Too hard & too fast.

My biggest issue with the horse industry is pushing young, green horses too hard and too fast. The 7 year old Morab I ride was being ridden as a 4 year old by a girl who wasn't paying attention and the horse was already unsure and cautious about the jump. He was being walked back and forth over the crossrail. The worst happened and she kept asking him to go over it when he wasn't ready, he stepped onto the plastic pole (Which should not have been used!) and it snapped underneath his belly, scaring the living daylights out of him.

He was put in the pasture for months until I started working with him. I had to start everything from scratch. He was so frightened and he has such a terribly good memory, he would not even touch a ground pole. Needless to say it's been 2.5 years now and he's made such progress.

We're jumping 2-2'6 consistently and I've jumped him 3' to see if he could do it. He still has issues with crossrails and new jumps though, it still takes him looking at the jump before he will jump it.

And all of this because he was pushed way too far out of his comfort zone way too fast. I'm not saying he should never have been made to go over the jump, but all in the hurry of trying to make him a lesson horse, he was pushed too hard, an accident happened and here we are, almost 3 years later and he's still scared.

Another issue is not cooling out. These young girls that ride their ponies to the ground and hop off, throw them back into the pasture, and leave sicken me. I found the same horse mentioned above, thrown back into the pasture dripping with sweat and breathing heavily after being ridden by a little girl. Before you could clap your hands, I had him out of the pasture walking him around and then hosed him off. Not only is it careless and irresponsible, you're just asking for your horse to colic or have serious muscle problems.

There are too many riders and not enough horseman being produced. I wonder how many people really know the difference.

Well said! I remember once (and only once), my son came back from a ride with a couple of friends and all the horses were drenched and you could actually see steam coming off them!!! Needless to say, I wasn't any one's fav parent that day and they all immediately were made to tend those horses. Also called the other parents to let them know what happened. These are lessons that must be taught, by instructor or parents many times both, but MUST be taught. Being young and stupid (not calling anyone that here) is not an excuse. Teaching empathy for the horse is key.

BTW the boys were so thirsty from riding, but too bad, made them wait till the horses were properly cooled and tended to before they got a drink of water. Good lesson for them!!!!!

Oh my god that's just horrible

I'm in the middle of ground training my three year old gelding at the moment. Never, ever is he worked for more than half an hour and NEVER hard enough to make him sweat. He hasn't been worked with since he was a yearling and when I first got him I couldn't catch him, lead him, or even touch him. He would dance, spook, and bolt to avoid you.

Now with some patience and a little grass or grain I'm able to catch him without him spooking or throwing up his head like he used to. He will eat out of a bucket with me holding or standing next to it (absolutely refused to before). He eats out of my hand is now starting to approach me on his own.
He's ALMOST to the point were he will allow human approach and will stand to be rubbed and checked for ticks. He leads on a slack line now too :)

He stands tied, but doesn't bathe or pick up his feet...yet. We're working on being touched with strange things such as a lunge whip. He is VERY spooky about this still but always has plenty of room to 'escape' is needed and is frequently praised and calmed. I expect by the end of the week he'll be fine with having it rubbed all over.

I've done this without yelling, without hard punishment, without force. The worst 'punishment' he's ever received is not being able to eat grass for a moment or two. This was because he would constantly scoot when I went to brush him past the shoulder. He sure did stop that fast


Don't hesitate to yield a whip and crack it. But think twice before you yield a whip and hit a horse, 'cause that horse might just hit you right on back.

I don't see anything wrng with coming back from a ride with sweaty horses. As long as you cool them off there isn't an issue.

But I definitely agree with what Iride said. It seems to me their are a lot fo people who ride just to be able to say they ride. And as a consequence the horses suffer.

If 'my' horse is sweaty when we are done with a ride, I will usually hose her down a bit and groom her a little before putting her back. I always remember that scene from Black Beauty when the son puts the horse back when he's all hot and sweaty and he guzzles down water back in his stall and is down for days, sick. The son learns a valuable lesson, sleeping in the stall with the horse until he's better

Ditto, Rotten. They are fine if they are cooled down properly, but if not... Unhappy horse.

I think 4 is too early to ask any horse to jump. They should be at least 5. And he should have NEVER gone over his first jumps with a mediocre-at-best rider. That's for someone who knows what they're doing. That's horrible how those girls neglect their horses. No wonder the horse is uneasy.

There were a couple people at my barn who took a horse to a show (the horse did not belong to them) and came home and rode her all over again. After all day at the show. They rode that poor 20-year-old mare into the ground. It was just sickening to watch. The same people take their own horse and ride her right after she gets done eating. That horse is going to colic sooner or later because of it. It's just a matter of time.

Iridehorses said it perfectly. There are too many riders and not enough horsemen.

You're right Jessabel. People like that look at horse like living breathing ATV's.

I don't know about other people, but I believe in longevity. Started Walka under saddle later than most probably would, and even at that kept it short and light. Hope to have my boy with me on the trails for many years, like his mom. She's 20 this year and showing no signs of slowing. She wasn't started under saddle till age 6, was only a halter horse till than. Of course my horses are my riding mates and not a business so having them sound and serviceable for many years are my focus points.