Furba Equestrian

Going off the grid for awhile. Happy fall!

💖YES💖

Horses first!

https://www.worldofshowjumping.com/WoSJ-Exclusive-interviews/Marcus-Ehning-I-worry-that-the-younger-generation-is-getting-too-far-removed-from-the-most-important-of-it-all-the-horse.html?fbclid=IwAR2YCG7K8a1DRWUMOw7HKC9gEZprc7ajM1meYdEUIE-cAOwa2eL # # -8LcCzQcKT1C1T5iTzsNaP-lDu9T-p2moPsqiEPM&mibextid=Zxz2cZ #

Marcus Ehning: “I worry that the younger generation is getting too far removed from the most important of it all; the horse” WoSJ speaks with Ehning about the power of the basics and the importance of having horses in the right mental space – as well as about his concern that the younger generation is skipping a step.

Interesting fact...
Ever wonder why Lexington, KY is the Horse Capital of the World? It wasn't because of coincidence... The Bluegrass region surrounding Lexington is one of the rarest ecosystems in the country, something called a woodland pasture. Almost half a billion years ago, trilobites, brachiopods, corals, clams and snails lived in an inland sea that inundated what is now Fayette County, KY, and the city of Lexington. As these creatures died and drifted to the seafloor, calcium in their shells formed a limestone layer up to 320 feet thick. As the sea drew away and the land lifted, water began percolating through the soil and limestone, which leached out calcium, a vital ingredient for both plants and animals. Lush grass together with shade from the trees proved a winning combination for livestock. The calcium-rich grass and undulating hills enables horses to build strong leg bones. This is the real reason why Lexington is the Horse Capital of the World!

$100 BALES is more like it! Sheesh!

I get asked all of the time what am I feeding my horses….. Hundred dollar bills people… hundred dollar bills. 🤣🤦🏼‍♀️🥲

Once a barn rat, always a barn rat!

The Barn Rats Need Trainers Willing To Fight For Them - The Chronicle of the Horse Every so often, a social media post pops up asking, “Where did all of the barn rats go?” or, “Why does no one want to work for it anymore?” The answer is simple: They’re still right here. They just don’t have the finances to be in the big barns that travel the circuit. They’re in the b...

Trust your horse to go forward

Probably one of the biggest sticking points for many: horses crunched up from a rider who is afraid to let go- and when they are let go they are snatched back up. Fear! It’s insidious. There is no judgment here of the human for being afraid

But

How can a horse ever trust a person who cannot learn to let go of them?

The reality is, a horse in forward motion is far safer than one being restrained. A horse restrained perpetually is a horse set up for implosion. Now THAT is scary

And a horse in BALANCED forward motion is the safest place to be on the planet

Do the work to create the balance
And then trust it, and let the horse move

Sunrise at the farm

If you live in the DC area, check out my dear friend Chad Keenum’s new facility in Rock Creek Park. CK Sporthorses offers the sale of International and National hunter, jumper and equitation horses and ponies, as well as training, lessons and showing. My lovely jumper mare, Secret Society, who is the dam of my little princess filly, Secret Soubrette aka “Brita,” came from his program!

Bill Steinkraus told THM in 1983: “I cannot stress too much the vital importance of restoring all aids to their normal state as soon as the horse has complied with them. Once the horse has gone forward, ease up on your driving aids; once it has shortened, open your fingers again enough to reward. It is very common to see exactly the opposite: the rider gets the horse to come back once, but never releases his closed fingers again, and spends the rest of the hour hanging in the horse’s mouth, or, having gotten the horse to go forward, spends the rest of the day with his legs stuck halfway through the horse. The reason you want your aids to be effective is so that you can teach the horse to respond to them more and more sensitively – and so that you can use them less and less."
https://www.horsemagazine.com/thm/2021/08/four-showjumping-masters-part-2-william-steinkraus/

“If your hair is done properly and you’re wearing good shoes, you can get away with anything.”- Iris Apfel

Chloe and Duet turned out matchy matchy this evening!

Anyone coming from the Columbus area (specifically Marysville) to Lexington sometime soon with room for 2 geldings? Delivery to farm right down the road from KHP.

Dry stalls with private turnout available during KY Summer shows, just down the road from KHP. Use of arena and jumps included. Layovers, weekly, long term. PM if you want more info.

Do I turn the wheel left? No wait, right. No wait, left? Backing up straight?!

👌🏻

I was just explaining how this is my initial approach to a horse that has behavioral issues and/or who suddenly starts exhibiting different behaviors.

Don’t get mad at them—try to understand what they are telling you!

I heard a great quote the other day that I've been thinking a lot about lately. "The most honest person in the room is the problem child".

When it comes to horses, they are naturally designed to be good liars. From a prey perspective, they're supposed to lie to predators about their physical and mental weaknesses, because their very survival depends upon it.

"Good" horses are good liars. They're stoic about physical ailments, they tolerate mistakes, and they can perform their duties without needing to be heard by their human handler, or requiring a lot of skill from a rider. These are horses we value a lot in our equestrian society, and they're great for many reasons.

Problem horses are very bad liars. They cannot just go on with life when they are hurt, or upset, or feeling like their needs are not acknowledged or met.

They either find somebody who understands that, or they are sent to a trainer who's main job is to teach them to learn to SUPPRESS this urge to constantly communicate their emotions and needs, effectively becoming better liars. Some horses can learn this, but the ones that cannot are labelled permanent problems, and often find themselves shuffled around.

But what happens if we begin to value communication over compliance? What if we prioritize the relationship before our egos, and trust before our human goals?

We can all agree that we would prefer to be in a meaningful human relationship that ivalues empathy to a different perspective/reality. Why wouldn't we consciously cultivate the same relationships with our equine partners? Would that not be beneficial for everyone?

The next time you find yourself making a binary judgement about your horse's behavior, pause for a moment instead and consider the root cause of it. What are they trying to communicate? How can you help meet their needs and build trust instead of prioritizing your ego in that moment and demanding compliance because you've arbitrarily decided you deserve it?

Now here's an idea!