It takes the time it takes…
We live in a world of instant gratification. Click this link to get “stuff.” Click to order and pick it up today. Click to order dinner and you’ll have it in 40 minutes.
While horses may respond to clicks ;) …they certainly aren’t wired to think on deadline and act the way “you think they should” simply because of your expectations. We tend to expect miracles of a trainer after 30 days or 60 days, without considering where that horse is mentally and physically. Depending on the horse’s past, it takes more than 30 days to simply become physically fit enough to carry a rider on a circle at a walk in a comfortable, balanced way.
On the rescue side, we see it in several ways.
There’s not a safe way to put weight on a horse “quickly”…there’s a process to weight gain, and every horse is different. We can make educated guesses how long it will take a horse to go from a BCS 2 up to a 4.5, but horses don’t follow human timelines. It takes the time it takes. We’re sorry if you’re impatient to adopt Horse X, but we can’t control his weight gain.
While the horse is gaining weight, they are being handled on the ground. The foster family and volunteers feed, groom, handle, hold for the farrier, and begin to note behavior. How does the horse act in turnout? Are their things he reacts to when standing tied, being led, being touched? Are there places he is sensitive to touch? Does he stand well for the farrier? What are the quirks that seem to be patterns of behavior an adopter might need to know?
Training evaluations are the next step after weight gain. We’ll ride a horse several times to get a good idea of basic knowledge. This is essential to finding the “right” match in an adopter. Almost always, horses are going to need continued training to be safe for “anyone” and that means an adopter either investing with a professional, or continuing to take lessons with their horse, or both. People tend to want things right now, without considering the other thinking partner in the equation.
We also see this in an individual’s over-estimation of their own horsemanship. A lot of folks consider themselves to be “intermediate” riders, but when you talk with them, you discover their experience has been primarily dude ranch vacations and controlled group trail rides, without formal education and the variety of horses one would ride in a school horse setting. There is nothing wrong with being a self-taught rider, but as one recognized trainer points out, a well-trained horse rarely made a horseman. People want things right now; parents put their kids in lessons and expect little Suzy to be jumping within the month. In reality, one needs to develop a balanced seat, soft hands, and relaxed legs at all gaits; even going to far as to ride without stirrups - prior to facing a cross rail for the first time. Cutting corners leads to accidents, and it’s often the horse who pays the price for the rider’s lack of skill.
Horsemanship is a lifelong journey. There isn’t a “click here” link that allows you to download all the skills and knowledge you’ll need for success - nor can you “program” your horse to behave just so. Shortcuts have no place with horses. The partnership and the process are what make the journey magical.
