Number 4. Don't Be Afraid. Heidi's Top 10 Equine Stewardship Practises.

Heidi's Top 10 Stewardship Practises. I don't want to tell anyone what to do, or give out free "advice".  But, I do want to encourage responsible horsemen to think more deeply.  Many people do not think things through, and actually say or influence others with statements that are not accurate.  If horsemen took the time to think things through, they may act differently in some situations.  Perhaps, these practises which I strive to abide by, may help others develop their own top 10 stewardship practises. So, what does the responsible horsemen do to demonstrate stewardship?

Number 4. Do not be afraid of death - it is a part of horse ownership.  The question to ask yourself is how do you treat your equine partner at the end of its life.  Do you help them along in a kind and compassionate way or do you pass your equine partner on someone else for deal with?  My opinion is that building a partnership with an equine is a amazing feat of communication, art, science, skill and something intangible - something magical that you feel when you sail over a jump, or ride a thousand foot scree slope in the Rocky Mountains, or make first contact with a foal.  Just this month, November 2012, Equine Canada released its new strategic plan, directing our national horse organization through the next 6 years.  There are seven core values that support the vision, and the top of the list, Equine Welfare is worded in a way that made me proud.  The Equine Canada core value is expressed in the belief that by "Accepting our responsibility to our equine partners as a privilege, we affirm safeguarding the welfare of the horse is paramount."  Wow, a privilege.  So many of us spend our lives developing and putting into practise our equine leadership skills, with the goal of creating an amazing partnership, it indeed is a privilege.  And, how appropriate to have our equines referred to as partners.

Horses take us all to new heights.

The end of this equine partners life should equal its beginning.  It is the human partner, or leader of the horse that should be there at the end; be there when the vet arrives at your farm, and the truck or bulldozer removes the body.  We have controlled our emotions through our entire equestrian careers. Horsemen are capable of dealing with the most difficult part of horse stewardship.  Many people choose to have others deal with the euthanizing of their horses at the end, or worse yet, delay action; but this is the one change you can do to ensure your horse has a kind death.  Do not abandon your horse when your equine partner needs you the most. I challenge folks to maintain their leadership of their equine partner and help them along the way kindly, on the farm where their horse is most comfortable, make the last moments stress free and be able to make that happen in a timely way.  By doing this for our horses, we can discover a new understanding and acceptance of death as something that is part of life.  This is where our equine partners can show us; how living for the moment helps us throughout life, helps us over those obstacles, through those fears, and even more so, helps us all at the very end.

Check back next Friday for "Number 3. Sell and Rehome Responsibly."

Number 5. Take Time to Teach. Heidi's Top 10 Equine Stewardship Practises.

Heidi's Top 10 Stewardship Practises. I don't want to tell anyone what to do, or give out free "advice".  But, I do want to encourage responsible horsemen to think more deeply.  Many people do not think things through, and actually say or influence others with statements that are not accurate.  If horsemen took the time to think things through, they may act differently in some situations.  Perhaps, these practises which I strive to abide by, may help others develop their own top 10 stewardship practises. So, what does the responsible horsemen do to demonstrate stewardship?

Number 5. Take Time to Teach. What can you do?  You already have good equine stewardship practises; you made a plan, made a good deal, you enjoy your horses, you strive for a perfect equine partnership and are the leader, you care for your horses and make sure they are cared for no matter what.  What else can you do? Take the opportunity to teach the youth of our country about stewardship of the land, our animals and our community.

4H and pony clubs all have a stewardship component to their lessons.  Spending ones lifetime developing leadership and partnership skills is a good thing.  Caring for the land, your community and our equine partners is something you role model and others naturally seem to pick up on the good practises, because in the end result, it is a good thing for everyone.  Adding a component of stewardship through the most difficult of times is a key thing to teach as well.  Though I find that many curriculum rarely go into the details of how do deal with the end of a horses life.  And, what a good life lesson that could be!  

When you teach stewardship, go into detail, teach the entire picture of owning a horse including what to do at the end of your horses life.  Do not discourage compassion, that is what makes us human.  Parents of young children have told me that young horse owners are more than able to deal with the loss of a horse if the parents discuss the death of their equine partner with them.  It is part of life and the sooner we can educate our children that a kind death is not a bad thing, the sooner we are on our way to becoming healthy, well balanced adult horsemen.  Talk to a professional counsellor or call your local humane society if you are unsure of how to breech this topic with your child.  Children are likely to have to deal with the death of an equine partner since many a good child's horse is an older, experienced animal and it will need our help one day, sooner than later. Teach your children how to help their horse along the way at the end of its life, in a kind way, on the farm where the horse is with its herd and leader. Or find an interim home where the horse can still provide companionship if not ridable, and still has the extra care needed for an older horse.  A good life lesson about commitment could be made of this.  A horse is a commitment, we teach our children that we have to feed, water and care for our horses, well, why not teach them that we also have to do our very best to find a suitable home for horses we can no longer keep and be able to help our equine partner along the way when the time comes.  It is harder, it takes more time, but in the end, it is a great life lesson.  

Perhaps, if we learn to appreciate commitment to our horses as children, as adults, they may be better equipped to handle other commitments.

Number 6. Finding an Actual Good Deal! Heidi's Top 10 Equine Stewardship Practises.

Heidi's Top 10 Stewardship Practises. I don't want to tell anyone what to do, or give out free "advice".  But, I do want to encourage responsible horsemen to think more deeply.  Many people do not think things through, and actually say or influence others with statements that are not accurate.  If horsemen took the time to think things through, they may act differently in some situations.  Perhaps, these practises which I strive to abide by, may help others develop their own top 10 stewardship practises. So, what does the responsible horsemen do to demonstrate stewardship?

Number 6. Finding an Actual Good Deal!  What is a good deal?  Looking for deals when buying a horse is human nature.  But, define what you consider a "good deal".  To me, a good deal when purchasing a horse, is purchasing a horse that is ready to do the job you want that animal to do; a horse that is proven sound, with a known history and good confirmation; a horse that is sensible, that you get along with and fits with your other horses.  Some horsemen are exceptional at fixing issues with horses, and focus on finding those "unpolished" gems out there to spend time on.  That is their challenge and it takes a professional to do it right.  People who can do this are amazing and are exceptional equine stewards.  Many horsemen may have the same inclination, but not the time or the ability to do this job safely.  Picking a horse that looks right and then working to rehabilitate the issues may not be the most realistic way to go about getting the horse of your dreams.

Indeed even beginning with a young, well started horse is also a huge time commitment to bring that horse along from where it is, to where many riders want to start.  As I ride my young horses in the mountains along with my friends riding older experienced horses, I appreciate the job I have taken on.  There is a bit more risk taking a young horse into the backcountry, but the value of that experience is high for the horses training.  (The side benefit is that I really enjoy spending time in the mountains too!  I also have the support and have accepted the risks. Dealing with young horse challenges on the trail is just part of the job.)  Horses need a chance to gain experience in a confident way so that they can develop into those amazing horses that folks are going to want to buy.  The experienced horse is safe, has a few miles under their saddle, has encountered bears, goats, rivers, bridges, cliffs, low branches, mountain bikes, dogs, crowds and even cars in the trail head parking lots.  I have ensured the first experience for the young horses is positive and subsequent ones just build on that.  A good equine stewardship practice would be to avoid creating horses with behavioural challenges by making sure they have the years put into their development to give them the best possible experience before they go up for sale.

Start with a horse ready to do what you want to do!

When folks buy a horse without knowing the animals background, they may well be just buying for looks and genetics and are at risk of purchasing a horse with some challenges.  The best looking horse, with a behavioural challenge, may never change, even with the best of rehabilitation and while that animal may still be paired with the right human and be able to work, it is not a horse for someone wanting to go off and enjoy their sport right away.  A question to ask yourself is - are you interested in riding or rehabilitating a horse?  My hope is that most equine stewards simply want to enjoy a good horse, and provide that horse with the right environment, work and training so they stay a good horse!

To put this another way, wise women know that you can not change a man when you marry him (and vis versa). Indeed, you have to be willing to deal with your man's good points as well as his "challenging behaviors". Thinking that the power of love with make him change, well that may be seen in the movies, it is not really how it works.  Unfortunately, many marriages end in divorce.  While this is indeed sad for humans, a falling out with an equine partner can lead to even worse conditions for the horse.  I would like to encourage potential horse owners to spend at least as much time planning their horse partnership as they spent picking their husbands or wives (or even a bit more).  And know that when you start with a well planned equine relationship, it only gets better with time!  I understand this also happens in human relationships.

Check back next week for Number 5. Take the Time to Teach!

Number 7. Breed Responsibly Heidi's Top 10 Equine Stewardship Practises.

Heidi's Top 10 Equine Stewardship Practises. I don't want to tell anyone what to do, or give out free "advice".  But, I do want to encourage responsible horsemen to think more deeply.  Many people do not think things through, and actually say or influence others with statements that are not accurate.  If horsemen took the time to think things through, they may act differently in some situations.  Perhaps, these practises which I strive to abide by, may help others develop their own top 10 stewardship practises. So, what does the responsible horsemen do to demonstrate stewardship?

Plan every detail when raising a foal

Number 7. Breed responsibly.  Too many horses out there not finding buyers?  Well, it might be the stallion that does the deed but it is the owner who chooses to breed.  Is the stallion and your mare the proper match?  Do you have proven, quality mares.  Do you have or have a breeding planned for an exceptional, proven stallion? Do you have a long term business plan?   Can you afford the extra care for your broodmare, the extra facilities for raising the foal, the extra time to be there during delivery, the potential vet bills, the time to raise the foal correctly, the money to hire a trainer to start the foal, or the time and talent to do that yourself?  Do you have the time to give that horse experience riding so that you can sell a well started horse?  Can you afford the marketing, the time to market and sell your "product"?  Can you afford to keep the horse if you can't sell it to your target market?  Do you have time to find another market for that horse? Are you willing to stay in touch with the new owners to make sure all is going well?  What happens if the horse they bought from you is not working out?  Do you reference check the potential buyers to make sure they have the facilities, know how, time and budget to have this horse?  Some breeders I know do this.  

Breeding and marketing horses is not gambling, it is a delicately planned process that must be done with knowledge, care, skill, and professionalism.  Equine Canada published a report in 2003, pretty much the entire sport and pleasure horse industry contributed 12 billion dollars to Canada's gross national product.  Think about value when breeding horses, have a goal, strive for keeping quality, healthy and productive horses on the market.  Focus on making sure the animals you breed are of high quality and successful and that will ensure a future for your breeding program and the breed of horse you are working with.

Number 8: Make the Tough Choices Yourself! Heidi's Top 10 Equine Stewardship Practises

Heidi's Top 10 Stewardship Practises. I don't want to tell anyone what to do, or give out free "advice".  But, I do want to encourage responsible horsemen to think more deeply.  Many people do not think things through, and actually say or influence others with statements that are not accurate.  If horsemen took the time to think things through, they may act differently in some situations.  Perhaps, these practises which I strive to abide by, may help others develop their own top 10 stewardship practises. So, what does the responsible horsemen do to demonstrate stewardship?

Number 8 - Make the Tough Choices Yourself.  

You have accepted responsibility of horse ownership.  Swallow your pride when you are in a bind.  We all hit the end of our ropes some times.  But, we have an amazing resource of horsemen out there to draw from; trainers, riders and professionals in the horse industry.  If you are having problems with your horse, get help.  Don't let it go to the point where one or both of you get hurt.  Hire a trainer, a coach, someone to evaluate your challenge.  Get the problem fixed.  If the horse is still not suitable for you, find the right person for that horse once the problem is fixed.  Be honest.  If the horse is indeed unmanageable and not fixable, euthanize it.  A trainer told me when I was faced with a difficult decision once, ask five trusted friends, see what they think and then take responsibility.  Make a decision in the best interest of the horse.  Don't sell it at auction and "hope" someone else will deal with it.  This most likely will not happen and the horse will suffer at the end.  My philosophy is not to sell the animal to the slaughter industry either, our cattle ranching friends do not need the added disadvantage of an unfair playing field in the food industry.  Horses are not raised for meat, they do not undergo the same level of inspections and restrictions the cattle industry has to contend with.  And, if you value healthy, uncontaminated food source for people, you should not be supporting horse slaughter. An animal bred and raised for food, is for food.  An animal bred and raised for sport and pleasure riding has been given all sorts of drugs and nutritional supplements, and this is not on their feeding record. That is why they should not be a food animal.   Support healthy intentionally raised food, not horse slaughter.  

Indeed, the horse slaughter industry will have us think we depend on them to help us "get rid of" our unwanted horses.  Humanely euthanizing a horse at the farm, and disposing of the body has a cost, but it is about the same as some components of equipment we buy for our animals while we are working with them;  I am thinking about the fancy winter blankets, or the memory foam saddle blankets.  And frankly, knowing that I was providing leadership for my horse up until the last minute, gives me the feeling of being a professional.  I do not want to experience the feeling of guilt that I would have lingering if I had passed my problem onto someone else to deal with.  

And remember, ask 5 friends . . . and be creative, there are many ways to solve challenges with horses that do not fit the rider where the horse continues on to be a contributing partner in the right, but different situation.

Yes, all of this takes time.  But that is what stewardship is all about.

Number 9: The Right Horse! Heidi's Top 10 Equine Stewardship Practises

Heidi's Top 10 Equine Stewardship Practises.  I don't want to tell anyone what to do, or give out free "advice".  But, I do want to encourage responsible horsemen to think more deeply.  Many people do not think things through, and actually say or influence others with statements that are not accurate.  If horsemen took the time to think things through, they may act differently in some situations.  Perhaps, these practises which I strive to abide by, may help others develop their own top 10 stewardship practises. So, what does the responsible horsemen do to demonstrate stewardship?

Number 9 - The Right Horse

Choose the right horse for you and your family - many of us luck out with our horses, and many more fall to the fate of "bad luck". Don't leave your health and safety, or your horses life in the hands of luck.  I think about my first horse.  My mother, who did not have experience with horses, picked my horse from an ad in the local paper.  She went to see the horse at a riding stable, looked at it in the eye and saw a gentle animal, and purchased the 10 year old mare for her 10 year old daughter.  The horse was probably closer to 20 years old, but turned out to be the perfect child's first pony.  This was pure luck.  Honestly parents, in any other activity, do you rely on "good luck" when dealing with your child's safety? 

Good advice to the first time horse buyer includes taking lessons on a school horse first, do your research, join a club, consult a coach, or a friend with horse knowledge, take your time finding the right horse for you, take the horse on trial if possible.  Consult a veterinarian for a pre purchase exam.  Take lessons right away and keep learning and having fun.  This avoids painful lessons, injury, and potentially ruining a horse and destroying the potential of a young rider.  A miss matched horse and rider may well be the root cause of many an unwanted horse. One can understand a parent "getting rid" of a horse that hurt their child.  I am sure they would not care where the animal went, even though, if you looked at the whole picture, the horse most likely wasn't the cause.  I like to think this way.  There are people who want a long term relationship with a horse and folks who want the experience of owning a horse and learning and then move onto a specialized sport.  Both are great opportunities for stewardship.

For younger riders a succession plan is a good idea if you are purchasing a horse.  Riders need to develop their skills as a rider, then may want to specialize in an equine sport later, potentially needing a different or second horse.  A good investment in the right beginners horse, is an opportunity to teach your young rider about following the plan, and what is best for their equine partner.  I met a mother at a horse show and commented how amazing the little pony her young daughter was riding.  She said, that pony had taught her older daughter first, and is now giving her younger daughter the confidence to become the rider she wants to be.  Then, I heard from the mom, there is a line up of young riders waiting for the chance to buy the pony and learn from it.  That pony has a waiting list of partners, at age 20.  One valuable pony, and those riders the pony trained, now need a younger horse that can do what they want to do.  The owners have a chance to work at selling the pony, but also making sure it continues to be cared for in a responsible way.  Here is an opportunity to explain to a new owner, this pony made my daughters into the riders they are, and will now teach and take care of your child.  Treat the pony right, I need you to make sure that one day that pony has a home where it can live out its days and simply be cared for kindly and with compassion.  

I also have met older riders both experienced and new to the sport, who just want a reliable, sound and pleasant mount, maybe something fancy, but a horse that is ready to do the job.   I like to think this way, if a person was 50 when they purchased a 5 year old horse today, they will be 70 years old when that animal is 25 - that is a long time to commit to an animal and that horse may live even longer than that!  Ask yourself, am I prepared for that?  Is there specific direction in my will for my horses?  A little patience at first will eliminate the risk of riding an unproven or inexperienced horse when you are really looking for something different. Ask yourself, do I value my health and safety to the extent that I would spend the money required on a horse that is truly ready to be my equine partner for life?  At 50, I will do anything I can to minimize having to spend time recuperating from a fall.  Don't get me wrong, falls happen, it is part of the sport and I am willing to take it, even at 50.  I am also smart enough to know how to minimize the chances of it happening, what horses to avoid, when it is safe to ride, when I need help and what equipment I need to keep me and my horses healthy. I cheap out on fancy going-out-on-the town clothing, the number of bathrooms in my house and other luxuries; I spend my dollars on good horses, good trainers and good equipment - safety and fun first!

Choose a horse that you can have fun with right away - do you want to go to horse shows, or try out extreme trail?

Number 10 Make a Plan! Heidi's Top 10 Equine Stewardship Practises

Heidi's Top 10 Equine Stewardship Practises. I don't want to tell anyone what to do, or give out free "advice".  But, I do want to encourage responsible horsemen to think more deeply.  Many people do not think things through, and actually say or influence others with statements that are not accurate.  If horsemen took the time to think things through, they may act differently in some situations.  Perhaps, these practises which I strive to abide by, may help others develop their own top 10 stewardship practises. So, what does the responsible horsemen do to demonstrate stewardship?

Number 10 - Create a Business Plan!

A colleague told me his daughter had presented him with a business plan for horse ownership a few years ago. He and his wife were not horsemen, but they were exemplary planners and the daughter's case won their support. They had a wonderful 3 years with the horse she purchased and sold the animal to an equally good home when the time came to move on.  Horse crazy kids trying to convince their parents they should have a horse, take note.  Parents, what an opportunity for teaching life skills!    

A good plan should include the initial cost of a horse trained to do what you want to do, additional training if required, the cost of board or feed, fencing and shelter at home, coaching, equipment required, and the cost of reselling your horse to a good home if that is your plan, vet and farrier costs, travel costs, membership fees, and the cost of competing in your chosen sport, and dollars tucked aside for unforeseen circumstances. As well, many people give lifetime homes to their equine partners. When the time comes to say good bye, a kind end on the farm without any transport to an unfamiliar place is in the best interest of the horse.  Euthanasia by a vet at the horses home and transport of the body to a rendering plant, or even burial on the farm costs money - keep a few hundred dollars aside for this. Talk to any experienced horsemen to gather expense details for your complete business plan.  And here is the clincher, if you can not really afford your own horse, consider a lease, or trade work on a farm for riding privileges. If you want something enough, you can make it happen, but take your time and make the best choices for you and your potential horse.

We plan our rides into the backcountry, we should also plan for the horses we purchase.
Photo credit: E. Eggert

New Foal at Windy Coulee

May 22, our new mare Sara had a lovely filly.  The new filly is by Ferrari and her Dam, Sara, is a half sister to Strydr.  You can see she will become a gorgeous horse.  Having a foal on the farm brings everything back into focus.  This is what raising horses is about. The joy of caring for a foal, the warm sun, green grass and quiet evenings watching mother and foal running in the pasture. Life is good.

First time in the pasture.

 We have high hopes for the two of them.  They bring new bloodlines to the herd.  The exceptional breeding of Beckett's Creek Farms will be incorporated into the Windy Coulee herd as we strive to raise and train high quality horses that will become someones equine partner for life.   It is nice to have some larger Canadians to ride and breed along with our pony and medium sized Canadians.  Enjoy the pictures and relish in the green grass, the warm sun, the buffalo bean in bloom and the image of horses running in their pasture.

Smile.

Not quite one week old!