If we expect pleasure from our horses, how much pleasure are we giving them?
In any relationship there is a need for a balanced give and take ratio. If one side only takes, takes, takes, then the other side starts feeling nothing but frustration. The relationship becomes toxic. Horses get ill, injured, lame or show their bottled up toxins otherwise. They become aggressive, scared or dangerous. They do not allow to get tacked up or mounted. They buck until you are off. Or they see ghosts around every corner and have an reasonable amount of fear and spookiness.
What are you giving back to your horse in order to have a balanced give and take relationship? Basic requirements, such as feed and water do not count, they should be a given fact. Do you even know what your horses desire? What is your horses wishes and dreams? What gives your horse moments of pleasure and happiness? No, the ear to tail fly sheet does not create pure bliss. Neither do the turnout boots or the small, safe, solitary 10 square meter paddock... Think again... What makes horses happy and fulfilled? In our eyes, Every living being has the right to friendship and love. Every living being has the right to as much freedom as we can accommodate. Every living being has the right to species appropriate feed and healthcare. Our horses have the right to a knowledgable and capable rider, who sits balanced and quietly in the saddle. Horses should only be ridden once they were prepared through gymnastics and balancing work from the ground. No horse should be ridden when it struggles to keep balance or experiences pain in any way.
We give our horses as much freedom as we safely can accommodate. In the case of our herd this is 100 hectares. Living out does not mean to be wild and uncared for tho! Our horses get stabled twice daily for an hour each in order to have their feed, supplements, grooming and temperature checks. Our clients horses have big grass camps, and can decide if they would like one or two mates or none at all. Horses which need to be stabled for whatever reason (which should only be medical reasons), have huge 5x5 meter stables available. Horses which have thin skin, such as Off track Tbs get blanketed accordingly. We rug according to their rectal temperatures. We keep them safe and happy, therefore they are willing to keep us safe and happy.
