It’s pretty easy for me to deduce where someone’s horse issues likely occur by talking to them on the phone, monitoring their social media broadcasts or by observing their style on a listserv (or several). Whether people recognize it or not, the way they choose to handle human communications is very telling about their attitude with horses.

Can you see through the eyes of your horse?

Are you defensive without cause?

This week, I received a caustic e-mail in response to a gentle request to confirm a horse connection on an equine Linked In group I help moderate (Horse Lovers of the Business World). The charter of HLBW involves a strict policy of no advertisements on the main discussion board. This culture was set from the beginning by David Hasbury (the list founder) and the conversation, camaraderie and support that’s encouraged has drawn thousands of members. Consequently, participants really get their hackles up when even soft spam hits the list. So, five moderators now spend a lot of time ensuring members that are approved have an interest in horses and understand that commercial posts do not belong on the main discussion board. For those who want to advertise, we’ve created a subgroup (that has only attracted a very small percentage of the total group population – few come here to endure a sales pitches).

Anyway, the retort basically involved a defensive ‘if you don’t want to let me play in your sandbox there are lots of kids who want me in theirs’ grumble and a huff you could hear through cyberspace. She was approved and then immediately posted to a thread with an exclamation that she’s on Linked In to promote her business. Sadly, she didn’t get that a two-by-four approach on this list isn’t going to create any friends.

Would you want to be her horse?

Do you know how to truly listen?

Social media is a great way to test your listening savvy – a critical skill to develop of you want to truly connect with horses. If you’ve decided you’re going to ram personal objectives down the throats of others without regard to their preferred communications style or the culture and personality of a particular group, good luck with that one. The same holds true with horses. Horses are like forums, blogs, membership sites and social media platforms in a lot of ways – if you don’t show an interest by taking the necessary time to understand and accommodate the particular needs of a community (or an individual equine), they’re going to tune you out. Or, worse yet, come after you.

Are you a humble, yet confident leader?

Horses respond when they have a confident leader that is ready to guide but humble enough to listen and learn. Jim Collins talks about Level Five Leaders in his book, Good to Great. He describes the traits of CEOs in ways that could be easily applied to the most insightful horsemen that have emerged through the centuries. Granted, this pertains to businesses, but there’s a lot people could learn about horse training in the pages that dissect the attributes of an effective corporate leader. None of the CEOs called out let ego or personal agendas get in the way of company success. Nor did they go in with a game plan. If you want to develop a horse to be the best he can be, learn to adopt your style, approach and responses to his input and proclivities.

Horse communication breakdowns aren’t hard to figure out

How can you tell by listening to someone where their horse talk breakdowns are likely to occur? It all comes back to perspective and attitude. Those who are all about making people conform to their ideals usually have challenges getting their horse to enjoy training. The meek or vacillating lack the credibility to guide a horse with the confident persona an equine seeks in a leader. The result is a confused horse that doesn’t trust his handler. Those who know it all lack an ability to hear the horse and tend to have major standoffs or blow ups with horses who are assertive enough to object to a dictatorial approach that doesn’t consider the signals the equine is sending. Provoked enough, these horses will hurt their rider/handler, but sadly, the blame is usually put on the horse. People convinced that a good strategy or pat formula deserves compliance, run into trouble when a horse doesn’t understand or like the regimen. The horses they fail to engage generally get volatile or shut down. Horse huggers who set no direction or limits for the horse wind up with equines that abuse their humans and lose out on the opportunity for a fulfilling job.

Horses like to be heard

Where would you rank with the herd?

Just like people, horses like to be heard. It’s funny how the perceived anonymity of online communications (without the benefit of a face-to-face) can bring out the worst in some people. It’s not a huge leap to conclude that what these folks do privately with their horses is more closely aligned with how they behave in social media gatherings than what they put out there as equine ideals.

Horses, like people, are on the ready to help you learn if you’re open to receiving their input. Think about how you behave when someone questions you. Do you have the same knee-jerk response with your horse? Is that helping or hurting your relationship? Nobody’s perfect (I’m certainly not), but if you really want to reach that partnership nirvana with a horse, listening is the key to understanding. Horses want to be heard. Acknowledge their input (and there’s nothing wrong with a ‘no’ answer, provided you’re responding to the question posed), and you’ll discover a new level of connection with your horse that is beyond imagination. It’s so exciting to be part of a human/equine team with a horse that will do anything for you. You might be surprised how much your horse will give back when you provide a mere nod to his concerns. Try it.

Please share your stories of uncanny horse connections you’ve experienced in the comments below, voice lessons learned, or, if you’d prefer, feel free to call me crazy J.

It’s hard not to be awestruck by the athleticism of horses competing on the Grand Prix circuit. This is a fun video that shows a group of guys hamming it up to clear the height without the benefit of a horse beneath them.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xbo3yr_horseman-a-dresden-homme-cheval-bab_shortfilms#from=embed

To get a little personal for a moment, I did track and field in high school and know the challenges hurdles and high jumps can present. To watch these guys not only handle the strides between artfully, but also clear the height (almost flawlessly) with a forward leap vs. the popular flop we see today that involves a twist at the end of the run that shows your back to the bar for the jump is jaw-dropping. This kind of human training, conditioning and performance makes one wonder how great our horses could be with the right start in early years.

We’ll see if we did it right as our four-year-old Irish Draught Sport Horse filly heads down to Kentucky next year to begin her jumping training and career. She showed the talent and attitude well before she was weaned.  We strived to direct her intensity and winning spirit rather than conquer it and this seems to be working. She was ready when we briefly started her under saddle (late in her three-year-old year), to enjoy the idea of a collaborative approach to training. In fact, she was begging for a job. This year, we’re planning on spending a good deal of time on the trails and the hills and maybe even take her to a few dressage shows to keep her interested and engaged (even as a yearling, she knew how to turn it on when the judge was watching). She’s a character and has certainly presented challenges with her smarts, athleticism and strong alpha tendencies, but she’s morphed into an eager learner that’s curious and kind about riding requests that are fair and consider her input. Remember the name Seamus’ Halcyon Clover. You never know.

Special thanks go out to Marya H. Zubaty at Stable Woman Gazette for spotlighting this video yesterday. It’s so much fun and irresistible, it seemed only right to share.

And if some kind soul can help me figure out how to embed this video into the blog so it shows up as a video image and click through by the end of the day tomorrow, I’d be happy to send you a free hot-off-the presses copy of “Turning Challenging Horses Into Willing Partners.”

Horse owners who are struggling in this tough economy seem to be asking the question “why not start my own boarding facility and make gobs of money.” Few who have always relied on others for the care and feeding of their horses realize the costs involved in keeping them healthy, safe and sheltered. The fact is, most facilities profit from add-on services and operate with razor-thin margins on board. Most who offer ‘cheap board’ either haven’t tabulated their real costs, or aren’t taking good care of the facility and/or horses.

Mom and baby are cute, but they cost money to house

Horse breeds effect costs

Of course, certain breeds cost less to feed than others (we deal primarily with Thoroughbreds (TBs) and TB crosses at Halcyon Acres, with higher feed costs, but no sugar or obesity issues, so we can use pastures for nourishment too without the health concerns other breeds face). Horses in training cost about $160/horse/month for hay/grain sustenance and bedding. There’s more to housing horses for others, though, than factoring what you dump in the stall.

There’s more than feed and bedding

Most who haven’t housed horses figure feed and bedding as the only costs. Some enlightened even calculate time into the mix. Maybe you can get by with this if he’s in your backyard and you don’t care about what the place looks like, but the expenses for a boarding facility are generally considerably higher.

Staff costs can be huge, and few consider this as a cost associated with their horse care. If the owner is doing all work themselves, they’re taking time away from other activities that could be earning them (more) money.

Electric tends to be another big ticket item if you have boarders coming into the barn to pet their horse or ride (we had one boarder who doubled our electric bill with just two horses at the barn by leaving lights on and periodically forgetting to turn off the water hydrant – flooding the barn was costly too).

Add driveway and parking lot care, manure storage and removal, stall repairs, fencing and general building and property maintenance to costs that escalate with every horse you add to the mix.

Have you tallied insurance and financing costs?

What few consider is liability insurance and mortgage fees for financing the place. These are usually very high ticket items that need to be amortized across the number of horses the facility holds if true expenses are to be considered. You say they’re building equity in the property so interest on the property loan should not be factored in – not in today’s economy. Liability insurance is a must have for anyone who has horses on their property (even if they’re in your own backyard) and the cost of this increases exponentially if it needs to include others riding on the property.

Turn-out board

Even with turnout board arrangements, unless you have massive acreage, the only way to keep pastures and horses healthy is with rotational grazing. Moving the herd can take a lot of time. Pastures need to be mowed after the horses are moved off and given time to rejuvenate. The labor, gas and equipment costs for this can be considerable, depending on the size of the property (and your mower) and the lay of land. Pastures need to be periodically reseeded if they are to remain useful. Run-in sheds aren’t cheap (weather purchased or built) and these need to be available in all areas where horses are left outside. They also need to be cleaned at least daily and maintained (time and materials). Give a horse something they can sink their teeth into and they’ll find a reason to chew.

No matter how docile and sedate your horse may be, fence repairs are an ongoing chore and expense.

Here, we need to buy water on a daily basis. That means added costs for the truck, trailer, tank, gas, time and money necessary for the water purchase.

Equipment and traffic costs

Farm equipment (truck, tractor, brush hog, manure spreader, etc.) costs money to buy and maintain. With each horse you add, the wear, tear and operating expenses increase.

If you have boarders cleaning their own stalls, expect broken pitch forks, brooms, rakes, wheelbarrows, lead ropes, buckets and snaps as well as stock farm items being used and not replaced.

Paint, lumber, hardware and other costs associated with keeping the property maintained are constant costs few consider as expenses in keeping up the farm for boarders. The more boarders you have, the more you will need to invest in these items.

Of course, you need to equip the barn with medical and doctoring supplies (you don’t want to face an emergency and have the horse wait until the vet arrives or you get back from your trip to the store), which aren’t free – nor generally replaced by boarders who need them.

Here, the cost of boarding horses (this only applies to client horses in for training, so we collect other fees to make it work) is break-even, at best. We’ll be experimenting with turnout board in the coming months (for horses on layup, retired or for other reasons there would be no rider in the mix). It’s still not clear if the additional pasture drain and run-in shed costs will make this a profitable activity, but it’s worth a test.

Expect expensive surprises

Sometimes you don’t see the added costs until after a horse arrives. We’re keeping a horse here for a friend who is facing some health challenges. After she was put on the truck (from the Left Coast) we were informed she had an allergy to alfalfa. Our standard hay is an alfalfa mix. So, we had to procure hay quickly (at a high cost) for her particular needs as she traveled cross-country. Her special hay is not something our usual providers can supply, so we’re constantly spending time and extra money putting custom roughage in the barn for this mare. The initial plan (and at-cost calculation) was a turn-out board situation with the farm herd. She’s on supplements (something we also discovered while the horse was in-transit), so she needs to be brought into the barn twice a day (or reside for half a day) to be fed. We opted to include her in the crew that is housed in the barn and turned out during the day (or night when bugs and heat are an issue). Add bedding, more labor and stall repairs. We tried turning her out with a couple of different mares (one at a time) and she beat the crap out of them (resulting in vet bills for our mares – she was fine). Now, we need to allocate a pasture for a single horse – creating challenges in our rotational grazing plan. Board is late every month, so we’re paying interest on borrowed money to cover the cost of buying hay and blacksmith services if we don’t have reserves to finance the extra unanticipated outflows. Lesson learned – ask all the questions early and plan for the unexpected.

A horse at home is not the same as a boarding facility

There’s a big difference between putting a little barn at your house and running some fence line and shouldering the costs of a boarding facility. Even if you just add a couple of horses and leave the responsibility of their care to the owners, you’ll be shocked at how quickly your costs escalate. Plus, unless you hire help, your schedule will no longer be your own as it will revolve around horse care, feeding, doctoring, etc.. It’s great fun to have a horse around the house, but a lot of work and probably not as inexpensive as you envision. If you can bring your horse home – go for it! The time and money you save commuting to a boarding facility along with the opportunity to go hang with your horse 24/7 is worth it. If you think you’re going to make a million collecting boarding fees, you might want try the lottery for better odds.

If you’ve figured out a way to make a mint boarding horses, please do tell in the comments below. Are you a boarder who has witnessed great ideas that make your experience better and more cost effective? Share what you’ve experienced with others so we can all learn from your knowledge, if you would. Have something to add that has been forgotten in the list above? All will likely welcome your wisdom. Help build this community and others will undoubtedly chime in to help you learn and grow.

While instinct, bloodlines and breed will cause some horses to be naturally spookier than others, most of the horses that come into Halcyon Acres are jumpy and jittery due to angst. They’ve been asked for too much too soon, handled with impatience and intolerance, not encouraged to develop self-confidence or handled by a frightened person. Usually, the younger the horse is, the easier it is to reduce or eliminate spooky behavior, but horses of all ages can be calmed and encouraged to enjoy new experiences.

Try listening instead of training

There’s a whole lot of literature being put out there now (and even more DVDs –much higher profit margin) that asserts all you need to do to stop a horse from being concerned it to inundate him objects, noises, contact and lessons, and thus, by rendering him ‘desensitized,’ you’ll have a ‘bomb-proof’ horse. It usually doesn’t work that way, but if you do manage to create a steed that is unflappable as a result, he’s probably also now devoid of spirit, having been taught to quell his mind.

Instead, if you learn to read your horse, he’ll tell you all you need to know to help him resolve his concerns. It’s not about force, repetition, one-way respect, quick tricks or formula systems – it’s about understanding. Each horse is different. You need to allow yourself the liberty of learning vicariously. Let your horse be a participant in the decisions you make about activities and limits by letting go enough to ‘get into his head’. Most spooky horses have little confidence in themselves and no confidence in their rider/handler. Give them the opportunity to shine with unwavering confidence and support from you and you might be surprised at how courageous your heartless horse becomes.

Get on the ground

Most fearful horses (and that’s really at the core of a spooky horse’s behavior) learned to distrust humans to keep them out of harm’s way at an early age. While it’s not always necessary, there are distinct advantages to going back to ground work as you begin to strive to undo the damage. Body language is huge with horses (both ways) and it’s a lot tougher to ‘talk’ to your horse when on their backs if you haven’t established good communications out of the saddle.  The same holds true for what you say to the horse – if he can see your entire body, he can gather information about what you want much more easily. Just be sure you get good about picking up what he’s trying to tell you and being clear about what you’re asking.

The roundpen isn’t the best place for this long-term. It’s a good tool for early lessons (for you, mostly) if you are looking for a place to keep the horse in close proximity and note how your body movements, positions, eye contact, behavior and requests affect the horse. It’s also a decent way to get a good read on what may be troubling your horse and take small steps to alleviate his concern.  Resist the temptation, though, to use this area for drill sessions or intensive training. Keep it short, light, fun, informative and a stepping stone to really engaging in meaningful connections.

Spending time with your horse in the stall, the pasture, on long lines, exploring areas around the property and beyond with a halter and lead rope and watching your horse without bothering him are more productive ways to build rapport and gain insight than forcing him around a 60 meter circle. Get creative and listen to your horse to find ways to get him eager, excited and confident about your activities together. This is foundation that starts rebuilding the trust and security of a spooky horse.

Oh, and if you’re horse is terrified about an obstacle you face while riding, consider hopping off his back to be the first to show no fear or harm in passing. There’s no shame in providing a more comfortable experience to a new experience.

Be the rock

If you’re nervous, tense or unnerved, you can’t help a spooky horse. Either learn to get rid of these feelings when you’re around this horse or get someone else to help (and stay out of it until the horse is progressing). Sure, it’s tough to sit aboard a horse that is a notorious wheeler without tensing up, shortening your reins, tipping forward and transmitting concern. The fact is, though, the added tension is going to create more concern for your horse and be sure to spur a spook he may not have considered; no matter how close your hands are to his ears he’s going to do it anyway; and leaning forward and tensing up will increase the likelihood you’ll be dumped. If you give the horse his head to explore; relax; sit back; and calm down, he’s less likely to react and you’re in a better position to over his center of balance (and comfortable in yours) to stay with him if he does.

The same holds true for groundwork. If you can’t be confident, calm, consistent and trustworthy when handling or working around your horse, he’s not going to learn to trust you to keep him safe.

Don’t push your horse to ‘buck up’

Spooky horses are scared. Getting rough or demanding with them is only going to increase their concern. Give them the time and encouragement to carefully approach items that are frightening. Pulling out the whip, chain, spurs or temper is only going to create more fear and less trust in you. If you think beating a horse over water the first time you encounter a stream is going to make happy about crossing it the next time, think again.

Isn't he cute? Buster stood out as special early on.

Anyone who is looking for a teacher about the importance of patience and understanding should experience a horse like Buster. He was already an ‘old soul’ when we started him under saddle as a three-year-old. His wisdom shined through from day one. He was unflappable, but careful. The funny thing about Buster was, he’d do anything you asked, so long as you respected his need to be given the time (and head freedom) to survey the situation. One day (he had only had about eight days under saddle), we faced an obstacle course in front of the trail head that would have made a seasoned horse baulk. Contractors had strewn insulation, lumber, packaging, vehicles, tools, saw benches and all kinds of debris so that we had to pick through a narrow, winding path for about 20 feet. Holding the reins at the buckle and giving him the two minutes or so he wanted to survey the situation and choose a path, proved to be a sufficient response to his needs for him to proceed on his own, without prompting or direction. This thing with Buster was, if you pushed too hard for him to tackle a new sight or obstacle before he was ready, he’d stop. Keep it up and he’d go into backing mode. That was Buster’s kind way of saying ‘too much, too fast.’ What a wonderful teacher he was! He’s moved on (his career choice, not our imagined one for him) to an unexpected home that will probably keep him out of the limelight, but with a job that’s going to be very rewarding for him and an owner who will appreciate him more than most. Keep us posted, Sarah!

Help your horse get brave with a companion

The equine buddy system seems to be a standard today for most. It’s easier early, but can create problems later when the horse learns to draw his confidence and direction from another horse instead of the rider. We stumbled on a much better approach (animals can be so intuitive). Gatsby (our 90-pound mutt) provided an ideal solution. In the thirteen years he’s served as assistant trainer at the farm, no horse has ever become herd-bound over a dog. For the young ones just starting to learn how to handle a rider aboard, he tracks at their heels until we hit a spot that alarms the horse. Then, we ask him to take the lead and he escorts the horse through areas they see as trouble. All the horses here get to know him during ground work training (he’s an artful contributor here too), so they learn to trust him ti be safe before we hit the trails.

Gatsby greeting a newborn foal at Halcyon Acres

If you’re dealing with an older horse that’s spooky, you’re better off having an equine lead that’s seasoned and confident than going it alone to start. The more you can make riding experiences fun and non-threatening, the better. You can wean him off the company in time, but old habits die hard and you’ll be safer, and able to gain more confidence, if you let another horse blaze the trail as you start to work to calm your horse and yourself.

Forgo the formula equine approaches

Spooky horses are usually taught to be so. To undo the damage, you need to get personal. This can’t be done with rote lessons that are planned ahead and applied to all cases. If you’re not willing to customize an approach to meet your horse’s indicated needs, you’re not going to build a trusting, confident and mutually respectful relationship. You might be able to get him to tune out and mollify his brain into an absent state to escape the stress, but it won’t result in a happy partner you grow with. The rewards you get from being open to a communications process that includes the horse will be huge, if you have the desire and patience to go there. Here’s hoping you do!

Do you have a story to tell about a spooky horse? A problem you’re currently facing that you’d like some guidance on? Have a question about how to work with your horse? Please comment below.

Much of the United States has been blanketed in stifling humidity and record heat this summer.  In our area of the Northeast, we beat last year’s total number of 90 degree days in early July (August is usually the month for hot, and it’s coming in steamy). Our southern and western neighbors are probably thinking double digits would be a welcome cool spell, but it’s tough to take when you’re not used to it (come on up in January and we’ll giggle as you shiver at balmy days in the 20s). Whether you’re in Arizona, Texas, North Carolina, New England or any other area of the country, you and your horses have probably had it with sweating, sweltering and sun burn.  Take heart – you’re not alone. Get smart to ensure you and your horse can be happy with your time together and both of you stay safe.  Here are some ideas to help you keep your cool (and please add your ideas in the comment section below as others will surely welcome your insight and experience).

1. School horses early in the morning. On the East coast, it’s light enough at 5:30 a.m. to ride right now and this is the best time to escape the insects, heat and humidity. It takes too much time to cool down in the evening (hours after sunset) and the bugs are brutal. Some go to the health club early in the morning. Why not use your pre-work time for riding exercise instead and use the club for a shower. If you really want to ride the bike, tackle the stairs or lift weights, take advantage of the air conditioning at lunch or after work.
2. Turn horses out at night and bring them into the barn during the day. Even if you have run-in sheds, they don’t provide enough protection from the bugs and the heat when the weather gets steamy. Well-designed barns are much cooler than sun-drenched pastures.
3. Pull out the fans to keep the air moving for you and your horse when in the stall.
4. Go swimming. Most horses really enjoy a lake, river or deep pond respite and riding a horse through water deep enough to have their feet leave the ground can be a lot of fun. Just be careful as those legs get moving with dangerous velocity and force. Iif you manage to get one of your body parts in the way you’ll probably break bones. Always keep your legs in front of the shoulder and make sure you’re stable and balanced enough to stay aboard.
5. Make sure you and your horse have ample and constant water to stay sufficiently hydrated. In this heat, it’s important to keep drinking water as you work (for you and your horse). No guzzling while you’re working hard – that will cause a belly-ache for both of you and that’s so not good with horses – but make sure you have water available at all times for your horse during rest.  When the heat’s really draining your mount might appreciate a few sips while working. Be very careful how much and how quickly you allow a horse to drink after work, while cooling out. It’s best not to allow more than 10-15 sips every three minutes or so while a horse is still hot and sweaty.
6. Hit the trails. While bugs can be more prevalent in the woods, it’s usually a lot cooler where the trees are tall and thick. If you do this in the early morning, bugs are not a big factor. Consider using hot weather time to do some conditioning work at slow paces that cover steep hills and various sights and challenges to keep your horse’s body fit and supple while offering an alternative to discipline drilling that keeps his mind engaged and interested. Changing the riding environment can also help you learn more about you, your horse and how to come up with ideas together to make training fun for both of you.
7. Give you and your horse a day off from the routine.  Sometimes it’s just too hot to discipline train. If you’re facing an unrelenting heat wave, you can still work on activities that help build rapport and understanding, but don’t require tack. Think about what you can do in the stall or in-hand to improve your human-horse communications skills (both ways). Often, lessons learned on the ground are better remembered and easier to accomplish than what you do under tack. Use this time to develop a bond that includes sympathetic responses.  You may find you make great strides in your next ‘real’ lesson that you hadn’t imagined possible.
8. Make sure your horse has access salt (and ample water – they’ll drink more as they ingest salt) as heat descends. Of course, horses should always have access to free-choice salt, but it’s particularly important in hot conditions.
9. Shorten lesson time and offer more frequent breaks. When the heat’s too much to stay at full performance as usual, back off a bit. Better to ask for one good response and end on a good note than to push the both of you to exhaustion. Give both you and your horse a break on the perfection scale and allow ‘good enough’ to be the end-game.
10. Have the heart to cancel a competition appearance if it’s just too dangerously hot. Finger Lakes was the only East Coast race track that didn’t cancel racing several weeks ago when the heat was just too much to bear. Some scratched (good for them), but others continued to run. After so many horses dropped from heat stroke on Monday, you’d think that would be cause for pause for the card on Tuesday. It wasn’t.  Sometimes you need to make the hard call to pull out and forgo the entry costs and possible win money with an eye toward tomorrow.

If you’re struggling with the heat, your horse probably is too. Slow down the pace, reduce the demands, be thoughtful about providing shelter and relief and use the time to get creative about how you can spend new and interesting time together. You might learn something and your horse will likely thank you for the consideration.

How do you beat the heat with your horse? Have you found fun and inventive activities to keep you both cool as you wait out the sauna? Do you have a great story to tell about how you withdrew from an intended event to come out a winner as a result? Please share your comments, ideas, experiences, opinions and stories below. Thanks.

If you’ve been in the horse business long enough, you’re going to meet someone who has no qualms about thanking you for your kindness by taking your property or unpaid work-product into their possession. It’s sad that some people operate with an entitlement philosophy that deems it OK lie, steal and abuse liberties given, but, sadly, there are some in the world that are artful manipulators who exist without integrity. Don’t blame yourself for being stupid to have empowered such players – we’ve all fallen victim to naive trust.

Questionable characters are rarely the culprits. Even if they are, you’re prepared for unethical behavior with these red flags. What really burns is when you go out of your way to help someone, donating time, resources and wisdom, to be rewarded with thievery.  It happens and it hurts, but there are things you can do to help avoid bad decisions concerning  the staff and clients you choose to bring into your equine business. While one will slip through occasionally, we’ve found some early vetting can uncover most bad actors.

Tips for equine business money decisions

• With the young horse training business at Halcyon Acres (http://www.HalcyonAcres.com), we now require the starting fee before the horse trucks in (board is a separate item and it’s amazing how quickly these payments come in when a client is invested upfront in the outcome). The ones that baulk about this (they’re often wealthy), are referred elsewhere and invariable leave a trail of unpaid bills in the horse’s wake.
• Where farm help is concerned, this is a tougher challenge in this remote area. It’s best if you can witness them working for someone else over a period of time, but that’s not always possible. Get references and make the calls. Time spent with employers can be an indication of how reliable (or not) they are. Be wary of those moving from jobs (or states) every couple of months.
• Don’t give away time and resources. Offer an exchange of work for professional services instead, or a trade arrangement where you get something you really need to help improve your equine business. Few seem to value something that is free. Hard-earned benefits are appreciated more. Such a pact also gives you the opportunity to witness the dedication and ethic of the ‘student’ or ‘client’.
• Set clear expectations from the onset. It feels right to bring someone on board with the ideal that they will help define their job, but this rarely works. Instead, take the time to put a job description (with associated benchmark expectations) in writing. Hold the employee accountable (and bring it to their attention immediately when work isn’t up to par) for agreed upon performance.
• Periodically stop in unannounced to see what’s really going on when you’re not there. Sadly, many trainers are now resorting to always-on cameras that they review in fast-forward to get an honest picture of what goes on ‘behind their back.’ This shouldn’t be necessary if you hire the right people, but it’s a clever way to get behind the scenes when you’re unable to be on the grounds.
• Hold on to the gems. If you find someone who is honest, hard-working, talented, reliable, kind with the horses and a joy to be around, pay them a king’s ransom, shower them with compliments and be flexible about time off.

Bad decisions build horse sense

Some years ago, we gave a kid of little means an opportunity at Halcyon Acres. She had a young horse parked on the acre where her family’s trailer sat. Her attempt to start this pony under saddle created a monster that learned violence was her best defense to a training regimen that didn’t reward efforts.  So, with donated training and lesson time to reprogram the filly and the rider, the two parted better connected – and better equipped with a good deal of supplies stolen from our tack room. We installed locks after this incident.

More recently, we opened our home to a twenty-year-old. She was a clever manipulator and adept at portraying herself as a victim to the trusting. Her departing acts would have ended her career as a jockey if we chose to press charges, but we decided to let it go. We filed the police report paperwork needed to resolve some of the resulting problems, but refrained from supplying a name and OKing and investigation that would have resulted in an arrest on federal felony charges.

The fact is, there’s little reward in vengeance for such acts, but you sure feel violated when you decide to extend yourself to someone who sees kindness as an opportunity to case the joint for their profiteering plans. Take solace in the fact that such little minds live a miserable life. If you let them suck you into their world, you’ll spend countless hours shrouded by negative energy that will ruin your day (or week, or month, or year). One trip to small claims court (we won), was enough to realize the cost is too high for any of the rewards to cover the loss.

Think before you leap into horse business hell

A much better strategy is to be smart in how you screen and/or prepare the people you decide to embrace as you work to build your equine business and reputation. Couple this with the realization that no matter how hungry you are, a client who doesn’t pay or makes your life miserable will cost you dearly and isn’t worth the price, and you’re on your way to working smarter instead of harder.  The next time your gut says no or whoa – listen, slow down and consider the consequences.  Set your mind to turn away clients that don’t fit and wait for employees that do and you’ll be amazed at how more profitable and in-demand you become.

Do you have a story about an employee or client that you want to share? Questions on warning signs you may sense but need confirmation on relative to hires or clients? Great experiences you want to tell to serve as models for others? Ideas others can benefit from? Please leave a comment below to get the conversation going.

Age in horses is so relative. Many horses continue to work well into their 30s while others are deemed ancient for their initial career at six. Some breeds are best started at a much older age, while some industries are backing horses as yearlings. Of course, much depends on the horse, but the perspective of the humans involved plays a major role.

Keep your horse young with a new career

Just because a horse may be past his prime in one career doesn’t mean he’s ready to be literally turned out to pasture. Few horses seem to enjoy being returned to a wild-type state of unfettered grazing and a dearth of human contact. The current popularity of the ‘forever-home’ concept may do the horse, and the human, a disservice. Sometimes offering a horse a different home with a new career can be the kindest thing to do.

Horses tend to age more quickly when they are idle and bored. They pick up bad habits, are more prone to illness and lose tone.

Equines that relish training and/or are given the opportunity to transition to new and exciting careers seem to stay in their prime for more years than expected.

Help your horse’s head

Like humans, horses seem to thrive on a mix of physical and mental stimulation. Rarely, with domesticated horses, does a natural herd environment alone provide the bliss so many imagine. Instead, those culled out from the herd for training activities that are presented in a fun manner with the horse’s opinions considered in the activity mix appear to be the happiest and healthiest. Training doesn’t always have to involve riding, but the engagement and attention that comes with lessons offers a purpose for the horse that they seem to need. You can play with nursing foals as well as old cripples in ways that help improve their quality of life and yours without stressing feeble bodies.

Talk to your horse about campaigns

The next time you rally behind a cause that advocates forever homes or offers a pastoral return to their wild roots, consider the horse.  If they spoke human, most would say they’d rather have a job. Listen to more subtle cues, though, and you’ll hear their desires.

It seems like so much of the current ‘humanitarian’ effort applied to horses in an effort to ‘protect’ them forgets that we’ve been domesticating horses for millenniums and in so doing, have changed their nature.  If you’ve ever experienced that miraculous moment with a horse when they’re even more excited about excelling at the human-horse partnership challenge than you are, you’ll get this.

Are you making your horse feel old?

So, what makes a horse too old? Usually, it’s what we do to them. Of course, there are genetic and injury issues that can end an active life too early, but more often it comes down to what we do to help our equines live a fulfilling and interesting life. For most horses, that means having a job they can get excited about. Welfare is a wonderful concept – too bad the term has come to mean provider for so many. You might be amazed at how special a horse can become when empowered to give back in ways that are meaningful and fulfilling for both of you (or a new owner who can offer a job). Given the chance, most horses will gladly earn their keep with jobs you request. Those left to languish in freedom get old fast.

Do you have a horse that lit up when you discovered his desired job? Did you make the hard decision to re-home a horse you loved so he could have a more fulfilling life elsewhere? Are you struggling with a horse you just don’t know how to engage? Please share with comments below this blog post. Thanks.

1. Cull horses into smaller areas and rotate frequently.
2. Schedule a rotation management program that gives pastures enough time to regenerate (depends on area, time of year, number of horses, water, etc.).
3. Mow pastures after moving horses off an area or follow them with livestock (such as cows) that can help manage parasite issues and/or eat what horses will leave.
4. Use salt instead of pesticides to control unwanted plants (such as growth under an electric fence wire, burdocks or thistles). This will take more time but can be as effective without the potential harm to horses and the environment. Plus, it can be administered to paddocks being currently grazed. It’s also inexpensive in 50 pound bags.
5. Break up manure piles to kill worms that may be ingested later.
6. Build gates between paddocks to make transfer to new areas quicker and easier.
7. Use herd leaders to help move horse groups to other pastures. If you grab one of the herd leaders (this works best if you can pair her with number two as you begin the migration) to encourage the rest of the herd to follow. This isn’t necessarily the horse that is hostile to the herd to get first dibs on feed or water. Watch the herd to see who they follow. It’s usually a kind mare that doesn’t command respect, but is chosen due to confidence and operatives with seeming indifference.
8. Supply shelter from sun, wind, bugs and cold. There are many affordable run-in sheds available for purchase. We’ve found Wood Tex (www.woodtex.com) to be exceptional on the quality, price and customer service fronts. In fact, we can’t build a shelter for the price of their delivered units. If you’re building and have an aggressive horse in the herd, an L-shaped shelter works best.
9. Clean out shelters at least daily. Depending on the usage, bedding may be necessary.
10. Pick herds to help school young horses. Do you have an arrogant and aggressiveyoung colt that bullies other horses (or humans)? Turn him out with a pregnant mare (or two) for a quick and lasting attitude adjustment. Are you challenged with a young alpha filly that’s torturing and dominating elderly mares? Kick her out with an established younger herd with an established hierarchy. Have a timid or insecure horse? Find a kind mare (or gelding) they can spend time with one-on-one to bond with and build their confidence. Struggling with an aggressive and violent mare that beats the daylights out of other mares she’s introduced to? If you’re determined to attempt socializing her (we go by the two strikes rule with hostile horses – then they’re permanently solo), try putting a young gelding in an adjacent stall first and if they bond, see if pasture companionship works . Watch carefully for signs of aggression and remove the boy if you have time, but don’t get between the two once a battle ensues.
11. Ensure horses have clean water at all times.
12. Watch the horses’ weight. Heavy horses can be prone to more problems than skinny ones. Limit grazing for obese horses and supplement as needed with those that are harder keepers.
13. Stay current on vaccinations. In addition to the standard 4-ways (or 5-ways), we also add West Nile and Rabies. Issues are often geographically-based, so it makes sense to keep apprised of area concerns.
14. Make salt and/or a mineral block available.
15. Check each horse daily for abrasions, hoof problems (pick them up to make sure nothing is lodged in the foot and/or the health of the frog and sole is good), eye issues, filling in legs and general health and attitude.

1. Give him time to gain his senses and bond with mom prior to forcing training (or desensitization) on him. Of course, birthing emergencies require immediate attention, but if the birth is normal (most are) there should be little need to control the foal prior to IgG bloodwork and the initial foal exam unless he needs help standing to nurse.
2. Move slowly when entering the stall, approaching him in the pasture or attempting to get near him.
3. Let him get comfortable with you by being patient, quiet and responsive to his concerns instead of tackling and restraining him when you enter to the stall to work on or with him.
4. Spend time giving attention to the mare while he watches how she trusts you and enjoys your contact.
5. Find a spot he likes to be rubbed and reward him by scratching or petting that area when he approaches you and/or when he responds to a request.
6. Don’t put yourself between the mare and the foal during the first few days of his life. This will not only likely cause both to panic, reducing trust, but can also get you hurt.
7. If the mare is overly protective or busy about herding the foal (this is common with maiden mares), tie her to the wall as you calmly encourage the foal to come check you out (foals are naturally curious – most will approach on their own if you’re not in a big hurry).
8. Don’t try to chase, herd or corner the foal – instead, back off when he expresses fear and let him know you are willing to take the time necessary for him to be comfortable with your approach.
9. Get lower by squatting or sitting in a corner of the stall to be less threatening. Most foals will have their nose in your face within a few minutes if you’re still and at their level.
10. Calmly stroke the foal (in the direction of the hair) once he’s comfortable enough with you approaching and interacting. At this point, you should be able to curl your arm around his chest to stabilize him for a few moments as you demonstrate your touch will not hurt him.
11. Take your time about forcing early training on him. While there are a few immediate tasks necessary for the health of the foal, if you wait until your baby indicates he’s ready to interact with you as a trusted guide, you’ll set the stage for a partnership in the future that is built on trust and mutual respect.
12. Be the purveyor of fun or relief before you jump in as taskmaster. Little things like giving him the opportunity to kick his heels up during pasture time or providing relief from the bugs with barn shelter can be great ways to encourage the foal to appreciate and trust you.
13. Use the mare to help direct the foal in a way that puts him near you. Many mares will herd their foals to walk in front of them, which provides a great opportunity for you to be beside the foal for early trips to and from the pasture in a non-threatening manner. With sick foals, many moms will know (provided you’ve established a trusting relationship with the mare) you are trying to help. Let her assist and you might be amazed at how much she’ll do to restrain and/or discipline to foal to be still.
14. Be happy when you spend time with the foal. Horses can sense when you’re angry, afraid or upset and even if the young foal doesn’t immediately pick up on this, the dam will. Get yourself in the right frame of mind prior to interfacing with your baby.
15. Listen. Foals (and their moms) will tell you when they are alarmed by your behavior or receptive to your guidance. Merely showing you are willing and able to hear such communications can go a long way in your effort to build trust.

Some are in a big hurry to accost a foal with training regimens the moment he drops. This may create a compliant equine, but it rarely teaches a baby to view human contact as interesting and engaging – and to enjoy building a trust together that offers a lifetime of opportunities for collaboration. Usually, it’s just a matter of days spent giving the foal the opportunity to choose that means the difference between forcing a conciliatory attitude and building a reciprocal, exciting and special relationship. It’s quicker and easier to dominate and control, but can be a lot more satisfying to include the foal in the conversation. Try it. You might learn something along the way – even if it’s that you decide it takes too much time to let the foal decide when training begins.

Friday’s Opinion

Dr. Robert Miller (http://www.robertmmiller.com) popularized imprinting foals with both the term and practice. He’s famous now and deserves credit for the time, research and material he’s put out there to encourage breeders to interact with foals at an early age.

Granted, Miller’s convictions concerning early handling makes first encounters for vets, other service providers and trainers easier, but is it less traumatic for the foal? Does his immediate repetitive approach produce a trusting foal, or one who has been conditioned to capitulate? It doesn’t include the foal’s input – or permission – in the process; let alone the mom. Some may view obedience as the ideal permanent state of a horse, but, provided alternative approaches, most who seek a partnership with a horse would probably opt for a more cooperative strategy.

Desensitizing is overdone

Desensitizing has become the buzz word of late in the horse industry. The way people are interpreting the concept – including imprinting techniques that assault the foal before he can see, stand or react – seem to go too far. Horses that are exposed to sensory overload, presumably designed to teach them to ignore instinct by dulling their reactions to reasonable concerns, tend to lose some of the spirit that makes them a special animal. This includes the bevy of techniques designed to scare the fright out of the horse in the starting under saddle process. It’s sad to see how some of these rituals are scrambling the horse’s brain.

There seems to be too much focus these days on practices aimed to disengage the mind of the horse. Wouldn’t you rather engage a foal in a way that gives him permission to contribute to the conversation? Sure, it may take a little more time and some give and take, but the lessons learned (by both of you) may mean the difference between good and great.

Imprint later and more kindly to include the foal

Simply postponing ‘imprinting’ for a few days and doing it in a way that honors the foal can have a huge impact on how your baby approaches future challenges. Sure, you can immobilize the foal at birth, repeat poking 30-40 times in each place and produce a compliant pet, but if you wait a few days to start interacting with the foal once he can stand, see and consciously respond to your activity, you might find a responsive and interactive process more rewarding as you strive to encourage this foal to become a willing, eager and participatory partner. This begs the question – do you seek to condition a submissive steed, or one who feels welcome to contribute to solutions? There’s no right answer – it depends on what you want. Personally, in working with performance horses, I’ve found the stand-out performers talk back a bit – and usually have good reason for their objections.

Encouraging a trusting, thinking horse

If your aim is a thinking and contributing horse, it’s probably better to start messing with him at about day two or three of age. Of course, you’ll want to ensure adequate transfer of IgG (done with a blood test – learn the hard way once and you’ll never skip this needle again) and it’s a good idea to have your vet do a foal exam at this time, so they’ll be some handling at 18-24 hours of age, but this can be done quietly and easily.

By postponing your ‘training’ of the foal until he’s aware enough to express himself, you set the stage for mutual respect and a foal that regards humans as fair and accommodating leaders to be enjoyed and trusted. Foals are curious anyway, and if you proceed with patience, they’ll come to you. If the mom trusts you, she’ll usually help.

Horses know more than most people give them credit for. Establishing trust can be huge in laying the foundation for future training. That doesn’t happen by immobilizing a frightened foal and forcing repetitive acts on him to ‘desensitize.’ Instead, consider spending some quiet time in the stall or pasture and letting the foal approach you.

At some point, you’re going to want to put an arm around his chest to get him to stand still for some touching and petting, but this should be after he’s decided you’re not a threat. Even at three days old, you’ll rarely have to flip a tail and can always position his hind end near a wall if you’re working alone to hold him still until you chose to release. One calm and kind lesson teaching the foal to stand when you need him to for as long as you require (keep it short, but make sure you decide when it’s over) will probably suffice

With most foals, you’ll be able to find a spot that they love to be scratched. It’s a good idea to start each handling session rubbing that itch. Teach your foal that your approach means pleasure and he’ll appreciate your presence and be more likely to try to understand your requests.

Early foal training goals

Sometimes, you’ll get a precocious foal (it’s usually a filly) that needs to be taught to lead almost immediately. We’ve had a few that have literally headed for the hills alone at day two or three of age as mom went crazy on the end of a lead rope.  Usually, it will take less than five minutes to teach those foals to accept a halter and lead (a butt rope helps, but is rarely necessary with these bright critters). For most foals, though, it’s not necessary to start this training for at least a couple of weeks – or a couple of months – it depends on the foal.

The basics at only days old are to be able to approach and touch the foal without him panicking (so you can at least dunk the umbilical cord without trauma), stroking the back, shoulders, ears, face and legs and to encourage the foal to come to you and appreciate your presence.

By three to four weeks of age, you’ll probably want to be at a point where you can pick up all four legs and have a blacksmith pretend to work on a hoof. Of course, haltering the horse should be a non-issue at this point. The foal should be excited to see you and welcome the attention and turnout freedom you provide.

Happy foals make it more fun for you

If you’re in a hurry, you can always capture and immobilize a baby with force. This will set you back, though. Foals that are handled with patience and kindness as the training process begins are a lot more eager to please. They also become more well adjusted performers as serious training ensues.

Anyone can take short cuts to dominate or desensitize a horse, and sometimes, it’s necessary to do so for safety sake. But, most of the time, you can engage a foal so he gets excited about the new game you’ve planned for the day. Allowing the foal to participate in the process produces eager learners and more determined performers as time passes. At least, that’s been our experience.

The next time you embrace the fad of the day (or guru of the decade), ask yourself if what they are advocating allows for customized approaches. Each horse is different and there’s rarely a solution that works for all. Usually, it’s best to take bits and pieces of ideas offered with an open mind so you can test what works for you and your horse with a bit a scepticism applied. Horses are usually born happy but it’s humans that make or take their glee with the domesticated crew. If you’re passionate about horses, why not help your foals develop an attitude that includes a zeal for learning from you? You’ll likely find such an experience a lot more rewarding than developing a dictatorship aimed at mindless obedience.

What have you learned from the foals you’ve worked with? Please leave a comment below so others can learn from what’s worked, and what hasn’t, in your experience.