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She’s a gutsy girl and persevered but the joy of going
out for a ride in the bush had disappeared. With much
sadness he was moved on (and is now having a blast at
pony club from all reports!) and she was horseless for a
while. A mutual friend found a giveaway horse. He’s a
crossbred and no oil painting although I’m assured he’s
beautiful in his own way. He’s an older horse, he’s got
some reasonable education behind him, he takes a bit of
tender loving care to keep him ticking over particularly
in winter. But he is 150% SAFE! She’s got her nerve back
and is enjoying riding again!
Often
our chosen equine friend isn’t the best looking beast in
the world or the best moving but their owners love them!
Sure they may not jump to A Grade, perform a Prix St
George dressage test anytime soon or finish in the top
ten of the Quilty but realistically how many of us are
going to achieve these goals? There are a very small
percentage of us with the ability, discipline, and sheer
determination required to perform at the elite level and
a smaller percentage again of those with the means and
time to do so! Those performing at these levels
certainly deserve our admiration as it’s tough out
there!
In a
VERY long-winded way I guess I’m saying that the
majority of us have a horse for pure enjoyment. Sure we
may compete anything from once a year to every weekend
during the appropriate season but we do it because we
love it. It’s our hobby! To hear someone passing a
negative comment on our beloved friend (or indeed
ourselves!) because of how he looks can be terribly
hurtful!
I
recently had someone contact me wanting lessons and they
felt they had to tell me they rode a standardbred and
ask if I was still prepared to teach them. I felt very
sorry that someone had to say that. I actually have a
soft spot for the standardbreds but that aside I’m more
than happy to go and teach any combination who wants to
learn! As long as a combination is well matched and it’s
safe let’s get on, ride and enjoy ourselves! There are
exceptions to every rule! Not all off the track
thoroughbreds are lunatics, not all standardbreds pace,
not all clydie crosses are dead quiet! It’s a matter of
finding the horse which works for YOU!
I own
a young horse who’s not generally thought of as the
breed you would choose for wanting to seriously compete
in dressage. I’ve my own reasons for choosing him and am
fully aware he’s not a flashy moving ‘flavour of the
month’. For me it’s not about winning. It’s about the
journey, it’s about scoring better next week than I did
last week and most of all enjoying myself! There’s no
reason why my chosen breed can’t compete at high levels,
he’s well put together, his work will be correct and he
has the brain and the temperament to go out there and
give it a go. I just need him to be four instead of a
yearling!!
Let’s
face it, the people generally casting their nasty wisdom
from the sidelines are rarely competing. If you’re out
there having a go, having fun and learning then I take
my hat off to you. Get on…. Ride…. Enjoy! |
