27/01/2024
Not too long ago, we were asked “What is it you do exactly? The track does everything for you”.
Since then, I’ve wanted to touch on this particular topic because more than ever, there appears to be this idea floating around in the equine world that a paddock paradise or track system will solve absolutely everything for you and your horse.
Now, I will be the first person to shout from the rooftops the many benefits a paddock paradise can provide, should you have everything in place and working optimally. In fact, we’ve experienced many a horse deemed unfixable, broken or beyond help with the recommendation to be PTS, that have not only fully recovered from their once all-consuming issues but have gone on to truly thrive living on a track. I am a firm believer that a track system is one of, if not the closest method of management we’re going to get in a domesticated setting that fulfils their needs as a species.
With all that being said, you cannot have a working, functional track system in place that produces the results we all seek, without the people behind it making it work be an at home track or track livery yard.
Looking at this from a solely practical viewpoint, you cannot have a track system that works without the manpower ploughed into it, day and night, to keep it maintained and functional. The hay topped up – a relentless daily task of refilling hay nets to dispatch on track, the track poo-picked or harrowed, the fences tight, working and intact, the hedges trimmed, the w**ds strimmed and the endless adaptions to hay stations, water points, shelters, enrichment and layouts, all constantly modified to encourage more movement, more freedom and more quality of life. From a livery standpoint, all of these things are additional to the hours and hours of care, constant worry, sleepless nights, wet, soggy knickers and late-night trips in the dark that go into looking after someone else’s horse.
It's safe to say, the maintaining of a track system is already emotionally, physically and mentally taxing. However, as we also specialise in the rehabilitation of Laminitis and EMS, we are then given the additional task, and sometimes the challenge, of rehabilitating someone’s pride and joy back to full health the very best we can. To be trusted with such a thing is an honor and a privilege, something we most certainly do not take lightly.
Be that as it may, the experience, knowledge, years of learning and ability to trust in the process is all an essential part to not only keeping our already healthy horses healthy but rehabilitating some incredibly sick horses too, of which many of you will know. The right mindset and the faith required to be patient with the body’s often long healing process is detrimental to the success of the track system and better yet, the recovery of these horses. Now, after many years of hard work, we ourselves have a steady stream of owners seeking our rehabilitation services. These owners come to us for our help, and although I’m confident a large majority of owners could help their horses in a similar way should they have the knowledge and tools to do so, the biggest ‘flaw’ we see in failed track systems or poorly, traditionally kept horse owners is the inability to trust in the process.
We personally have tried and tested countless methods, experienced more heartache and loss than we’d ever like and have encountered horses and ponies from all backgrounds with issues after issues. We’re here to not only put those all-important things in place for your horse to hopefully improve given time, but to reassure you, the owner, that things will be hard, there will be hurdles to overcome and your horse may look worse before they look better, but we’re here for you too so you can be there for your horse.
Keeping your horse on a functional track system has the potential to set them up for great things, but without the people or owners that maintain that track system, keep it running, fulfil their dietary needs, have the ability to step away or intervene when it’s needed and offer their support to either owner or horse in the face of hard times with the patience, care to detail and passion to see them through to better days, it is but just a loop in a field.
Track systems are great, but they’re nothing without the people that make them work for their horses. To all the livery yards or horse owners out there making their track system work, kudos to you – your horse is incredibly lucky to have you.
