I’m not going to get into politics of human social security; politics bore me. But, I think, most Americans can agree that the Social Security System is a mess and it has been since before the first check was sent out in 1937.
Yet, this was the description of a proposed plan for the long term care of Thoroughbred race horses; a “Social Security” program for horses. TB SS was initially proposed a number of years ago to The Jockey Club by the Thoroughbred Charities of America though then scoffed at because of strong resistance to owners along with an inability to distribute funds.
The new TB SS proposal, again by the Thoroughbred Charities of America, suggests adding a $50 “fee” when registering foals that would go towards providing care for the life of that horse. Registering a Thoroughbred with The Jockey Club now costs $200, and the average U.S. Thoroughbred makes 6.3 starts in their career. This means that $50 has to stretch a long way after those measly 6 or so races.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to hear that SOMEONE is proposing SOMETHING to help secure the long term care of these overbred, overused, and underserved athletes. But, I don’t see a Social Security system for the horse with a one time $50 pay-in being the answer.
Thoroughbred racing has become too seedy and way too available for the low(er) income owner, trainer, and breeder. This sport needs to be more elite. I for one never like to oust the poor or even the middle class within equestrian sports, but horse racing isn’t an equestrian sport. TB racing is only a “sport” for those looking to make it rich, get a name, and of course breed, own, or train the next Kentucky Derby winner. It is not a sport that uses logic, forethought, or reality in many cases.
Thoroughbred racing isn’t, generally, for the horse lover looking for a chance to fulfill a dream, create a bond, or hone some hidden talent. It’s a gambling industry where the welfare of the horse, if important, is only important for a very short time. Then the horse becomes disposable AND that is especially true when ANYONE can breed a Thoroughbred.
For the possibility of a TB SS program to work, a larger fee must be assessed. A higher fee should, and would, be designed to CURTAIL LOW-END BREEDING. And YES, this would stop some over-breeding that has contributed to the decline of the Thoroughbred breed; please tell me how would that be bad?
Since I was told once limiting the number of Thoroughbreds bred would be a problem because it’s essentially controlling what someone does with their “property”, I should be able to assume that limiting the number of Thoroughbreds The Jockey Club will register would not encroach on anyone’s rights. However, it would limit the amount of money coming into The Jockey Club, and we know they need all the money they can get!
So, let’s come up with a better solution. NOT horse Social Security (though interesting but already shown to be ineffective, detrimental to the governing body, and detrimental to each contributor).
For a “save the TB” program, there needs to be a registration tax. That doesn’t mean the money goes into The Jockey Clubs pocket, they already have enough.
Instead, the tax could should sustain a reputable outside agency clearly looking at the horses’ best interests to hold onto funds, keep track of horses included, and follow these horses throughout their lives.
There isn’t a quick fix for lifetime Thoroughbred care; a protocol needs to be well planned. But, not only should a solution benefit the Thoroughbred’s long term care; the plan should also call for executing better breeding practices…wait for it…to eventually strengthen the American Thoroughbred breed.
Okay, I know. Now I’m just talking crazy! But, eventually, maybe a year from now, The Bloodhorse or The Thoroughbred Times will come out with a story detailing a need for a program just like that. Luckily, it will be breaking news, with in-depth, never before covered information.
Yet, nothing will actually come of it because the Thoroughbred industry doesn’t want anything to come of it. The Thoroughbred industry likes to sound good, but putting their talk into action is a whole different story.
When thinking of re-training an ex-racehorse, you think of a Thoroughbred. Thoroughbreds have been taken off the track and turned into Hunters, Jumpers, Eventers, Dressage horses, pleasure horses, gaming horses, and just about every discipline you can think of. Thoroughbreds have excelled at all these disciplines at one point or another, but, as we know, the Thoroughbred breed isn’t what it used to be.
So, why not consider a Standardbred?
“They don’t know how to canter, just trot or pace.”
Yeah. That may be true, but in all fairness, what does an off the track Thoroughbred really know (other than gallop)? A Standardbred IS still a horse, and all horses know how to walk trot AND canter. They have just been trained to trot and pace. Therefore, they need re-training to learn how to carry themselves and a rider through all the gaits. Not all that much different than a Thoroughbred, just a different approach.
The Standardbred has many qualities that people are looking for in a sport horse; strength, soundness, substance, all with an easy going temperament. So, why then are people not seeking out this breed to re-train?
The misconceptions I have often heard are that the Standardbred just doesn’t have a good canter no matter how much training you put into them. I beg to differ. While I’m sure not EVERY Standardbred has a great canter, neither does any other breed. Remember….one must look at the individual horse. Every horse in the world, no matter what the breed, is going to have individual strengths and weaknesses. I ask the people who claim that Standardbreds don’t have a good canter: How many Standardbreds have you seen re-trained?
Exactly.
Now, I have only worked with a handful of off the track Standardbreds, and I can say they were completely different than off the track Thoroughbreds, but not in a bad way. The four Standardbreds I worked with were all rescued by a woman who didn’t know much about horses and didn’t even know what a Standardbred really was. All four horses were off the track and had raced in harness. Only one of the four Standardbreds was a pacer. Interestingly, each of the four horses looked completely different. I mean all four were bay with just a little bit of white, but the only real similarity was that they were all long, though proportionally long (back, neck), and they all had a similar head type (a little blocky, but attractive).
All four of these Standardbreds were unflappable. They had extremely easy going temperaments and were happy to get to work. I was expecting the sensitive off the track “high” Thoroughbred type attitude, demeanor, and personality. But, these four were practically bomb proof. Two were very pretty movers and those two had the easiest time learning the canter. I don’t know if that was a coincidence or if their bigger, fluid, and balanced movement made the canter more balanced and easier to learn. The pacer wasn’t a very good mover, and he often went into a pace, especially when confused. It appeared to be his safety zone. He did eventually learn to canter, and although he wasn’t a very good mover, he turned out to be a pretty good jumper. The other one that wasn’t a great mover did have some soundness issues related to a tendon injury on the track; she turned out to be a great walk, trot, and canter school horse. Though the canter took some time, she learned all three gaits after four months off for injury.
The two good movers turned into fabulous show horses. One did really well on the A circuit in the Hunter ring (the green Hunters and eventually the junior Hunters), and the other turned into a adult amateur Jumper and was shown pretty extensively for a few years and then went on to do some Dressage. I unfortunately didn’t follow up on how he ended up doing in the Dressage ring, but I imagine with his movement, he probably did pretty well.
What I learned in re-training Standardbred ex-racehorses/ex-trotters:
The canter can be taught to a Standardbred, but it must approached very differently than if teaching an off the track Thoroughbred. With a Thoroughbred, the canter is their faster gate, so moving them forward brings about the canter. With a Standardbred, through trial and error, I found their trot and/or pace is their fastest and most balanced gate, so pushing them forward only creates a very fast trot or pace. Instead, balance had to be created at the walk, trot, slow trot, and collected trot; primarily with long lines, but also through their back. Eventually, the canter was the natural place to go, once after balanced and collected, with the right timing. I was able to cue either with either voice and leg, or voice and lunge whip while the horse stepped (not ran) into the canter.
Standardbred Sport Horse Use Weakness:
Probably not an upper level competition horse
Possible harness racing injuries (make sure they are vetted thoroughly)
Not real flashy (lots of white or chrome for the show ring)
Standardbred, Sport Horse Use Strengths:
Size and type vary considerably (14.1 hands to 17+ hands)
Generally easier keepers than Thoroughbreds
Great temperament
Sounder than a Thoroughbred as long as they don’t have racing injuries
Very affordable option for Dressage, Eventing, Hunters, and Jumpers
All things said, the Standardbred is a very viable and economical performance Sport Horse option. If looking into a Thoroughbred off the track, one might have better luck finding sound and sane equine companion in a Standardbred.
If you decide to go the Standardbred route, remember to find a good trainer willing to re-train them a little differently than an ex-race Thoroughbred. Or, if you are taking on the challenge yourself, make sure to do your research and talk with others who have re-trained the Standardbred. It’s not fair for the horse to have to re-learn in a less than productive environment.
There are plenty of Standardbred rescues, and you can always contact Standardbred breeders to get information on available horses that aren’t racing or possibly aren’t cut out for the harness. It’s a good idea to have any horse you buy or adopt vetted out. If you are looking for a horse to do more than trail ride, it is important that you find out if that horse is up for the job. Standardbreds, though probably falling in awareness on the side of “boring” Sport Horse breed options, fit the bill. When searching for a new equine partner, do not overlook this breed.
No matter how long you have been riding or how many horses you have ridden, a green horse always has something new to teach you. While working with green horses you will inevitably run into some circumstance you have not dealt with before. But, most importantly, never underestimate the influence you have on a green horse’s education, even if you are only riding them one time. This goes for your education as well; what you can learn from one ride on a green horse is more than you can learn from riding a push button horse everyday for a year!
Citizen Horse Manifesto Issue #3: Ride Green to Get Better
It is unfortunate, however, that many riders shy away from a green horse. This goes for purchasing and riding. The average rider, especially in the Hunter/Jumper world, has little to no experience riding a “difficult” or “green” horse. Learning to ride, initially, on a school horse, then moving to a horse of their own that already has miles may help build confidence, but the rider isn’t REALLY learning how to ride. A green horse looks for direction from the rider and for the most part, the rider can’t just sit there.
Of course, you can do a light hack with a green horse, and depending on their balance, response to cues, and overall confidence, you can actually just sit there. But, where is the fun in that? The opportunity to help a horse understand the fundamentals of their job is exciting for the rider and the horse. Why, though, do so many people just want to do the light hack without even trying to RIDE the horse? The uniqueness of horseback riding comes from the enormous vocabulary between horse and rider with using cues from the hand, leg, seat, voice, and often (don’t freak out people, this isn’t meant as a beat-the-crap-out-of-the-horse) the whip. Yet, so many people don’t take advantage of this amazing communication, nor do they try to expand their vocabulary!
The opportunity to help a horse understand their job fundamentals is exciting for both horse and rider.
Unless a rider is a beginner or a very nervous intermediate rider, you don’t have to be a trainer to ride a green horse. Sure, a trainer is essential, depending on your level of riding, for a green horse to reach their potential. But, for a few rides a week, even having an intermediate rider take lessons will help both the horse AND the rider. People are always worried that they will ruin the green horse. Well, if the green horse ONLY ever has professionals ride them, they are going to have a hard time figuring out what it’s like to have an amateur make a bigger mistake. The horse will never understand how sometimes, they have to make decisions.
Green horses come in different “shades” of green. Not every green horse is a good candidate for the amateur rider. It doesn’t have as much to do with their “level” of greenness, more of the green horse’s history, breed, temperament, and personality. Here is a good table referencing the different shades and levels of green:
Army Green:
The horse that loves to work, uncomplicated, always looking for direction from their rider and/or handler. A great horse for any level rider to learn from no matter how long the horse has been under saddle. These are the horses everyone is looking for; totally honest, no baggage, all with a great work ethic.
Bright Green:
The horse that is excitable, but level headed. Lots of energy but not looking to be bad; this horse needs extra guidance and gets bored easily. A plain boring hack will offer too much brain time to come up with ways to expend their energy. A good horse for a rider looking to really focus on their flat work skills; take a lesson first or get some good exercises to work on from the trainer. Then, have fun because you can learn a lot from these green horses.
Camouflage Green:
The horse that isn’t what they seem. Sometimes it’s the horse that looks like a psycho, or acts like a chicken on the ground, but tack ‘em up and you have a true work horse under you. Then there is the stoic, quiet looking horse that just looks like a reasonable, happy-go lucky, uncomplicated, kind horse, then you get on them and they want to fight, they don’t want to listen, they might be spooky (not genuinely spooky) and most importantly, they don’t care who is on their back they are going to do everything in their power to find something OTHER than the rider to pay attention to. Not a horse for the amateur, this is a horse that needs to be pretty close to finishing before the amateur gets on. Even then, these are the horses that can have the talent to be great horses, but need a very good, consistent rider.
Emerald Green:
The emerald green horse is another one the amateur should be wary of. Mares are more often seen as the shade of emerald than geldings. Usually very sensitive, defensive, and domineering, they can often be very smart which makes all their downfalls even harder to deal with. But, with the right rider and trainer, their downfalls can often be turned into great assets. These greenies aren’t for the amateur until they are a little further along. Though, they don’t need to be finished, they do need a solid foundation. Once they understand the aids, the more different riders they have the better.
While there are many other shades of green horses, the above four groups are the most common. But, every horse has a different background from which they started their path with human interaction. No matter a horse’s history, their underlying personality and temperament (and often breed) will determine their shade of green.
While some horses, especially ex-racehorses, tend to be the emerald green, that is more inherent of their breed than their baggage from the track. I have met quite a few off the track Thoroughbreds that also fall under the army green color even if they didn’t have a great start on the track.
Surprisingly, I have worked with many horses that had the perfect upbringing. No abuse, no excessive force, started gently with a great amount of handling as youngsters, yet, they would still be unpredictable. I’m talking Warmbloods who had a good upbringing and great ground work but were still are somewhat explosive under saddle. This has more to do with their individual nature and sensitivity.
Fact: riding green horses will improve your riding skills.
No matter what your level of riding is, the green horse can improve your riding skills far beyond any school horse or fine tuned, push button schoolmaster. If you are a hunter, jumper, eventer, or dressage rider and you feel as though you are stagnant in your riding; find a green horse to ride; even if it’s just once a week. Even if you are just a pleasure rider but want to feel a sense of accomplishment and better understand OR appreciate your horse, getting on a green horse will not only help hone your communication skills, it will also make your horse seem like a dream!
How many times have you been frustrated because you couldn’t get your horse to do something? Do you think that was your horses fault? Sure, horses can be difficult and often times they can have selective hearing just like people. But, for the majority of problems involving horses not listening, it is because the person isn’t asking correctly. The question you ask your horse needs to be clear, and once the question is asked clearly, you will get the correct answer or response (of course only if the horse has already learned the answer).
The green horse will teach you effective communication. Especially the green horse that knows the basics and you are just refining those basics. Of course, much of this goes into a trainer’s role, but every time you ride a horse you are doing some level of training.
This is a responsibility as a rider that you must own, respect, and never take for granted. Riding a horse is a privilege and the more informed, educated, and experienced you are the better off each horse is that you ride. Rider errors happen and these errors are great learning tools for both horse and rider. But, the green horse that needs your guidance should keep you aware of every subtle cue you give that horse. The awareness you gain from riding a green horse will only amplify your communication skills and more importantly your awareness of different horse’s responses.
How To Find a Green Horse
Finding a green horse to ride might prove difficult. Your best bet is to get involved with a barn, and more accurately, a trainer. A trainer that has a whole string of either sale horses, or horses in training is always going to be happy to pass a hack off to someone else. Especially if you are looking for a project, one could take lessons on a green horse, the trainer can continually evaluate the horse’s progress from the ground, and the horse can gaining valuable experience by having a non-professional ride them.
You most likely aren’t going to just walk into a barn and tell a trainer you are looking to get some rides in; there is a long list of people looking to ride additional horses. Establish a relationship with a trainer, work with them, and prove you aren’t just some dumb girl “looking to ride horsies”.
Just remember, a green horse is a horse looking for answers. Your job, as the rider, is to provide clear questions and help guide the horse to the correct answer. The more questions you ask and the more guiding you do, the better rider you become.
Buying a horse is a huge commitment. Understanding that you are ultimately responsible for an animal’s well being for the rest of his/her life is a big deal. Sure, you can sell them when you have grown out of the horse’s ability, decided their temperament doesn’t work for you, or quit riding. But really, selling a horse is easier than it sounds. You should never count on the ability to sell the equine you buy. At any given turn, you may be “stuck” with them forever. Are you ready for that?
Realistically, the horse you choose to purchase could succumb to a major injury resulting in a pasture sound horse. This can happen, and it does happen. The horse you purchase could end up with a multitude of different health issues out of your control that could make selling a difficult option. “Well, then I’ll give ‘em away”. Good luck, do you know how many free horses are available at any given minute in this Country? No matter how sweet your unsound horse is, there is a good chance that YOU are stuck with that unsound horse.
You have to make big decisions; either you are able to “retire” that horse and continue to pay for board, farrier, veterinary, and other expenses related to that horse’s care, or, there is euthanasia. Although people scoff at the mention of euthanasia when it comes to a pasture sound horse, but if more people took this route there would be less neglect cases (both reported and unreported). Even well intentioned horse people who are trying to do the right thing can end up pinching pennies or turning their back on a skinny, emaciated horse that was once their prized possession.
Additionally, veterinary hospitals also need horses for research, (yes, like a bunny getting shampoo in the eyes, but different), and as much as I know medical research testing is necessary for the future of equine veterinary medical advances, it’s hard to think that my horse could end up having a severe medical condition forced up on him.
So, worst case scenario, you buy a horse, it hurts itself permanently rendering him/her unsound or pasture sound, you’re stuck with either an expensive dog that most likely doesn’t live at home, you have to choose to euthanize the horse, or you turn it into a lab rat. If you’re ready to make these difficult decisions, you’ve completed step one the horse buying process.
Step two of buying a horse, and also just a difficult as step one, is figuring out what horse to buy. What kind of horse you are looking for depends on what kind of equestrian enthusiast you are. Your pocket book plays an important role in your decision as well.
Here are thing you need to consider about yourself before you purchase a horse:
Riding Ability – Skill Level
Short Term Goals
Long-Term Goals
Initial Monetary Investment
Long-term Monetary Investment
Free Time
Once you have answered these six primary questions, the horse hunt can begin. Based on your answers, you’re faced with new questions that also factor in your purchase concerning details such as:
Temperament
Breed
Size
Age
Sex
Level of training & competition
Color & Markings
With the above preferences, some will also have an impact on the necessities. The temperament rarely influences the price unless the horse is totally psychotic. But riding goals and ability greatly influence the temperament, and the breed will be influenced by the financial investment. Often, equestrians’ abilities and goals may influence the price, the horse size might be influenced by both the financial investment and the riders’ ability depending on the horse, and the age will be influenced by the financial investment, the riders ability depending on the horse, and the long and short-term goals.
Want some more?
The horse’s sex can be influenced by the financial investment, the riders ability, and possibly long term goals, the level of training and competition will be greatly influenced by all six original necessities, with color and markings possibly making a small influence on the price, depending on the horse.
It’s a pretty simple, straightforward way to narrow down the horse market.
I’m not kidding. Yet, here’s the rub.
So many people forget the first six questions and head straight for the last seven. Then they wonder why they ended up buying a dud of a registered Warmblood when they only had $4,500 to spend, they bought for breed, for size, and for age, and somehow got an unsound maniac. What then?
Ah, our three options for placement of an un-sellable horse. Pasture? Euthanasia? Lab rat? See why we talked about that first?
Too good to be true is an absolute guarantee when buying a horse.
The one that kills me is when someone is absolutely looking for a particular color horse. This, of course, happens more in the paint breed show world, where color, sadly, does matter. But, buying for color also happens with Dressage, Hunter, Jumper, and Eventing riders too.
A rider will say, “I just really wanted a black horse with some chrome”, and then they wonder why they can’t seem to get where they want to be; riding a horse they had no business buying in the first place.
But boy, that horse is pretty, and the owner is happy looking at it and grooming it. When it come time to ride…not so pretty anymore.
Then again, I’m a little guilty. Although I have never bought a horse for color, I have always wanted a liver chestnut horse with a flaxen mane. There is something about that color horse that just does it for me.
There was a Thoroughbred mare at the barn I started riding at that came in off the track. She had only raced for a few weeks. I was about 9 years old, and the trainer tacked her up and pointed at me saying, “You’re up!” and I climbed on the imposing, 16.3 HH, beefy mare with a grin from ear to ear. She was gorgeous; large bone, tall, uphill build, liver chestnut with a flaxen mane, a blaze, and four white socks.
Her name was Tracy. I got on her and she was perfect. She walked, trotted, halted, steered (pretty okay), and after a few weeks of being the only one to ride her (I think they were trying to get my parents to buy her), I got to jump her. A few months later, she sold out of state, but I wanted that horse! Ever since, Tracy’s color was one I could be clouded by.
I have not yet owned a liver chestnut horse and probably never will. Although, those first six questions about purchasing a horse are engrained in my head, if I was in the market to buy a horse and a liver chestnut horse crossed my path, I would have a hard time making a logical decision about the purchase!
But unless there’s disposable income to pick up a pretty lawn ornament, don’t ever buy a horse for color.
When you think of a sport horse, the Morgan isn’t the breed that first pops into your head. Morgan horses don’t receive any ridicule like the Arabian, and the Morgan is often dismissed as an unworthy mount for any sport horse discipline. Morgan haters are few, Morgan lovers are fewer, and most equestrians scratch their head in even reference to the Morgan.
Here’s the best Morgan horse description I can give:
short
stout
uphill
powerhouse build
mostly unflappable
great character
I am not an expert in this breed, but after meeting only a few Morgans, I can pick a Morgan out of a herd of horses, so long as I’m told there’s a Morgan to be found. Morgan horses are similar to Arabians in that they really have a type. Just how Arabians look like Arabians, Morgans look like Morgans.
When considering a large pony or small horse for a child who is moving out of ponies or starting at a point when a pony would be too small, the Morgan would be a very good choice. Though many Hunter, Jumper, Dressage, and Eventing trainers may not agree, simply because Just because they aren’t Warmbloods doesn’t mean they don’t have the abilities and guess what, they don’t have warmblood price tags either!
The Morgan’s smaller stature can be great for an adult rider as well. Morgan’s are built strong, with well sprung ribs, short back, a nice sloping shoulder, and a nice head and neck, often looking and feeling bigger than they are. Standing 14.1-15.2 hands, the Morgan seems to small to be in competitive with big 17+ hand Warmbloods, but really, well bred Morgans look like small versions of nice Warmbloods (and luckily without the health problems associated with a large horse).
In Combined Driving, the Morgan horse breed dominates and has aptly proven itself through National and International competitions. Because of their power, speed, intelligence, and demeanor, it’s no wonder Morgans are a great fit for Combined Driving.
Eventing is another discipline in which the Morgan is just starting to show it’s worth. Competition Morgans can make great mounts for junior riders, and a few Morgans into their early twenties have qualified for the American Eventing Championships.
If looking for a new dressage horse, the Morgan should not be discounted. Even in a snobby Dressage barn, the Morgan could sidestep sneer simply based on it’s mystery. Given a chance, Morgans can excel in this discipline as well. The Morgan’s hit to miss competitive Dressage ratio is high, with over 60 Morgans competing at Level 3 or higher, based on what is undoubtedly a miniscule slice of the Dressage mount market.
The Morgan may not be the best choice for the Hunter ring; but we already know this to be true based on the biased Hunter judging system. However, with Hunters, the Morgan may not stand out as much as an Arabian, so breed discrimination in Hunter competition my not be AS big of a problem.
Jumping equestrians could utilize the Morgan horse, especially the pony size Morgan’s who would do great in the Pony Jumpers! Upper level Jumpers might be a little too much for the Morgan horse, though they have power and speed, their scope generally isn’t going to be enough to jump around a large Jumper course.
Morgan Horse, Sport Horse Use Weaknesses:
size, potentially too small for a long legged rider
not stylish or fashionable in the hunter ring
not enough scope for bigger jumper courses
Morgan Horse, Sport Horse Use Strengths:
affordable option for Dressage, Eventing, or lower level/pony Jumpers
longevity
easy keepers
size, potentially better fitting for smaller riders
great temperament
good feet
sound
Surely, the Morgan may not appeal to you, and one’s attraction to the breed is important in choosing a horse. But, don’t discount the Morgan breed if you given the option. Go see a Morgan, try one out. I can’t stress this enough, but Morgans often surprise equestrians with their athleticism and ability.
One thing is for sure, you will get more for your money in a Morgan. Of course, if you are looking for a Grand Prix Dressage horse, most likely you have $100k+ to spend, and the Morgan isn’t even going to be a thought (and you’re not reading an alt-horse rag like Citizen Horse).
But given more like $2k+ to spend on a new sport horse mount, take a close look at the Morgan!
Fashionable horses come and go, and it’s certainly possible the Morgan horse breed thinning out due to it’s obscurity. But all I’m saying, if you’re looking to go against a trend, start your own trend, or need more bang for your buck, look no further than a Morgan.
A school horse sleeps in cross ties. That's about normal.
School horses are worth their weight in gold. They are the foundation of most every rider’s beginnings. They come in all shapes and sizes, temperaments, and soundness levels.
Rodney, the horse I learned to ride on as a small, small child was a 16.2 hand chestnut Saddlebred gelding. He was ugly, he stuck his tongue out when you rode, and he could be a total lunatic. But, when a beginner sat on his back, he took care of them.
Rodney wasn’t your typical hunter/jumper school horse. He was shown extensively on the Saddlebred circuit in saddleseat classes. He was “retired” to life as a school horse simply because his owner retired from riding. He taught me how to walk, trot, canter, and jump small X’s. I fell in love with this horse. When I got my pony, I cried! I didn’t want a pony, I wanted Rodney!
Rodney could be a total lunatic, but when a beginner sat on his back, he took care of them.
I’m sure everyone has their good and bad experiences on school horses. I have seen everything from three-legged-lame school horses to Thoroughbreds just off the track (ie. INSANE school horses). As a trainer, the good, sound school horses are tough to find, and if you nab one, you take precious care of it because you may not find another.
No matter what their breed, their age, or their soundness, in my opinion, a good school horse enjoys taking care of the person they are teaching. Rodney was a good school horse; I’m sure he had some pretty severe arthritis, but he was still going 10+ years after I learned how to ride.
Here’s a shout out to all the school horses; the good, the bad, and the lame!
Ponies are good friends. Ponies are also evil. Ponies are evil friends, yet still friends. But still evil too.
I remember fondly my pony as a child, Rikki, a 5 year old Section A Welsh (small) bay pony gelding. Rikki bit me, kicked me, bucked me off, dumped me, and drug me around, but boy did I love that pony!
Rikki also jumped around and got his lead changes (if I happened to spur him just right). He nuzzled me, took me on trail rides, went swimming with me, tolerated my hours and hours of riding, hours of grooming, and played dress-up (new tack, blankets, coolers).
Ponies are evil. Ponies are friends. Ponies are evil friends.
Despite our fun, Rikki-the-Pony was really good at stepping on my foot, knowing exactly when to poop (when I picked out his back feet), scraping me off the outside arena wall under saddle, and of course, biting my finger and NOT the carrot.
I will never forget that pony; I loved him as much as I could have loved anything. Yes, he tortured me, yes he hurt me, but he was my best friend and I learned so much from him……and every kid should have that little torture device that teaches us so much.
But make no mistake; ponies under 20 years old are torture devices for little kids.
