It seems that we receive two types of questions about why we do things the way we do. One type simply consists of rude, hostile diatribes. I do not respond to those. The other type is more interesting. These inquiries come from what are likely good hearted people who are confused as to why we do not adhere to the dogma of the established horse world. Some of these questions assume that I simply do not understand how the established horse has decided that certain things are to be done. These nice people only seek to explain the error of my ways to me so that I can learn the joy of mindless conformity. They tell me that "everyone" knows that horses need to have pasture blankets and they are genuinely perplexed that I do not find such a "fact" to be of any significance what so ever, much less persuasive.
I believe that children can be taught to start colts and wild horses using natural horsemanship for two reasons. In most horse cultures of the past, colt starting was done by the kids of the village. Secondly, I believe it because I have seen it happen with so many of my little riders.
Light horses, who have been raised naturally, are fully capable of being started to saddle at age two. During the horse's second year we do not jump him or even gallop. However, we put many hours of trotting and walking into the young horse and the result is a strong, dense boned colt. However, I doubt if colts who were raised on super charged horse feed and forced to spend hour after hour in a stable awaiting "turnout" could be safely started at age 2.
Stables were created to benefit people, not horses. Next to being over weight, there are few things more injurious to a horse's over all health than being confined in a stable.
Horses are intellectually quite limited, but have an emotional life as rich and varied as any higher primate. Yes, horses are capable of love. In addition, horses are very empathetic with humans who spend time to build relationships with those horses.
Horse shoes should be viewed as a last resort to correct a medical problem in a horse.
Horses that live off of hay and grass exhibit much less stress than those fed sugar coated grain feeds.
A mature, well conditioned pony can make a perfect mount for adults, even adults weighing over 200 pounds.
(The picture above is of my Shackleford stallion, Wanchese, moments after being unloaded at Mill Swamp Indian Horses.)
1 comment:
I simply can not say how angry it makes me when someone says, "What's so specail about your horse," with snobbery after looking at my short and fuzzy pony and then at any other well bred, pampered, show horse. I do not dignify questions like these with a response. I grit my teeth and think of what I would like to say with out speaking. After getting a little Corolla and working so closely with the breed, I couldn't imagine not seeing them on the Corolla beaches. The fact is that this is a very near happening. They could be gone very soon. People that ask questions only meant to insult us and make us think of them as some kind of royalty do not know that we are saving breeds. They also do not know the strength and effort the riders or little ponies put into building the kind of place Mill Swamp is. We may not have the best horses in there eyes but we stand for something more than the next best horse out there.
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