Hello There
Wow it’s blowy today! While I think about it if you have a friend who might find these emails helpful do pass this on or get them to subscribe at www.intelligenthorsemanship.co.uk so they can receive the free groundwork exercises 🙂
Subject One ‘Tech’
‘Do you have a Whatsapp group for your horse(s) and/or yard? Here we have the ‘Hugo Family Fan Club’ group for Daisy, Jackie, my sister-in-law and me. This saves those messages having to go on the ‘Family Group’ as for some reason the males in the family are not as enamoured with hearing about Hugo as the female side of the family.
I share other practioners messages about Hugo on there. It’s day to day and it also keeps a helpful record.
There’s not a ‘Pie Fan Club’ group as his demographic still insist on texting.
Also on Whatsapp, Jackie, Daisy and I have a ‘Random Equine Education’ group. If we see something relevant on Facebook or Instagram, we can share it on to the Whatsapp group. And this applies to websites or anything really so we can put together interesting equine education.
In some of the professional yards; racing and dressage, for instance; they’ll have the trainer, vet, physio, other body workers, farrier, rider – all on a group per horse to make sure the information gets shared.
And then, of course, there are the livery yard groups with ‘Who didn’t push the muck heap back?’ etc
Subject Two ‘Working As A Team’
‘Sharing information’ reminds me, I saw on Facebook the other day someone in a dilemma as it seems their vet had suggested their horse would benefit from having his feet x-rayed but they felt they couldn’t do this as … It Might Offend the Farrier.
Honestly, I do get this, and it needs to be presented in a respectful way, but if you want the best for your horse everyone needs to be working together. Sometimes you need to make yourself think like a professional. Can you imagine getting your horse ready for the Olympics, you think something isn’t quite right but you can’t say anything because you have a Mr or Ms Super Sensitive on the team?
OK so our horses are not going to the Olympics (possibly) but does that mean their welfare is less important?
And that brings me to another important point (I’m on a roll this morning!) I used to advise people they need to find the best possible support in what they are doing. I haven’t changed my mind but I also now believe we all need to step up and learn as much as possible about issues that effect our horses (and ourselves) as otherwise it’s so hard to judge the best advice.
Note: And that’s why we’re doing our best here with all the webinars and education we’re making available – although to be honest it probably has as much to do with what I love learning about! Coming up …