Do you need a good advice for your horse and time at the stable? Photo: Canva Pro
On our Danish Facebook page, we asked you for the best advice you have received that has made life with horses more enjoyable, easier, cheaper, or simply better.
The horse world is filled with more or less good advice. We have gathered your best advice here! The advice covers a wide range from handling to feeding and everything in between. If you also have good advice, you are welcome to share it on our Facebook post.
Riding
A piece of advice I heard many years ago: "What you practice most is what you become best at."
90 percent of the problems you have with horses usually sit on their backs.
Don't buy an expensive horse and skimp on riding lessons. Instead, spend less on the purchase of the horse itself and prioritize a skilled trainer. Most problems you encounter are not the horse's fault. You have to become better. You learn from horse to horse. Your riding determines whether you will be a success together or not.
Once I got this advice from a mental coach: when riding towards an obstacle that is slightly outside my comfort zone and looks big or wide, I should chant all the way to the obstacle: "I can, I will, I can, I will, I can, I will!" And it works really well, you can trick your body and mind that way, and therefore also the horse, so it thinks the obstacle isn't "dangerous" at all, even though you might be a little scared of it.
Breathe! It never occurred to me that I stop breathing when I concentrate until a riding teacher told me that she could see it on the horse as soon as I stopped. And I remind myself of it when I feel pressured, have a little too much going on, or yes, need to focus, whether it's with or without a horse.
My best advice came from a riding instructor in the 80s when I had a quite eager, insecure, and fiery young horse, who made both himself and me nervous when we rode out alone - "Sing to him throughout the ride," the instructor said, "so your body relaxes in the saddle, you sit better, and the horse is soothed by both singing and a calm body!" I have often used it throughout my horse life and still do.
My grandfather always walked around the horses humming when he hitched them up. I followed that advice, my siblings, and all our kids when we were riding or hitching. A deep humming sound along with calm movements has a calming effect on all horses. (And we can read in the comments section that among other things children's songs and Hakuna Matata are effective, and that humming can also be used if you don't think your horse should be exposed to your singing.)
Take care of your horse and its stall before you think about riding. Ride on the horse's terms and avoid coercion. Talk to and with your horse all the time. Ride with feeling, soft wrists, pat on the neck, no punishment but praise when it does something correct.
Learn for you and your horse to mount from both sides (and use a stool), it's good for both the horse and the equipment.
I LISTEN to my horse and involve him in the decisions I make. We communicate in the same way I communicate with people, he is my soulmate and teacher.
If your horse's behavior changes, call the vet.
Listen to and observe your horse's behavior.
Don't tie your horse in the stable during tacking up, etc. Create your own space where there is mutual respect, thus gently teaching the horse to stand completely still and enjoy a cozy moment before a possible ride. It's just the best
About 75% of your success as a rider consists of preparation: choosing a stable, choosing equipment, preventing injuries, turnout, feed, behavior training social stimuli, training, and your relationship.
Think more about equality than dominance and submission.
Learn learning theory basics and calming signals.
If you have to fight with your horse, it's not worth the battle.
Be present with your horse, enjoy it, and be in the moment.
Listen to your horse and work with it, not against it.
My advice, give your horse love and lots of it.
Teach your horse the command "stand." If practiced correctly, you can park your horse anywhere and leave it, you don't need to tie it when grooming, it doesn't move forward when you mount, and so on. It's my best advice, and it's invaluable.
Give your horse respect with positive reinforcement.
Talk to the horse!! It listens.
Learn to listen to the horse's signals in certain situations and see them as more than an animal.
No violence! Lots of love and technique!
Respect doesn't need to be accompanied by pain and coercion.
Cooperation and friendship, listen to your horse and get to know its signals/language. Stay away from cliques and gossipers, so they don't disturb your time with your horse.
If a horse pushes or wants to decide while walking, stop and make it back up. Back up, back up, back up. It has worked fantastically on our 4-year-old gelding... every time he does something he shouldn't, we back him up.
A good piece of advice I got from a vet (but which is so hard to follow): Keep your horse slim. If it's too fat, it has to carry both you and its overweight, which is hard on its legs and increases the risk of injuries.
The best advice is to wash the horse with Head and Shoulders Classic. Totally shiny and smooth black horse the next day. (However, be aware of perfume and allergies).
I don't know if it's the best advice I've received, but it works. Carbamide lotion from Matas is the very best remedy for, among other things, tail itch and dry skin on the muzzle and mane. The shampoo is also quite good. Where before I could apply every day, it became once a week and had no itch.
Hoof abscess: Instead of soaking in a bucket of soap flakes, put a baby diaper (or preferably two) around the hoof, pour in the soapy water, and seal with duct tape. I have been very happy with that advice, as the horse doesn't knock over the bucket and instead can stand in peace in its stall for 20-30 minutes while the soap flakes work.
Brewer's yeast for everything... good for intestines, good for hooves... and if you buy it raw, it's super cheap... the mixes are too expensive when they contain probiotics.
Helosan for all types of wounds... easy and cheap and antiseptic.
Never skimp on hay, bedding, and farrier.
Equipment
Spend quality time with your horse. Photo: Malgré Tout
Polish your gear with your hand in a plastic glove and into an old sock.
My best advice is to buy my horse equipment cheaply, often in a hardware store, and an ordinary bucket is excellent for storing your grooming kit and so on, and you can go a long way for small money.
Safety footwear when working with and around large animals. Has saved my toes countless times over the years.
Wash saddle pads in duvet covers so hair doesn't get into the machine.
Buckle the girth on both sides.
Feeding
Feed with good quality feed. That way, you'll save a lot of money! And blood, sweat, and tears! NEVER compromise on feed quality, is my best advice. Horses can die from it, and we become poor on vet bills.
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