Ask Kenny Harlow..........

 

Question:

I am looking for some much needed advise.

I have a 12 year old 17.1 hand TB Gelding. In the past I have shown him in the jumpers which suited him well because he is a high strung horse. Last summer he tore his suspensory ligament in 2 places and I have been told his jumping career is over. Problem is he's not much good at anything else. I had been trying to work him into hacking nicely and thought of doing some trail riding. Seemed like a nice start but now I am pregnant. I am not willing to ride while pregnant. To me it is not worth the risk. I am now looking for some advice for some things I can do with him on the ground to keep his manners in check. Just in the 2 months I have not been riding I have seen a significant change in his attitude and the other day he was bad for the farrier. He is usually very good to do ground work on. I am hoping the things I work on will carry over to when I start to ride him again. I have been fighting him for 9 years now. When he was doing well in the jumpers it all seemed worth it. But if I have a trail riding horse I want to be able to enjoy it.

Do you have any advise on training exercises on the ground or video's?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Elizabeth Reagan

 

Kenny's Answer....

 

First of all, congratulations, Elizabeth! As a father myself, I understand that you are going through some big changes in your life and worrying about your horse should be the least of your concerns right now!

Doing ground exercises will be a great way to keep your horse focused during your pregnancy. But, let me caution you, a high strung horse with a lot of penned up energy from being off for a few months can hurt you from the ground just as easily as he can if you're in the saddle. The exercises and techniques that are used for my Format II Responsive Riding Clinic would be very helpful in schooling your horse. They can all be found in my Volume 6 Video which is available through my website at www.kennyharlow.com. However, I do have a concern that comes from your statement that your gelding is "high strung" and "not much good at anything besides jumping."

No matter how great a horsewoman you are, I'm not sure that it is a good idea for a pregnant lady to try and re-train a horse that she has been "fighting for 9 years" while she is pregnant. I think that some serious thinking is required on your part before deciding what to do.

Here are some options...

1. You could send your horse out to a trainer for several months (while you are pregnant) and let him trail-train him. That way, if there are any mishaps due to your gelding's temperament, the trainer is taking the risk, not you. However, be prepared for them to tell you that even after they have trained him for several months, he still may never be a trail horse that you can totally "relax" on.

2. You could consider "leasing him out" during your pregnancy to someone who is looking for a horse to work or perhaps school/show in flatwork. Again, risk is involved for the potential rider, You will have to make sure that the person is an experienced rider, and you will have to be honest with them about your gelding's "issues".

3. Buy the video, and do the groundwork exercises with him as you proposed during your pregnancy and see how he comes along. Then you can begin riding after you have your child. But again, let me caution you, if this horse is "high maintenance" because of his temperment, you may find that you don't have the time (or energy) to deal with him after your new baby comes along. And, I have to say, if you are hesitant to "take any risks" while you are pregnant, in reality, there is really no "less of a risk" after you have the baby. After all, you may not be "carrying" a new life then, but you will be responsible for one, and if "mom" gets hurt on her horse, it won't be good!

Elizabeth, this may not be the advice you were looking for, nor what you would expect from a horse trainer who would love to have you participate in one of his riding clinics or purchase one of his videos. But, in addition to being a horse trainer, I am a father and an honest person, and my instincts tell me that if you've "fought" this horse for 9 years, you will probably always be "fighting" him to some extent. Perhaps you should consider your new family first; they need you to stay safe and to give them top priority when it comes to your time and energy.

And that leaves us with yet another option....you might want to consider selling this horse to someone with more time, expertise, or energy, and consider buying a well-broke older trail horse. I think your time could be much better spent with a horse that you can "go to, tack up, and ride off on" whenever you want without a lot of work or preparation. And, when your new "little one" wants to "ride with mommy", you sure won't want them sitting with you on top of a high-strung horse!

Elizabeth, I've given you a lot to think about, I know. But, I've seen many horse/rider mismatches in my career. And, even though you and your horse were well matched when he was happily using all his energy jumping (and you didn't have so many others depending on you), maybe now it's time for you to re-evaluate. Things change, circumstances change....Horses should bring us joy and happiness, not fear and anxiety. Listen to your horse, listen to your head, listen to your heart, listen to your husband and the tiny voice whispering inside you. I know you will make the right decision. Good luck, and let us know how things turn out...with the horse and the baby!

To contact Kenny, or to learn more about his schedule or training programs visit www.kennyharlow.com.

 

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