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Det handler om at have de rigtige forbindelser!

Har du nogensinde tænkt på, hvordan dit liv kunne have set ud, hvis du ikke havde mødt den ene eller den anden person? Livet er fyldt med øjeblikke, hvor man indser, at man lige har mødt den rigtige person på det helt rigtige tidspunkt.

Da jeg var færdig med skolen og gymnasiet, var det store spørgsmål, hvad jeg skulle blive. Hestene betød alt for mig, og jeg ville virkelig gerne finde noget, der gjorde, at jeg kunne være tæt på dem. Men jeg hørte altid, at man ikke kunne tjene penge på heste. Det var jo en sandhed med modifikation, for jeg vidste jo, at man kunne sælge foder eller leje staldpladser ud, men det krævede en startinvestering. Jeg var også rigtig god til at male, men jeg vidste, at det ikke var noget at satse på. At male en hest kunne måske give et par hundrede kroner.

Jeg gik på en ungdomsgård, hvor man kunne tage kurser, og jeg ville prøve det hele. Til sidst endte jeg på et læderkursus, og mens alle de andre lavede bælter og tasker til sig selv, kastede jeg mig over at lave en trense til min pony. Da jeg forlod skolen, tænkte jeg, at jeg kunne blive sadelmager.

Men hvordan skulle jeg dog bære mig ad, og hvor kunne jeg starte? Der var jo ikke mange sadelmagere. På det tidspunkt havde jeg min hest opstaldet hos en mand, der hed Ole, og af en eller anden grund kom vi til at tale om, at jeg rigtig gerne ville blive sadelmager. “Jamen,” sagde han, “jeg kender en, som måske kunne bruge en lærling.” Jeg kunne næsten ikke tro mine ører, men snart kørte vi sammen ind til hans ven.

Det var midt inde i København, og jeg tænkte, at det var et mærkeligt sted at være sadelmager – der var jo ikke mange heste sådan et sted. Han havde sin forretning i en kælderlejlighed, hvor han også boede. Han havde to vinduer ud mod gaden, hvor han havde hængt nogle trenser og andet arbejde, han havde lavet. Han hed Helmuth Rasmussen, men jeg skulle kalde ham Ras, som hans venner gjorde. Ellers var han kendt som Ponysadelmageren, da han syede mange seletøj til Welsh Mountain-ponyer og leverede blandt andet til en kendt herregård. Hans arbejde var fantastisk, og når han lavede de små seletøj, sørgede han for, at alt passede til størrelsen og brugte specialbeslag, så alt passede sammen. Det, han ikke kunne købe, lavede han selv. Han var fantastisk til sit håndværk. Når han havde fri, byggede han miniaturevogne, nøjagtige kopier af de rigtige. Han havde bygget en kopi af ølvognen fra Carlsberg og også en af de kongelige kareter. Derudover lavede han trenser til dem, der red til ringridning, med muslingeskaller på hele trensen og forstykket.

Jeg var fascineret og ville lære det hele. Til min glæde var han villig til at tage mig som elev, men jeg skulle være på prøve først, sagde han, for det var ikke alle, der var skabt til håndværket. Allerede efter anden dag syntes han, jeg skulle blive, for han kunne se, hvor interesseret jeg var, og jeg blev hurtigt meget dygtig til at sy.

Jeg blev sadelmager takket være Ole, og snart oplevede jeg igen, at skæbnen ville mig det godt.

En dag, mens jeg arbejdede hos Ras, fik han besøg af en gammel nabo, der hed Knud. Knud var venlig og snakkede meget. Han havde boet ved siden af Ras i flere år, og hans børn, Leon og Lone, havde ofte besøgt Ras og kigget på tingene i hans butik. Nu var Knud bare på besøg, for han var flyttet til Sverige og arbejdede på et sted, der hed High Chaparral, hvor han var bartender. Han fortalte om stedet, som var en westernby, og der var også mange heste. Knud syntes, jeg skulle komme derop og arbejde, for de havde brug for en sadelmager, sagde han, og viste mig nogle billeder.

Jeg er jo, som jeg er, og vil altid opleve nye ting, så vi aftalte, at jeg skulle tage derop og kigge, hvis ikke andet så bare for at se, hvad det var.

Jeg tog derop i efteråret sammen med en veninde, og jeg blev ikke skuffet. Der ville jeg virkelig gerne arbejde. Knud viste os rundt og havde endda arrangeret, at vi kunne få en ridetur, selvom det var uden for sæsonen.

Knud tog mig med ind på banken, hvor chefen sad, som var Kent Erlandsson (søn af Big Bengt Erlandsson), og Knud forklarede Kent, at jeg var sadelmager, og at de havde brug for sådan en på Chaparral. “Nå,” sagde Kent, “så må det vel blive sådan,” og vi aftalte, at jeg skulle komme til foråret og arbejde der.

Sådan kan det gå, når man har de rigtige forbindelser, og jeg har lært gennem livet, at det er noget af det vigtigste, man kan have!

It’s All About Having the Right Connections!

Have you ever wondered how your life might have turned out if you hadn’t met certain people along the way? Life is full of moments where you realize you’ve met just the right person at the right time.

When I finished school and high school, the big question was what I wanted to become. Horses were the only thing that mattered to me, and I really wanted to find something that would allow me to stay close to them. However, I constantly heard that you couldn’t make money with horses. That was partly true, though I knew you could sell feed or rent out stables, but that required an initial investment. I was also very good at painting, but I knew that wasn’t something to pursue. Painting a horse might get you a few hundred crowns at best.

I spent time at a youth center where you could take various courses, and I wanted to try everything. Eventually, I ended up in a leatherworking course, and while everyone else made belts and bags for themselves, I threw myself into making a bridle for my pony. That’s when I thought, after leaving school, that I could become a saddlemaker.

But how would I go about it, and where could I even start? There weren’t many saddlemakers around. At the time, I had my horse boarded at a man named Ole’s place, and for some reason, it came up in conversation that I really wanted to become a saddlemaker. “Well,” he said, “I know someone who might need an apprentice.” I could hardly believe my ears, but soon enough, we went to meet his friend.

It was right in the middle of Copenhagen, and I thought it was a strange place to be a saddlemaker—there weren’t many horses in a place like that. His shop was in a basement where he also lived. He had two windows facing the street, where he had hung up some bridles and other works he had made. His name was Helmuth Rasmussen, but I called him Ras, as his friends did. He was otherwise known as the Pony Saddler because he made a lot of harnesses for Welsh Mountain ponies and supplied a famous estate, among others. His work was amazing, and when he made small harnesses, he made sure everything was to scale and used special fittings to match everything perfectly. If he couldn’t buy something, he made it himself. He was incredible at his craft. When he wasn’t working, he built miniature carriages, exact replicas of the real ones. He had made a copy of the beer wagon used by Carlsberg and even one of the royal carriages. Additionally, he made bridles for those who participated in ring jousting, with shells covering the entire bridle and breastplate.

I was fascinated and eager to learn everything. To my delight, he was willing to take me on as a student, but I had to be on trial first, he said, because not everyone is cut out for the profession. After just the second day, he said I could stay because he saw how interested I was, and I quickly became very good at sewing.

I became a saddlemaker thanks to Ole, and soon, fate would favor me again.

One day, while working with Ras, he was visited by an old neighbor named Knut. Knut was friendly and talked a lot. He had lived next to Ras for several years, and his children, Leon and Lone, had spent a lot of time with Ras, chatting and watching him work. Now Knut was just visiting, as he had moved to Sweden and was working at a place called High Chaparral, where he was a bartender. He talked about the place, which was a western town, and mentioned that there were a lot of horses there. Knut thought I should come and work there because they needed a saddlemaker, he said, showing me some pictures.

I’m the type who loves experiencing new things, so we agreed that I would visit, if only to see what it was all about.

I visited in the fall with a friend, and I wasn’t disappointed. I really wanted to work there. Knut showed us around and had even arranged for us to have a horseback ride, even though it was off-season.

Knut then took me to the bank where the boss, Kent Erlandsson (son of Big Bengt Erlandsson), was sitting. Knut explained to Kent that I was a saddlemaker and that they needed one at Chaparral. “Alright,” said Kent, “then that’s settled,” and we agreed that I would start working there in the spring.

That’s how it goes when you have the right connections, and I’ve noticed throughout my life that this is one of the most important things you can have!

Are Horse Dealers and Breeders Horrible People?

I just read a post about a woman who was apparently called a horse dealer in a negative tone. She assured everyone that she took good care of the horses, they got everything they needed, and she shed a tear when the horses were sold.

I can relate!

I’ve been dealing in horses for over 20 years, and I’ve been breeding for almost 40 years. In fact, it’s gotten harder over the years when I had to part with a horse, so I’ve stopped.

So who is it that looks down on dealers and intermediaries? Is it jealousy because we make money off the horses (I should add that nowadays, you don’t get rich from horse trading)? Is it because they can’t afford to buy the horse they want, or what is it?

I can say that if everyone stopped breeding and dealing horses, then people wouldn’t be able to buy any horses at all.

When I was active, I saw myself as someone who helped people find the right horse, I helped riding schools find horses, and I assisted people who wanted advice on which horse to buy. I felt happy that I could make someone happy, and I always hoped the horse would find a good home. I continually receive updates about the horses that have been in my care, how they are doing, and many have come back to buy a new horse when they needed one.

Why do people become dealers?

They love horses, and it’s a way to avoid going to a job they hate. You gain a lot of experiences and continue to educate yourself throughout your life.

It’s not an easy profession, and you have to work very hard to make a living.

For my part, I wanted to keep them all, but that wasn’t possible. I had a few “own” horses, but those were the breeding horses.

The horse dealers of the past no longer exist, those who had a big wallet and sold bad horses to unsuspecting people. Today, there are so many requirements for sellers, vet inspections, and insurance.

We know it’s expensive to buy a horse, and the dealer hasn’t gotten the horse for free but has paid a sum for it. Then you need a stable and preferably an indoor arena so you can operate year-round. The horses don’t stop eating in winter. Farrier and vet care are needed before you can hand the horse over to its new owner. You never know how long you’ll have the horse before it finds a new home. However, there’s always haggling when buying from a dealer, because the horse is just too expensive (even if it’s cheaper than all the others). The worst thing for a dealer (or at least for me) was when the horse came back. I felt sorry for the horse, having to move back and forth, and it was always a loss for me. Even if you might have another horse to exchange, you were nervous that even that one might come back. It’s not always the dealer’s fault.

Breeders have also struggled over the years to get properly paid for their offspring, so they can at least cover the costs involved in breeding.

Think about that when you criticize a dealer! They generally do their best, and they can’t know all the horse’s past illnesses, nor can they help you find the breeder abroad if the horse has an unknown pedigree, etc.

Make sure you’re informed before you start looking for a horse! Consider what type of horse, size, gender, and training level before you start searching.

Do you want to know more about how to think when buying a horse? Then you can become a member of Happy Horse Hub, where there’s a completely free course on what to consider and look for.

Belly Landing on a Stone Wall

When I was on summer vacation in Blekinge, all sorts of things happened. I wasn’t very old when my parents bought the summer cottage, and I loved being there. I mostly kept myself occupied, but of course, I enjoyed having company. One day, an old man came cycling by and asked if his daughter could come play with me. It was the countryside, and she probably felt lonely during the summer break since there were no other children nearby. I was thrilled to have someone to play with, and the next day, he brought Eva-lill. She was a bit younger than me, small and skinny with big eyes, and looked a little scared. I was big and strong, so I thought it was fun to finally be the one who could take charge and be the “big sister” to someone. Eva-lill taught me to speak Swedish, and I taught her all sorts of mischief.

Eva-lill loved drawing and doing bead embroidery, while I thought it was cool to play Vikings, catch fish, and ride the workhorses. We complemented each other well and developed a fantastic friendship. Later, when we got a bit older, we bought 10 packs of Rocky Mountain cigarettes with menthol flavor and secretly smoked them when we went swimming. We hid the packs in the stone wall on the way there and hoped it wouldn’t rain too much on the matches. Naturally, I also wanted to teach Eva-lill to ride because, to me, that was the best thing in the world. She dared to sit on the horses a little while I held them, but she was mostly terrified.

One day, an old man passing by saw us and suggested that there was someone nearby who had ponies, which he thought would be a better size for us than the big workhorses. I never missed a chance to ride, so we cycled a few kilometers to Bertil Månsson, who bred Gotland ponies. He was very kind, and we were allowed to try riding the older mare, Julita, who was the mother of the others. She had been ridden before and was very gentle. We continued to visit there often, although it was quite a long bike ride. I often think about how incredibly fit we must have been, cycling, swimming, and walking so much back then. Bertil Månsson’s farm was at the bottom of an incredibly long downhill slope, which was nice on the way there, but we had to climb that long hill on the way back when we were tired from riding.

After a while, Bertil noticed that I could ride well and had a good way with horses, so he let me train the young horses. He was happy too because it made them easier to sell. I even trained his stallion, Julius, and had a lot of fun with him. Eva-lill would come along and watch; she rarely rode but didn’t mind coming along. There weren’t many places to ride, so we had to do it in the pasture. It sloped, so there was a hill down when you rode out and a hill up when you rode back. I had trained Julius so that we could walk and trot a bit downhill, and then we would gallop uphill on the way back. Julius enjoyed it and liked to speed up the hill.

One day, when Eva-lill was with us, she watched this and thought it looked like a lot of fun, so she wanted to try it too! I was aware that her riding skills weren’t very advanced, so I was initially happy when she said she wanted to try. Finally, something had sparked her interest in the horses! But then I tried to talk her out of it, realizing it might not be the best idea. However, she insisted and really wanted to give it a go! She walked Julius down the hill while I gave her tips on what to do, and then she turned him around at the bottom. Julius did what he usually did and started galloping full speed up the hill. It looked really good until they reached the end of the pasture, where there was a stone wall. Julius turned left, and Eva-lill continued straight ahead, landing on her belly across the stone wall.

I was terrified—I was sure she had seriously hurt herself—but she got up without a scratch. I was afraid something had happened to her and also worried that if anyone found out, I might not be allowed to ride there again. I was actually proud of her for handling it so well, and she thought it had been exciting until the unfortunate ending. She never rode Julius again. However, I later got permission to borrow Julius for a while, but that’s another story!

My Mission in Life!

When you ask people what their mission in life is, very few can answer, but I’ve given it a lot of thought. What is it that has made my whole life revolve around horses—trying to understand them, breeding, trading, riding, and so on? You spend enormous amounts of time on horses. Almost five years ago, something happened in my life that made me reflect deeply on why we live and what we want to achieve. I’ve never been very technical and wasn’t interested in computers or phones, except for making calls, but suddenly, I got the idea that I wanted to pass on all my knowledge to those who wanted it. I’ve experienced so much with horses that I could write many books (I’ve tried, but it didn’t quite work out), so I came up with the idea of delivering my knowledge online. It was a big change for me, with so much to learn about platforms, Zoom, websites, Facebook, and much more. I was terrified the first few times I went live on Facebook, but my mission pushed me out of my comfort zone and made me push myself to the limit. Few people know how much work goes into creating a digital course and a website. The ads say you can build a website in a day with AI, but that’s not true, as everyone who has a website knows.

Starting with marketing, I soon realized it was not like selling a horse. In that world, people contacted you, and you could negotiate. Online, you have to put yourself out there and present what you have in a proper and accurate way.

I started creating podcasts, initially interviewing my friends, who also have a passionate relationship with horses. By sharing their stories and insights, I quickly noticed the power of podcasts in spreading knowledge and inspiration. It became a way to connect with people on a deeper level, creating a sense of community and understanding for the world of horses, which can be difficult to convey through text or video alone.

Over time, the podcasts have grown to be more than just a forum for conversation; they’ve become a tool for education and engagement. I’ve interviewed many knowledgeable and experienced people in the equestrian world, all of whom contribute their perspectives and experiences. This has become a platform where we can work together to improve horse welfare—something that is very close to my heart.

My membership sites, Horse and Health in Swedish and Happy Horse Hub in English, are the next step on this journey. Here, I’ve gathered all my knowledge and experience to provide members with access to in-depth courses, tools, and resources that can help them create a stronger and more harmonious relationship with their horses. I believe that by educating and supporting horse owners, we can collectively contribute to better horse welfare.

It’s not just a place for learning but also a community where you can share your successes and challenges, receive support, and get inspiration from others with the same goals. This is my way of giving back to the horses—to ensure they are treated with the respect and care they deserve.

When I look back on my journey, from being terrified of going live on Facebook to now running a growing digital platform and podcast, I realize that my mission has been the driving force behind it all. It’s not just about sharing my knowledge, but about making a real difference in the lives of horses around the world. That’s why I continue to learn, grow, and strive to reach more people, for the sake of the horses.

So, if you are as passionate as I am about improving horse welfare and creating strong, healthy relationships with your horses, I invite you to become part of this community. Through my podcasts and membership sites, I hope to inspire and guide you on your own journey with horses, and together, we can make the world a little better for these amazing animals.

Hvordan skal en rideskolehest være?

For nogle år siden, da jeg var hestehandler, havde jeg mange sjove oplevelser. Både gode og dårlige, men lige denne gang fik vi alle et godt grin. Jeg handlede mest heste til rideskoler i Ungarn, som jeg derefter tog hjem til Sverige. Der var stor mangel på rideskoleheste, hvilket der nok stadig er. Rideskoler vil have søde veltrænede heste, og det er svært at finde til den rette pris i Sverige.

Jeg kiggede på annoncer hjemmefra Sverige, før jeg rejste, men oplevede hurtigt, at det ikke altid var den hest, de havde annonceret. Der er steder i Ungarn, hvor der bor mange sigøjnere, og de har mange heste. Man skal dog være ret dygtig til at se, hvilken slags heste det er, for man kan nemt blive snydt. Jeg har altid haft en tolk med mig for at føle mig sikker i disse områder. Man kan ikke købe en hest med kort, så man skal have en hel del kontanter med, hvis man skal kunne handle med disse mennesker.

Lige den dag, jeg vil fortælle om, havde jeg 2 venner med fra Sverige. Det var altid sjovt at have venner med, for det var en lang vej at køre fra Sverige til Ungarn og tilbage igen. Godt at have selskab og nogen at tale med.

Vi havde fundet nogle telefonnumre, som min tolk, Tamas, talte med for at finde vej. Det var en ret lang vej på dårlige veje, så tiden gik, og vi skulle skynde os, hvis vi skulle nå at se flere heste. Endelig kom vi frem, og som sædvanlig havde jeg traileren med, for hvis man fandt en god hest, skulle man være hurtig til at handle.

Denne mand, som jeg havde fundet, havde mange forskellige heste i alle størrelser og racer, og han kom ud med den ene efter den anden, som overhovedet ikke var egnet som rideskoleheste. Man har en model i hovedet og tænker, at de skal være rolige og søde, ridevante og gerne kørevante. Til sidst slap han en fuldstændig vanvittig hest ud, som sandsynligvis ikke havde været ude i meget lang tid, og stolt viste den frem. Da den havde hængt oppe i luften i 5 minutter og løbet rundt i longe, spurgte jeg Tamas, om han ikke kunne spørge, om han havde nogle rideskoleheste. Den sidste var ganske vist meget smuk, men jeg havde ikke tid og råd til at købe utrænede, overenergiske heste, da det jo var rideskoleheste, jeg ledte efter.

Manden tænkte lidt, men sagde, at han havde en onkel, som også havde heste ikke langt fra ham, og han havde måske mere af det, jeg havde brug for. Vi kørte alle derhen for at se. Mens manden var inde i stalden og ville lede en hest ud, vi skulle se på, talte vi lidt udenfor om heste generelt og nævnte en hingst, der var meget populær dengang, der hed Cor de la Bryère. Manden kom ud fra stalden med et stort smil og en hest, der ikke var under 25 år, temmelig svajrygget og virkelig havde set sine bedste dage, men meget rolig (som vi jo havde bedt om). “Denne her,” sagde han, “er efter Cor de la Bryère,” og pegede på den stakkels hest, som man let kunne have taget med bare fordi man havde ondt af den. Vi kiggede alle på hinanden og begyndte at grine højlydt. Vi kunne ikke stoppe. Man skal være en meget god hestehandler for at overbevise os om, at den hest havde sådan en afstamning.

Vi fandt heste senere, men det var aldrig nemt at finde netop de heste, jeg gerne ville have med hjem. Mange ture er det blevet til, og det har altid været en stor oplevelse.

What Should a Riding School Horse Be Like?

A few years ago, when I was a dealer, I had many amusing experiences. Both good and bad, but this particular time, we all had a big laugh. I mostly dealt with horses for riding schools in Hungary, which I then brought back to Sweden. There was a significant shortage of riding school horses in Sweden, which probably still exists. Riding schools want gentle, well-trained horses, which are hard to find at the right price in Sweden.

I looked at ads from Sweden before I traveled, but quickly realized that the horse they advertised was not always the one they had. There are places in Hungary where many gypsies live, and they have many horses. However, you need to be quite skilled at identifying what kind of horses they are, as you can easily be deceived. I always had an interpreter with me to feel safe in these areas. You can’t buy a horse with a card, so you need to carry a lot of cash if you want to trade with these people.

On the particular day I want to tell you about, I had two friends from Sweden with me. It was always fun to have friends along, as it was a long drive from Sweden to Hungary and back again. Good to have company and someone to talk to.

We had found some phone numbers that my interpreter, Tamas, called to find directions. It was quite a long way on bad roads, so time was passing, and we needed to hurry if we wanted to see several horses. Finally, we arrived, and as usual, I had the trailer with me, because if you found a good horse, you had to act quickly.

This man I found had many different horses of all sizes and breeds, and he brought out one after another that was not at all suitable as riding school horses. You have a model in your head and think they should be calm and gentle, ridden and preferably driven. Finally, he brought out a completely crazy horse that probably hadn’t been out for a very long time and proudly showed it off. After it had been rearing and galloping around on the longe line for five minutes, I asked Tamas if he could ask if he had any riding school horses. The last one was certainly very beautiful, but I didn’t have the time or money to buy untrained, overly energetic horses since I was looking for riding school horses.

The man thought for a bit but said he had an uncle who also had horses not far from him, and he might have more of what I needed. We all drove there to take a look. While the man was inside the stable leading out a horse for us to see, we talked outside a bit about horses in general and mentioned a stallion that was very popular at the time named Cor de la Bryere. The man came out of the stable with a big smile and a horse that was not under 25 years old, quite sway-backed, and had certainly seen its best days but was very calm (as we had asked for). “This one,” he said, “is by Cor de la Bryere,” and pointed at the poor horse, which you could easily take just because you felt sorry for it. We all looked at each other and started laughing out loud. We couldn’t stop. You must be a very good dealer to convince us that horse had such lineage.

We did find horses later, but it was never easy to find exactly the horses I wanted to bring home. Many trips were made, and it was always a great experience.

CAN A HORSE CHANGE PERSONALITY WHEN IT CHANGES LOCATION?

Recently, I have seen and heard many discussions about how long it can take for a horse to feel at home in a new place and how long it should take before one can use the horse, etc. We all agree that not all horses are the same, and even if a horse is well-behaved in a new place, it doesn’t mean it feels at home. I have discussed with many people, and in my opinion, one should count on approximately a year before being sure that the horse feels secure with its new owner and its new place. I know that horses move much more frequently than that, and many may not agree with me.

However, I have a funny story about thinking you know and understand your horse. Many years ago, I became the owner of a North Swedish stallion that I had from a foal and did everything with. When he turned two, I wanted to show him to see if he was worth keeping as a stallion because that was my wish. I had trained with him since he was little, and I had walked and run with him for kilometers to teach him to walk properly. I taught him to stand up, stand still, move one leg at a time, and I knew what I was doing. I had shown many horses at the appraisal and received prizes for it, so it was important to me that my own horse showed himself at his best. I was completely convinced that I could not have trained him more and was sure that the presentation would go well.

When we arrived at the showground and unloaded him, it was as if a devil possessed him. He went completely crazy! Screaming and striking with his front legs, rearing up, and throwing himself from side to side. We could barely hold him. I thought, I’ll walk him a bit so he calms down and gets to see the surroundings. He didn’t calm down… Eventually, we had to tie him between two trees, and there he stood screaming and fussing, completely wild. It was a while until he was supposed to be shown, and I thought he must calm down and get a little tired. He wasn’t a bit more tired or less wild when I was about to show him. He spent most of the time on his hind legs, and I really struggled to get him to do just a bit of what I had taught him. The worst part was when the judge was about to give his verdict on Kosack. He got very good scores on his conformation, but… then the judge said that he could imagine that the owner might have trained him a bit better at home!! I was on the verge of tears and completely exhausted.

Afterward, I took him to my job. I worked at High Chaparral at the time, so he got to learn to be among horses, people, steam engines, and much more, so he was as gentle as a lamb when we left there.

The following year, I showed him at the appraisal. He obeyed my slightest command, and he was approved.

Many factors influence a horse’s behavior, and we can never know when they will show a side different from the one we are used to. I have several stories about horses that change when they come to a new place and have received complaints from people who thought that it wasn’t the horse they bought. Give it plenty of time and get to know the horse before you start tinkering with it 🙂

The picture is from a newspaper when I got Kosack approved. It was not so comment then, that a woman owned a stallion:)

Csarli Made New Friends!

Throughout my life, I have had many horses, often several at a time. I have bred and sold horses, so there has always been a herd. Recently, I sold many of them, ensuring they found good homes, and for almost a year now, I’ve only had two. It felt empty, and I talked to some people about possibly getting another horse. On Tuesday, a lady contacted me. She had heard from my farrier that I might have room for another horse. They were about to send one to slaughter, and they felt sorry for him. They sent a picture, and I was sold. Everything happened so quickly because the transport to the slaughterhouse was coming that same day, and they offered to bring the horse to me instead. I was informed that he had a ligament injury, so he couldn’t be used as a riding horse, and I fully understood this. He had ring shoes and long toes because he was originally meant for slaughter. When he arrived, things were a bit chaotic. My two horses, who had been alone together, were not exactly ready to let a new one in, but Csarli was calm and stayed away. Luckily, I have a very large open stable, so they each took a spot in different ends, allowing him to settle after the journey.

This is when it’s fun to study the horses and their communication. In my small herd, Maersk is the boss, and Mercedes is “under” him. In this situation, it was Mercedes who stepped up to show Csarli that he shouldn’t come close. She lunged at him and squealed a few times. Maersk was almost neutral, watching Csarli from a distance. Now, it was Mercedes who protected Maersk from this brown intruder, and she was on high alert. After a while, when she realized he wasn’t dangerous, the lunges became less frequent. When they started to get curious about each other, she still intervened, not letting Csarli sniff Maersk.

On Friday, I had the farrier come to remove Csarli’s shoes and trim his hooves, and the others wanted to join. They had already become friends, though their interactions were still measured. Yesterday, they moved as a unit to the pasture (I watch them secretly), and they looked like they had always been together!

You learn a lot by studying horses and letting them go through their routines and rituals calmly. My horses spend most of the day inside (they have an open stable of 30×70 meters) and then graze at night when the horseflies and flies are asleep. Now, we will observe how Csarli moves on his legs and try to trim and adjust his hooves so that hopefully, he will walk a bit better. You can never know everything about horses, and it is as interesting to study them now as it was 50 years ago 🙂

Do you also study your horse/herd?

What’s Holding You Back?

We’re all human. Finding an excuse for why things didn’t turn out the way we wanted is natural. I’ve had many horses in my life and have learned a thing or two along the way. I’ve also been through a lot, and I am human too. Now, due to various circumstances, I only have two horses left. When horses are used to being in a herd, they rely on each other. I only have a paddock, which means if I ride one, the other gets upset and runs back and forth, affecting the one I’m riding, making it tense as well. Yes, it’s an excuse for not riding. You might think, “Can’t you take the other one as a lead horse?” (which I would have said myself). I’m almost always alone here, with no one to help if something happens, and the one I’m not riding is 18 years old and very stubborn. I see myself hanging on a string between the two horses. It’s also worth mentioning that the mare I have hasn’t been ridden since she was 4, as she has been a broodmare. She’s very sweet and well-handled, but it takes a long time to teach her anything (another excuse, as I have a lot to do).

I have a friend who loves horses but isn’t a very experienced rider, who wished to ride the mare, which could solve the problem. I would also have a riding companion. I knew this would mean a lot of work since we had to start from scratch with the mare, but why not? The problem is that I also have to teach my friend everything, like how to bridle, how to mount, and how to ride a horse that isn’t used to being ridden. So we started a bit with the bridle (we use a bitless bridle since she’s had dental issues), which she also needed to get used to, and now we’ve done a little bit of walking, bareback. I ride first, and the mare follows. She’s the type who stops when there are things she doesn’t understand, so we take it slow 🙂

We have now ridden a few times and are starting to think about putting a saddle on her and have tried one that might fit (I have plenty lying around from all the horses I’ve had), and she took that well too. My friend has been coming early in the morning because it’s very hot here, and now there’s yet another problem. The last time we were going to ride, there was an invasion of horseflies, and my horse went crazy. I understand him because it can’t be fun to be bitten by those, and there were many! The mare just stood still and refused to move. Now we’re going to try in the evening instead to see if there are fewer horseflies then.

In situations like these, it’s easy to give up. It becomes too troublesome to ride, and our brain tells us it’s not worth it. But what does the heart say? I’ve been riding all my life and don’t intend to stop now. You have to tell the universe that it has chosen the wrong person to irritate and that I will never give up 🙂

What’s holding you back?