07/26/2024
Ok I am sticking my neck out and opening a can of worms by saying what I feel strongly that needs to be said.
We are living at a time where there is no privacy and everything that happens behind closed doors is spoken about and shown in public. Some of this is good and some is not.
I feel very strongly about horse welfare because we as riders and trainers have the power over horses wellbeing as well as over the misuse of horses. It is our obligation to look after them and care for them.
Saying that, we as humans learn to do the right things by often making mistakes first. When I look back on my career as a rider and a coach there have been many times that I would now say I have done the wrong thing by my standards today.
I have done the wrong thing by horses in my past, riding and training in a way that I would NOT accept today, because today I know better.
I have many times looked back at horses in my past and apologised to them, feeling bad about my actions, knowing that they came from a lack of knowledge, pressure, frustration and my own ego at the time wanting to prove myself.
All these experiences have made me the rider, coach and person I am today. I have learned, grown and have become more knowledgable and compassionate as a result of my past.
What is the point of my confession and this post?
The point is that we have a current situation where a rider/trainer is punished and dragged through social media which might threaten her career not to mention the personal trauma inflicted on Charlotte herself.
We have a whistle blower who is crucified and haunted by supporters and fans, I can not imagine how he/she must be feeling right now.
We have a horse who is no better off.
All of what is happening right now, with the time that has passed has no benefit for anyone. It is only causing pain. I beg you to put yourself in the shoes of both people involved. How terrible must they feel right now.
But we can learn from mistakes so lets learn.
Riders, if you are in a lesson where something happens that you are not comfortable with, that you feel is doing wrong by you or your horse, speak up! You can only help your horse if you speak up there and then.
Parents, friends, families, if you are witnessing a lesson where the rider is not able to speak up, support them and speak for them! Stop the lesson, pay and walk away.
I know how hard it can be, I have been there myself as a rider and as a parent where I felt I had to speak up and end a lesson. Not because the horse was abused, but because I felt it was not the right way to train. Why did I know that and why could I speak up for the horse?? Because I have learned from my mistakes in the past.
Coaches and trainers, I know how hard it is to combine your love and passion for horses with the need to create an income to be able to have a sustainable business that pays the bills.
I know how difficult it can be to fulfil riders expectations and help them to achieve the sometimes unachievable.
Be courageous enough to be honest to your riders and make them understand the importance of time! It is the shortcuts that harm our horses and they are taken because we don't allow the time it takes.
Horses are in no hurry, it is us who have to learn to be patient.
I don't know the details of what has happened but I wish that we can find a way back to having conversations. Speaking to each other even if we disagree. Taking videos, slandering each other on social media and suing people who we once admired is not who we are as a horse community. Lets do better.
Lets, learn to say YES when you mean yes and learn to say NO when you mean no. Lets have discussions, disagreements and even arguments but behind closed doors and in small circles.
This is something that we all can do better so that we protect our horses at the time when they need our protection, not years later.
