with free, soft fill dirt available on property that can be taken and put in the horse's stall.
(ETA: I was polite. I did not rant or lose my temper. I only mentioned anything about it because the stall had been let go for a week and a half. I very politely mentioned the fill dirt I put in my own horses' stalls.)
Your experience, education, etc. does not justify bad animal husbandry, bad management, abusive training methods, or unwillingness to cater to the needs of the individual animal.
Rant over.
I feel better now :pinkunicorn: