A horseperson has time, knowledge, and skill; or the desire to learn, to help a horse through an issue or prevent undesirable behavior before it becomes habitual.
A rider is somebody with a very busy life that simply wants to ride once a week on a safe, uncomplicated horse.
Determining which of the above realistically applies to you is important to know before buying a horse. Horses that do everything we want in any weather or circumstance; and can handle our mistakes are rare - if they exist at all. They are typically the older experienced horse that has been there done that; or they can be a younger horse that someone has put hours and hours of time into.
My experience with folks buying horses is they don't want to buy an older horse because of the potential for health issues, such as worn out joints and teeth, that can accompany them; and they don't want to pay the amount of money required for a really well trained younger horse that someone has put hours and hours of time and experience on. Although, even a young horse that has received hours of good training and consistent use can easily develop behavioural issues when mistakes are made by an inexperienced horse owner or they are neglected due to busy lives.
It is my belief that once we become horse owners, it is incumbent on us to become the best horseperson possible, for the horse's sake.
I went to see Fonzi and his new owner last Sunday after learning that things had gone from bad to worse over the past couple of weeks, due to an ill fitting saddle. Fonzi tried to tell her by not standing still for saddling and mounting; and when he wasn't heard, things escalated into him bucking her and the property owner off. When I saddled him with a saddle I knew was comfortable for him, he didn't disappoint and I was happy to discover that he hadn't learned to buck from this small incident.
However his new owner doesn't feel she can overcome her jitters; and then seeing how well Fonzi did for me, she is now convinced she isn't the right person for Fonzi after all. Fixing horses that are mistrustful of people is a far easier task than fixing people that mistrust their horse.
Since my mission in life is to help folks get started well with horses, taking Fonzi back was never a question. If I don't take him back, what would become of him. How can his new owner sell him if she isn't comfortable demonstrating him and he is way too good of a horse to become a pasture ornament.
Tovie & Fonzi
A rider is somebody with a very busy life that simply wants to ride once a week on a safe, uncomplicated horse.
Determining which of the above realistically applies to you is important to know before buying a horse. Horses that do everything we want in any weather or circumstance; and can handle our mistakes are rare - if they exist at all. They are typically the older experienced horse that has been there done that; or they can be a younger horse that someone has put hours and hours of time into.
My experience with folks buying horses is they don't want to buy an older horse because of the potential for health issues, such as worn out joints and teeth, that can accompany them; and they don't want to pay the amount of money required for a really well trained younger horse that someone has put hours and hours of time and experience on. Although, even a young horse that has received hours of good training and consistent use can easily develop behavioural issues when mistakes are made by an inexperienced horse owner or they are neglected due to busy lives.
It is my belief that once we become horse owners, it is incumbent on us to become the best horseperson possible, for the horse's sake.
I went to see Fonzi and his new owner last Sunday after learning that things had gone from bad to worse over the past couple of weeks, due to an ill fitting saddle. Fonzi tried to tell her by not standing still for saddling and mounting; and when he wasn't heard, things escalated into him bucking her and the property owner off. When I saddled him with a saddle I knew was comfortable for him, he didn't disappoint and I was happy to discover that he hadn't learned to buck from this small incident.
However his new owner doesn't feel she can overcome her jitters; and then seeing how well Fonzi did for me, she is now convinced she isn't the right person for Fonzi after all. Fixing horses that are mistrustful of people is a far easier task than fixing people that mistrust their horse.
Since my mission in life is to help folks get started well with horses, taking Fonzi back was never a question. If I don't take him back, what would become of him. How can his new owner sell him if she isn't comfortable demonstrating him and he is way too good of a horse to become a pasture ornament.
Tovie & Fonzi
1 comment:
Finally having found time to read Tovie's blog after a long time of not having been on her site, I just came across her post of November 2015. Well! Tovie perfectly describes the difference between a horseperson and a rider, and I will forever be grateful that she encouraged and helped me transition from one to the other. Although I have been around horses for over 30 years, have worked at a guest ranch and owned my own horses for over 15 years, I was not a horseperson. I was a rider. I didn't necessarily expect my horses to be safe and uncomplicated all the time, but I did not speak their language and I did not know how to help them through their issues and make them happier horses. Then Tovie encouraged me to get to know Fonzi this Spring. She was still convinced that he and I would make a great team, just as she mentioned in her post of September 2015. I am so glad I took her up on the offer, as she and The Fonz took me on a truly life-changing journey. It was such a profound experience that I burst into tears after my first groundwork lesson in the round pen with Tovie and Fonzi, and I have shed quite a few tears of pure joy since then. The knowledge and skills that Tovie taught me have made a profound difference in the way I see, understand, connect and play with horses. I never knew it was possible to have this kind of a relationship with a horse, and I am continuously blown away by their willingness to bond with us if we are willing to learn to communicate with them and be a good leader for them. I still have a long ways to go, but I am having tons of fun and I am super-excited about all the things I can learn from Fonzi. I have meanwhile bought him from Tovie and we have recently been on a trail ride in the Foothills together, where he was a superstar! With Tovie's help, we have built a connection that until this year I did not know was possible. Thank you, Tovie, from the bottom of my heart for all that you have taught me. You are an amazing horsewoman, an inspiration to everybody that knows you, and I am forever grateful that you are in my life. You have changed my world!
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