The Novice Horseman

June 15, my trainer & I were standing in the lot by the barn watching the water rise from the creek just south of us.  It was slow but relentless.  The front lot had small ruts made by my car from the night before as I packed all of my leather goods from the tack room.  With each hour, the grass slipped out of sight.  The ruts disappeared under a small rush of water that eventually became a small stream in itself.  This stream split in two with one half snaking its’ way to the arena and the other half making a straight march for the barn & back pasture.  The back pond soon had all of the back pasture consumed except for 2 small rises on which 2 horses were standing.  The 5 acre south pasture was becoming a small lake as the creek rose higher.  The horses there kept grazing just in front of the moving water line.  At 2:00pm, the creek finally crested and the worst of the damage was over.  The water had managed to enter the barn and only flooded 2 stalls.  We never had to make the decision to move the horses, but there was a plan if needed.

 I didn’t check this out when I first came to this barn.  I was not a true novice, I had owned horses for several years.  But this is not a question that the ordinary person would normally ask.  After all, if you have never experienced a flood, who really thinks of it until the water is rising on your property.  The first time it flooded, I was called at work to come help move the horses to the town’s fairgrounds.  My husband & I helped move 22 horses & 3 tack rooms in less than 3 hours.  We made 3 trips with my 2-horse trailer from the barn to the fairgrounds.  Since my late trainer was well known in the area, friends came with other horses trailers, trucks or just time to baby-sit at the fairgrounds while the rest of us made mad dashes back & forth.  The horses stayed at the fairgounds for 4 days.  We cleaned up the barn, removed all shavings and spread lime on still wet floors.  Then it was time to move back.

 The most it’s flooded is 5 times in about 2 months.  The worst flood was 6 years ago.  That time the water also rose slowly, but it just kept rising.  The horses were moved, the tack rooms emptied, and everyone prayed.  The flood that time was high enough to get 3′ deep in the trainer’s house & barn.  It was a true disaster for her.  Carpets were removed, sheet rock and insulation were stripped out.  It took almost 4 months to get the house renovated.  The barn was a little easier.  Since it was completely stripped before the water was very high, the stall doors were opened to let the water run freely through the barn.  Then it was just a matter of removing any debris left behind and allowing it to dry out.

This should be one of the questions you need to ask the barn manager or proprietor of any boarding facility you are considering.  Ask them if the property has ever flooded.  If it hasn’t, that is good news.  If it has, you need to ask when was the most recent flood.  How high has the water been?  Most importantly, what is the plan for the horses if it does flood.  If there is no plan for floods, make your decision very carefully.

After all, isn’t the safety of your horse the most important service a boarding facility should offer.

Get ready . . . get set . . . Show!!!!

Yes it’s finally that time.  Are you out there already showing your horse’s best side as well as yours?  Good for you.  Or are you just getting started and have absolutely no idea what you are supposed to be doing?  Don’t fret, the newby jitters get everyone at first.  Just ask anyone in the warm-up pen or show ring.

But let’s back-up a bit.  Did you remember to get that all important Coggins test first?  Or did you forget to ask the vet when he was out giving the routine shots?  Well it’s not a complete disaster, but until you get this particular test done and the test result papers in your hand, you can’t show.  Not one single show I know of will even let you unload your horse without it.  Or, I should be more specific, not one show will let you unload or show without a negative Coggins.

If you board your horse, the barn management probably requires a yearly Coggins.  So you may already have it.  Just make sure you have an official copy from the vet (not a photo copy).  If you forgot, just call the vet & set-up an appointment to have this test done.  It’s just a simple blood test.  Most shows in my area will accept a Coggins test if it was done within a year.  There are a few shows that will require a Coggins done within 6 months.  Now the really big national or world shows may also require health papers that were issued within 30 days prior to the show.  Be sure to check the show rules for the particular show you are going to for any other vaccination requirements.  If you are traveling across state lines, be sure to check what each state will require.

If you can’t remember everything, try making a list.  Put things in order of importance in the the month it needs to be done.  If you are techincal, keep the list in your PDA, laptop or whatever type of electronic device is your preference.  If you are not technically inclined, keep a notebook, day-timer or calendar handy with all of the important things on it.  You can check them off as they are done.  You will also be able to add, change or delete anything as needed.  But the most important thing about your list is to look at it.  Look at it more than just the time it takes to make it.  Look at the list at the very least once a week .

With all of the health papers in order, this will be a little less stressful when going to a show.

Well . . . really the best thing you should do is save it.  But if Christmas money is burning a hole your pocket, why not invest in some riding lessons.  Everyone can benefit from lessons no matter what your abilities.  This is especially true if you are just beginning.  It’s my opinion that this is the absolute 1st thing a beginning horseman (novice) should do. That is even before you start looking for a horse.  How are you going to know what kind of horse suits you best, if you don’t even know how to ride or groom a horse properly?

Shop around a little.  Talk with several trainers in your area and definitley go to their stables to check them out before you sign up for anything.  Be courteous though.  If you arrange to meet a trainer, make sure you show up.  If for some reason you can’t make the appointment, call them to cancel and reschedule for another time.  You might find a stable that offers a package deal.  That is, if you pay for a pre-determined amount of lessons, they offer them at a reduced price.  These usually are only offered if you pay up front.  Some stables may also offer lessons at a group rate.  You’d be riding with other people of the same ability, this can actually be fun.  I would check into taking a few private lessons first though.  This will give you a trial time for the stable and the trainer.  You do want a trainer that you are comfortable with and one that will not push you beyond your abilities.  Trust your instincts.  Be wary of a trainer that promises big results in a very short amount of time.  If a beginner is pushed too hard too fast, it will probably end up in an accident.

That’s what happened to me.  I wanted to learn to jump.  My husband called several stables as a Christmas gift one year.  A few of the trainers he spoke with told him that the basics and ground work had to be done first and that could take awhile.  The length of time depended on the rider.  The trainer I ended up going to said she would teach me to jump in no time.  She was right about that.  On my third lesson, I was going over crossbars.  Never mind that I couldn’t even sit a trot or even post.  As the 8th lesson, we were going to go to a schooling show.  So on my 7th lesson, we were practicing a course for the first time.  I was riding a new horse as the one I was used to riding had come up lame.  As we approched a fence, the horse and I had a difference of opinion as which way to go and we parted ways. He went left and I went right . . . right into the jump.  While I was recuperating from this, I bought my first horse; but that’s another story.  I never went back to finish the riding package my husband paid for.

Riding lessons are more than just sitting in a saddle and going around in circles in an arena.  In the barn I’m at, the trainers show the new student how to groom the horse before and after riding.  This includes brushing and which brushes are used for each area of the horse.  The new student is shown how to pick up the feet and clean them as well as combing out the mane and tail.  They are shown where/where not to apply fly spray and how to apply hoof dressing. They are shown how to properly place the saddle on the horse, tighten the cinch/girth and how to remove the saddle. How to adjust the stirrups to fit the rider’s legs.  Then one of the most important things, is how to put the bit/bridle in and remove from the horse’s mouth without clanging teeth.  A horse will not take having their teeth hit too many times before they start to resist being bridled.  Believe me, this is not good for the horse or you.

As a novice, the first few lessons may only be 30 minutes, but you’ll appreciate the short time in the saddle.  Your legs and rear end may be a little sore, but not at all like they would be if you had a full hour for the very first time.  Besides, an hour may be too overwhelming, especially for the young novice.  There are just too many things to remember.  After the first few lessons, the time can be increased to the full hour, but this all depends on the rider.  Young riders may not have a long enough attention span to last a hour. If not, don’t push them.

Remember riding is supposed to be fun!!!!!