Savor the quiet times.

Every moment spent around horses feels like a good tonic for my soul and it’s been this way for as long as I can remember. I’m sure many of you feel the same way. It’s always such a buzz to have a great lesson, make a breakthrough with some part of your training or have a terrific adventure on the trails. Having experiences like these can really bring you and your equine partner together as a team and provide ways for you to grow in your relationship. It can take a lot of repetition and patience to instill confidence in your horse, but the results are sweet when the pieces finally fall into place. The hours we spend methodically schooling our horses to listen, exposing them to different environments, asking them to try new things like going to shows, cow sorting, hunting, trail riding…... it all contributes to their education. Ultimately, we are looking to create a solid citizen who will eventually be an amazing partner – either for us or someone else. Spending time giving our horses the training and exercises that will shape them positively, is a real gift and also a responsibility. It can also take a lot of hours and let’s face it, who isn’t flat out busy all the time these days?  I know that I am always watching the clock and scurrying here and there, which doesn’t leave much opportunity for the quiet time…. And yet, there are several good reasons for us to build that into our routine with our horses.

Grooming – There are practical reasons to groom your horse every day – most importantly so that you can check them over for small cuts, nicks, scrapes, swellings and ugh! Yes, ticks! It doesn’t need to take long to run your hands over them and make sure everything is in order. I recommend doing this every day that you see your horse. But, when it comes to grooming, there is a real opportunity to get to know your friend. It can be equally satisfying to give your horse a deep, thorough cleaning. Use plenty of elbow grease to get a deep clean while you’re brushing or currying and the whole experience can feel like a massage (for them, not you – sorry!). While you’re working your way through your various tools, curry’s and brushes, pay attention to what your horse likes. Remember, the grooming is about making THEM feel good! Watch for a flick of an ear, or twitches of the skin when a brush is a little stiffer than they like. Pay attention to when they lean in and relax into the motion of the grooming mitt. If you get into this habit, you’ll soon learn your horse’s sweet spot. Most of them have a spot that makes them really happy and if you take the time to find it, you suddenly have a new reward for when they deserve it in training sessions too!

Turnout – I always love watching horses during their turnout time, especially if they are feeling expressive after a good ride. And I find it really interesting seeing how they interact with their pasture mates or those sharing a fence line. I feel like we can learn a lot about how our horses are feeling in general as well as in that day or moment. I don’t mean while we’re standing by the gate distracting them from their usual meanderings, I mean when they think no one’s watching and they go about their business. I’m lucky enough to have different chores I can be getting on with outside the barn while watching. You can be productive too while and keep half an eye on the herd or paddock dynamics, even if you don’t have barn responsibilities. You could always clean your tack outside or give your grooming kit a bit of organization while watching your buddy in their down time. One of the most interesting things I observe is how the pecking order between horses can have gentle shifts from day to day. We may well think that the big stroppy mare is in charge, when really the quieter gelding just needs to flick an ear to remind everyone to move out of the way. We can see when behaviors change related to a mare’s cycle. Sometimes, they’ll tend to hang closer to other mares near by a fence line, rather than their pasture mate. I pay attention to these cues to have a slight bit more awareness of how we might see distractions in other daily routines, like being led to and from a field or when under saddle. And more importantly, when you get used to the many nuances in your horse’s behavior when at liberty, you will sense if something is not right with them like lethargy, being in pain or uncomfortable in some way, possible fever or colic symptoms. The more you know your horse, the quicker you can see when they need more form you.

The golden hour – This is my favorite time of day. I find great comfort and satisfaction in tucking the horses up in bed in the evening. At this time of year, our horses spend nights in their stalls and days outside. My preferred routine is to have all the stalls ready with full water and hay nets before I bring them in – we all know things can disrupt the order of our chores from time to time, but as I said, this is my ‘preferred’ routine. I always, always, always want to bring the horses in before dumping their grain into their stall feeders because you never know what might be going with them when they come in. Perhaps someone’s been running and worked up a sweat, maybe someone has a gaping wound that needs attention before anything else, or maybe someone gets loose and runs into the wrong stall and gobbles up their neighbors expensive and important medicine - yep, it happens to everyone at some point – eek! So, these are my main reasons for NOT dumping grain into stalls before everyone is secured in their own spot. Once everyone is settled and dinner has been served, I like to spend a little time puttering. It’s nice to prep feeds for the next day and have them ready to go for the morning. Filling hay nets or tidying the tack or grain room are great things to do, and of course sweeping the barn aisle is a terrific way to round out the evening. Now, I know we generally have spent longer at the barn than we meant and some of our human, feline or canine family members may also need attention at this point in the day, however, this is the Golden hour. This is when the energy subsides, the munching commences and those sweet sounds of relaxed snuffling for hay, fill the air. Not only do I love this conclusion to the day, it’s important, because you can close that barn door knowing that you have had one last opportunity to notice if anyone is choking on their grain, not eating, being restless or acting in an unusual fashion.

So, savor the quiet times. Make it a priority to learn your horse. Enjoy the snuggles and whither scratches. Because aside from all the benefits for you and your horse, none of us are guaranteed the same thing tomorrow. Fill your soul with memories, all kinds of memories, including the quiet times.