Bring Back Basic Boarding

I have a friend who is an experienced rider with a finished horse, and she simply cannot find a suitable place to board her horse.  Her “wish list” isn’t that long or difficult…24/7 pasture turnout with a stall for bad weather, an arena with good footing, and a knowledgeable staff that can take care of her horse if he gets sick or injured.  It’s basic horse boarding, and it’s not as easy to find as you might think!

Finding a barn with 24/7 turnout isn’t easy, and turnout on pasture narrows the field (no pun intended!) even further.  But, often times when you do find it, you also find requirements to take riding lessons or to have your horse in training.  Not only is it expensive, it may be totally unnecessary and even seems a little presumptuous of your barn to decide what lessons and training you and your horse need!

We believe horses should be allowed to be horses, with 24/7 turnout and stalls only when bad weather threatens.  We will do everything we can to ensure your horse is happy and healthy.  And, we do offer lessons, training and exercise, but we’ll leave it up to you to decide what you want and when.  Basic boarding is alive and well here at Cold River!

Rider Error

I was talking to a friend recently and she pointed out how professional riders/trainers....even Olympians.... almost always take responsibility for problems they have during a show.  A horse refuses a jump, doesn't pick up a lead change or dodges a cow and the rider will say it was their fault for not setting them up properly.  For those who don’t ride horses, it seems strange to hear a competitor refrain from blaming the horse.

And, it really should be that way, regardless of whether we’re talking about high level competitors with their horse athletes, or the weekend trail rider.  I wish I could say that’s the case.  Too often, I hear a rider complain that their horse didn’t negotiate an obstacle willingly, didn't stop on their hindquarters or behaved badly. 

If we all took the approach with our horses the Olympic competitors do, how much more might we achieve?  Willingness is the result of your horse’s physical ability and confidence to perform the task you’re asking.  Getting the correct lead also requires physical ability and accuracy in your cues for it.  It’s rare that a horse’s behavior is psychologically-influenced bad behavior, and much more often fear or pain, or a combination of both.

Our approach here at Cold River is to ensure the horse is healthy and happy, recognizing that horses get sore, fatigued and even bored with their repetitive jobs.  Cross-training in the AquaTred underwater treadmill or EquiCizer tie-free hot walker freshen your horse’s mind while working a wide range of muscle groups and warding off fatigue and pain from carrying a rider.

So, the next time your horse performs less than perfectly, consider your role in both his care and training.  And, if you need help giving your horse the knowledge or physical ability to do better, keep us in mind.