Talitha Van Niekerk

‘That Horse is Naughty!’ By Talitha van Niekerk I was watching one of the local training riders the other day. He was trying to ‘ride-in' a new horse which came to our yard. The owner had, like many inexperienced horse owners, bought with his heart, not his head. As a result, he now owned a beautiful young gelding, a stunning steel-dust grey with long legs and frightened eyes, who star-gazed constantly. For a day or two, I watched from a distance as the horse reared and froze in place, or bucked and moved away as the rider tried to mount. To his credit, the rider never once hit the horse, remaining in the saddle only through skill and courage. He kept trying while the gelding had his nose in the air, eyes rolling wildly. Now, I do not like to interfere, but after two days of this agony, I just couldn’t keep quiet any more. So, as the rider led the horse out to the riding camp the next day with a resigned expression, I saw an opportunity and stopped for a chat. “He’s naughty,” the man complained in broken English. I had also been in that position when I started with horses, where a lack of knowledge colours our view on how to treat a ‘problem’ horse. But, when we know better, we do better. In desperation, the rider had looped a nylon rope through the bit rings and back around the neck in a crude type of buckstopper. I asked him to remove the gadget and we started at the mouth. From the small underdeveloped teeth, I could tell that the horse was probably under 7 years and a finger inspection revealed razor sharp wolf teeth which almost took off one of my digits. The horse was not naughty, he was in pain. You have probably seen similar situations, where good horses get ruined by a lack of knowledge or insight. It is unlikely that this particular horse will ever fully trust humans, bits, or being ridden in the future as he will always associate those with pain. Perhaps I am wrong? I certainly hope that I am and that a visit to the dentist will sort out his problems … but the pain remains as a memory that sticks to your saddle. Discussing this with a fellow rider and horsewoman, who is both knowledgeable and sensible, made me think: What should a rider/owner look at when they think ‘this horse is naughty’? Together we came up with a check-list of sorts to guide newbie horse owners and even refresh more experienced owners/riders. 1. Is there pain? This might seem like a no-brainer, but the pain is insidious, it doesn't have to be a dying-on-the-ground kind of a pain to bother your horse. Even a tight nose-band can be painful for a sensitive horse, like people they also have different pain tolerances. Looking at undesirable behaviour we can consider if it points to back, neck, joint or dental problems. The horse is an incredibly interconnected system, so pain in one part can affect the whole body. Even removing too much sole during a trim can cause your horse agony for weeks, which may manifest in shoulder or back problems. 2. Are you projecting? Horses are very sensitive, and can quickly act out when we are not fully present or settled. They look to us for guidance and if we are distracted or angry, they may feel insecure and react badly to us. Our fears become their fears. 3. What do they like/dislike? Equines are individuals, each with their own personalities and preferences. (If that’s something you deny, then go get a motorbike.) We sometimes demand things of horses that do not suit their temperament or personality. True horse-people will respect each horse and work within what a horse likes or wants to do. 4. What is his/her past? Horses have a past. We may not always know what happened to them, or how this can affect their behaviour. One of my own horses used to love farm-dogs, she would even wait for them on outrides, but a strange dog came onto the property and attacked her without provocation. Though she sustained minor physical injuries, she was traumatised and till this day she does not trust dogs, wanting to bolt when they come across our trail. Your horse might also have a terrifying past that may need to be accommodated by you. 5. Are you acting sensibly? Owning, working with, and riding horses is for many an emotional business. We are elated by accomplishments – ribbons, canters on the right lead, the first jump – and we are equally disappointed by mishaps, like failed parents. Sometimes, when you are too emotionally invested, you need an objective third party to give you direction. I do a lot of my training with a friend watching from the ground, but you could set up a camera or smartphone to video your riding and analyse it later. You might be surprised by what you see, in your behaviour and that of your horse. Advice is a strange creature, I'm always hesitant to give it, because, people often misinterpret what you say. Like-wise horses often misinterpret our requests and we misunderstand their responses. We need to look in from the outside if we are to fully understand these magnificent animals and their interactions with us. I spoke to the owner of the grey and surprised that he was eager to learn dentist, so perhaps there’s hope for aside and see horses not as naughty, land, as much as we are to theirs. I was pleasantly and had booked the humans, if we can set ego but as foreigners to our Photo Credits: 1. Rex Pickar 405242: www.unsplash.com