Rachael and I were chatting via Instagram (about horses – as we do, once we’re not physically in the barn, the arena, or on a horse…

She’d been listening to a podcast where the guest was saying how shocked she was that her TWELVE YEAR OLD HORSE was still going strong in the show ring and hadn’t yet retired.

Uh. WHAT?

When I was a kid (and yeah, that was a while ago) a horse’s prime was 8-17 or so.

But the older I get, the more I see that we do this in EVERY discipline – no single discipline is exempt. Dressage horses are getting injections starting at 8. Reining horses are retiring before they hit teenage years.

Becks Nairn has done some intense studies on horse physiology and we are being too hard on them too young. More here: https://www.facebook.com/p/Becks-Nairn-100063486552387/

But FUTURITY!

But DRESSAGE LEVELS!

But PREPARATION AND STRENGTH FOR BIG FENCES!

Stop.

It took me over a year to find an unstarted 4 year old horse with the athleticism to go to Grand Prix level dressage that hadn’t been started. Most 4 year olds were schooling first or second level.

WHY ARE WE IN SUCH A HURRY?

Horses have this brilliant bump of maturity around 7 and 8 – why would I even push upper level movements until then? EVEN IF THEY ARE EASY FOR MY HORSE?

A mare’s pelvis isn’t fully developed until she’s about FIVE. Before then, it’s far more susceptible to long-term damage if she’s overused.

Take. Your. Time.

Even competing doesn’t have to be a race (unless it is, in fact, a race). Yes, my horse and I could move up the levels faster than we will. So what? My timeline in my own. I’m not out here to prove anything to anyone. I’m out here riding to play with my horse and to push ourselves to be better.

You’ve heard the saying that comparison is the thief of joy? Stop comparing. Stop looking at someone else’s timeline and thinking you’re “behind” because there is NO SUCH THING.

WHY rush the process of progress? Why rush, when we can enjoy and dissect, and observe, and participate in all the pieces that help us reach our end goal with our horses?

I was reading a book from Ingrid Klimke – multi-medalist in the olympic games, to name just ONE bit of her accomplishments. She says she only works her horses hard maybe once a week. And “hard” is 20 minute or so warm-up. 20-40 minutes of “work” and then a 20 minute cooldown. Even her big jumpers only jump at height maybe once a week.

Her horses LAST.

You want to find a good horseman to follow? To learn more about their process? Find one who is still winning on their 18 year old. Then you’ll find someone who has this horse thing figured out.

*dusts off hands and steps off soapbox.

~ Jolene