It’s something I think about often, and we see it play out all the time.
To be successful with and enjoy our horses, two main factors need to be there, in this order:
1. It needs to be a fit, we and our horse. We need to be “appropriately horsed”, not violently “over-, under- or mis-horsed”.
2. We need to do what it takes to get ourselves and our horse(s) to where we want to be. Which is a completely miserable, if not impossible, thing to do if it’s not the right horse for where we’re at today. Not 20yrs ago, not 5yrs down the road, not in our wildest dreams. TODAY.
Stretching ourselves a little, compromising a little, getting help, sure. But a major discrepancy? That’s no bueno.
I’d personally rather be a little under-horsed than majorly over-horsed or have the wrong horse altogether any day of the week.
At the end of a long day, when I’m finally free to go see and work with the Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy Ambassador Mustangs, I really don’t want to feel on edge the majority of the time.
I’ve had some horses that have literally made me want to dust. Those same horses ended up being great for someone else. They just weren’t my type. And you know what, that’s ok!
I’ve also had horses that made others want to give up riding and take up quilting or stamp collecting instead. I thought they were perfect – for me, at that point in my journey with horses.
Because of what I enjoy about working with horses, Mustangs specifically, I always have spirited and/or young horses. It’s what I love and I embrace the challenges that come with that.
However, within that I’m super picky about what I like. Tay Martin and I joke that we’re never going to fight over a horse because our preferences are so different.
Her Mustangs are great too – for her. That’s how it should be, that’s what gets more great horses into more great homes!
We’ve gentled dozens of wildies we waved off with a sigh of relief. To adopters who love them dearly for exactly who they are. Win-win-win, that’s always the ultimate goal. That’s what we love to do and why we’re thorough in our adoption process.
At the same time I see so many people who have dug in their heels with a horse they would have enjoyed 20 years ago or that would be perfect for the girl next door who’s got more time to ride or has different expectations. Meanwhile they’re not happy, the horse is sitting and nobody is getting any younger or out on adventures.
I check in with my nervous system when I’m around a horse. If it feels like coming home – in a good, safe, comforting way – that’s the horse I’ll keep.
