“Ditches & Dilemmas” – Email 3

Hello ,

Well … I left you with Pie galloping through the woods to Black Beauty music – did it bring back memories?

How did you keep your horses at that time? Did they have canvas NZ rugs and jute stable rugs? Or am I going back far too long?! Do you remember Angel Delight? Do people still eat Black Forest Gateaux? Were you hooked on Dallas as well?

I also left you with Hugo saying NO to the ditch.

Things I’ve changed my mind about (gradually): Food in Training is the first lesson on my Horse Psychology course and there are definitely very good uses of food as a positive reinforcement in teaching horses new behaviours.

However, I do warn against unintended consequences, which I feel is an Intelligent Horsemanship strength – not everyone says ‘oh yeah did I just warn you that …’

When Hugo came he would bite – properly bite and he was very defensive about his food. He kicked a hole in the stable wall so we had to have it padded so he didn’t do more damage to himself.

For the full story about his rehab read the Spring/Summer IH Magazine 2025.

Just as he seemed to get out of the habit of biting, someone gave him a polo and he started biting again immediately.

The biting habit has pretty much gone now and I’m cautiously using food in a manger – well away from my body, as an incentive and positive reinforcement for him.

You can see the full ditch story on the IH Members videos (Well it will be up in a couple of days!). It wasn’t that easy to convince him it was safe but it was interesting to watch him trust the process, first on the ground and then ridden.

Here you see the first ridden attempt …

We’re making it a regular practise to jump the ditch when he comes in from a ride now. He actually jumped a ditch on his first Fun Ride since his operation and rehab – Yey!.

More on the Fun Ride in my next email !

Meanwhile what do you think he’s saying to Pie here?!

Finally well-done Sarah Martin for winning last months members prize for a £200 pair of Ariat Western Boots… generously sponsored by Ariat (such great clothing and boots!)

What horse person isn't a geek regarding pasture management? IH Members don't forget to sign up for next months prize draw which is sponsored by Meadow Mania who wrote such a useful article on helping to prevent laminitis in the last IH Magazine.

I promised these personal notes would be short so must go now!

Lots of Love

Kelly x