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!