30/08/2025
Sunday morning reading, this is great. I definitely see lots of confused horses; ones that just don't understand what the rider is wanting and the horses often then get frustrated & are then blamed for being naughty. Being clear and consistent is key 🤟
WHEN ARE WE GOING TO STOP SAYING OUR HORSES ARE JUST BEING ‘NAUGHTY’?
Now I know it’s the yard humour, naughty horse, he’s just doing it to p*e me off, he’s just trying to get me off today because he doesn’t like me……etc etc etc
He’s sooooo ‘naughty’
But this simply isn’t true.
There’s no such thing as a ‘naughty’ horse because naughtiness is a human trait because we have an intellectual brain and can understand a rule then purposefully break that rule should we want to.
So firstly a horse doesn’t understand your rules or you haven’t set any - they have no idea actually what you are asking.
They don’t have a human intellectual brain like we do
Horses don’t preplan- they are reactionary, they can work in the moment - I’m scared, what’s that? or I’m in pain for example.
So let’s change the word ‘naughty’ to what’s really going on - let’s use a better word.
Here’s some examples:
* Young, yes a horse may just be young, he doesn’t understand life yet in the human world, he’s trying to figure things out and asking lots of questions and maybe not getting the answers
* Confused- oh yes we see lots of confused horses that again have no idea what you want, what they are supposed to be doing and how they are supposed to react to situations because you haven’t actually said, clearly and every single day what they should do in a situation
* Untrained - that brings me to this word - How many untrained horses do we see and hear of, lots and lots sadly, so again horses need to be trained as a trained horse is a happy horse!
Imagine not helping your kids out in life, not educating them, not ensuring they do their lessons and homework and not doing your best by them to become the best they can be in life going forwards.
We wouldn’t not help them out, we wouldn’t not explain things to them and not spend your time as a parent doing this - we educate our children to become informed, rounded adults who hopefully under the world and how to behave and go in to be happy and successful.
Our horses need the same - when we buy a horse we take a contract out with that horse that you will train them, teach them, educate them and answer all their questions so they can become a well rounded, happy and confident horse then we can sit back proud of that achievement
You have to train your horses,
* Pain- there’s another word, it’s not naughtiness but instead something hurts, this could be saddle fit pain, back pain, teeth pain, foot pain, internal pain like ulcers, colic, kissing spine, they could have been stung by a wasp.
Many examples of pain, but your horses can’t just say ouch as easily as we can and explain what hurts so they aren’t been naughty- something hurts.
*Excitement - horses are allowed to be excited sometimes, it’s normal.
Some horses are more excitable types than others.
We have an excitable type horse here, he’s been this way for 11 years now, we love him dearly and actually like this type of horse as he’s so much fun but if we didn’t we have 2 options - Don’t choose to ride or buy this type of horse if you don’t like it or change yourself to like an excitable fizzy type of horse. Easy!
But you can’t spend 11 years hoping your horse will change to a slower plod type and missing 11 years with your horse and not enjoying it.
So here’s some examples of what’s really going on, but p*eing you off, trying to get you off for a laugh, not loading up when you are late for a show, bucking into canter, bolting when they are scared, rearing, breaking into next doors field because there’s more grass, treading on your foot, not standing at the mounting block, you get the picture, isn’t naughtiness and personal.
It’s a horse saying tell me what I’m supposed to do, what’s that, what do you want me do, something hurts, I’m feeling good today, I don’t like the horse trailer, you haven’t told me to stand like you actually mean it and repeated that everyday.
You get the idea
Enjoy the journey of training our horses and helping them out and make sure your answer their questions!
