KEN'S COLUMN Horse mad !
Once upon a time the August Bank holiday heralded the end of the competition season. Not any longer! Those with the desire, energy – and money – to keep going can now compete virtually all year round. Even eventers, if they so choose, can compete in show jumping and dressage competitions – although I know a lot of friends involved in this discipline still prefer to give their horses a complete break at the end of the season.
When I was three-day eventing I can recall reaching mid October and being really glad that I – and my horses – were going to have a break. This sense of euphoria lasted a month or so and then I was itching to get back in the saddle. In fact, for the sake of the horses, I always continued the break until after Christmas. Once New Year’s Eve was out of the way – and nearly always coinciding with really horrid weather – I started bringing the horses up again. Although, quite a few years later, I sometimes still miss the thrill of the sport, I don’t particularly mind not turning out to ride on a nasty dark and dreary January morning. At the same time, I have to say my work as a saddle fitter often involves being exposed to some pretty awful weather – and long hours – and an incredible amount of driving!
A while back a friend, whose only contact with horses involved the tentative offer of sugar lumps, asked me what caused people to become horse-obsessed. How does one give a rational answer? How can you describe the thrill, the closeness and the bond felt when riding a favourite horse in competition? Achieving a partnership that is so intimate - so shared - that aids and commands are virtually unnecessary and everything depends on thought transference.
How can you explain the thrill one gets from acquiring a promising young horse? Gaining his confidence. Schooling systematically. Introducing competitions. Climbing the ladder. Building a partnership. Achieving a relationship and a closeness that is never compromised.
I love all animals – especially horses, dogs and cats – but it was undoubtedly with horses that I shared the most exciting, rewarding – and occasionally frustrating – times. I don’t think there is a truly objective explanation of how one becomes so deeply involved – so ‘horse-mad’. I often think it is something in the genes – an inherited instinct that may sometimes miss a generation or two – and then emerge all the stronger.
Now that I am no longer actively involved in the horse world – at least, not in the riding sense – I am aware of the strain ‘horse-madness’ can put on relationships. Husbands, wives, partners, children and friends are all, often with a degree of regularity, expected to play second fiddle. The horses’ needs are supreme. They will get fed – but the family may not!
By the same token, an owner on a budget will often go without new clothes in order to equip his horse with new rugs. That same owner may go without lunch in order to ensure his horse is fed well. He will take on extra work in order to fund lessons and schooling – and almost certainly cut down - even cut out – holidays, new cars and all those other luxuries.
The phrase ‘horse-mad’ or ‘horse crazy’ are good ones because they imply someone who is acting irrationally! It can start at a very young age – I have seen tiny tots of two or three screaming when they are removed from a pony’s back! Often, because of limited time or funds, it happens much later in life - but the age at which the bug is caught seems to be irrelevant. And for some, in fact many, it lasts a lifetime.
Man had a relationship with horses as early as 30,000 years ago when it is believed he hunted them for meat! Arguments abound as to when horses were first domesticated but most historians agree that it was at least 4,000BC. Used in chariot races…as beasts of burden…in battle…in farming…and for many other purposes too, they have been bred and have evolved to fulfil so many different functions. Today’s breeding programmes, designed specifically to produce a Derby or other classic race winner, involve millions. Breeding that involves the use of a top-ranking jumping or dressage stallion is very costly. Top class children’s ponies exchange hands for big, big sums. Yet, at the same time, many studs turning out really nice ‘riding horses’ find it difficult to make their business pay.
The equestrian world is full of just such anomalies. Certainly, in this country at least, it is probably fair to say that every horse is subsidised by people in the industry working long hours for unrealistic pay! Why do they do it? Simply because they are horse-mad!
KEN LYNDON DYKES is a Society of Master Saddlers’ qualified saddle fitter who specialises in fitting competition horses. He is also available to give talks and demonstrations for any type of equestrian group. KEN can be contacted on 07973 501873 (mobile) or at SADDLEWORLD’S head office – 01622 844440.
