Why bareback? Why Not!

Today we had a visit from Julien, the horse dentist.  When he gets the electric drill out and you see the horses’ teeth smoking, I can’t believe how brave they are.  Aly has to have the manual rasp, as he is genuinely fearful of the electric drill, but Pom and the Pie brace themselves stoically.

Julien’s regular visits and diet recommendations have really helped to reduce Aly’s predisposition to colic, and I set great store by his advice.  He travels to Newmarket, the Middle East, America and Australia to see to some very upmarket teeth, so we count ourselves lucky that he is a local boy and is faithful to his local clients. 

My current problem with Pom is that if he gets at all excited he pulls like a train.  I try every which way to keep a light hand and every trick in the book, (circling, shoulder in, half halts, etc.) to steady him, aiming in particular for a steady rhythm in walk. It’s a pace he performs balletically in the field when he thinks no-one’s looking – my dressage judge friend calls him, maybe ironically, Mr. Ballet Shoes – but we just ain’t got rhythm when I’m aboard.

When I bought Pom his previous owner donated the bit she’d been using;  a “Goyo” bit – like a Kimblewick, straight bar with shallow port, some leverage on the poll and curb chain – you see it worn by many Iberian horses.  I worried that it was quite severe, and tried him in a full-cheeked snaffle to be sure of steering.  His vision in one eye is slightly impaired, and I notice I have to choose footing more carefully when riding him on uneven terrain than with other horses.  However, there are times when I feel I’m only going to be safe if I use his old bit.

I thought – perhaps Julien will have pearls of wisdom to offer here!  He was chatting about visiting clients in Spain next week.  So I explained my concerns about using this strong bit and asked if it could be causing damage to the bars where it lies in Pom’s mouth.  What mysteries of Spanish horsemanship would Julien reveal…….? 

“Oh, Spanish horses – they all pull,” was his verdict!

                                                                   ****************

Forthright opinions are a French speciality.  Coming from an English background inhibited by politeness and avoiding causing offence at all costs (well, mostly!) even after 25 years living in France the direct approach sometimes takes me aback.  Everyone seems to have a strong opinion, and neither lack of expertise, nor even basic knowledge restrain the liberal distribution of unsollicited advice.  At an international level this Olympic degree of opinionatedness makes for a nation supremely confident in its own ways which brooks no argument or watering down by other cultures.   The result of this stubbornness is probably what makes the French way of life so unique and so very enviable!

The French, outside of the big cities (of which there are very few) don’t generally hold with funny foreign food or taking holidays outside the “hexagone” or at a pinch, the DOM-TOMs (overseas departments and territories, ie. ex-colonies).  Apart from pressing reasons of employment or study, few would be mad enough to move outside a country which does mountains, riviera, forests, farmland, coasts and cities, culture, cuisine and terroir like no other.  So the French can’t understand people who move outside their own country for no good reason.  Whilst it’s very flattering;  those of us strangers who come to live in France are never going to know how to do anything properly – the French way!

We genially suffered a fair amount of this when we were doing building work, on our own and other peoples’ houses, but the same applies when it comes to horses.  Just one example of many;  the guy who came to read the electricity meter asked if the crate of apples he saw in the barn was for the horses.  “You must cut them up very carefully, or the horses could get apples stuck in their throats” he warned us seriously. 

                                                                   *******************

So, why bareback?

I reflect upon the conundrum, (to simplify):  Spanish horses pull/typical Spanish bits are lever/curb action affairs.  The wonderful “wound-up spring” of curbed power which Iberian horses present in action is surely a much more subtle matter of training.   However, though I feel pretty secure on Pom when fully equipped with saddle and bridle, it’s obvious he doesn’t feel completely secure with me up top.

Fifteen months into our relationship, we’ve overcome our initial misgivings and my bet on Pom – initially insecure and aggressive – was that almost overpowering him with kindness and security would surprise him into giving back the same.  On the ground, I’ve been lucky;  an instinctive strategy worked.

Now I need him to be confident in me when I ride him.  It’s almost worse than riding a green horse.  It’s evident he’s had very little training, but what he has had seems to have been negative.  I’m no training expert, but I’m learning my horse. And my horse bows to his bit, but he’s neither relaxed nor happy when wearing it.

After the dentist and an afternoon break, Pom was willing enough to be caught and led down to our schooling area, now ideal going after a few warm, dry days.  Kind husband gave me a leg up and, bareback, in just an ordinary headcollar with a long cord attached to either side of the noseband, we just worked our walk and trot, moving the quarters around, bending and circling, stopping and starting;  hopefully making it a pleasure for us both, and finishing before we got bored.  Just getting a closer feel for each other.  And he didn’t get excited and he didn’t attempt to get away ….    It’s a stage on the road to mutual confidence and I hope we can build on that.

I have no idea if this is anybody else’s, or expert’s way of training.  I am willing to listen to anyone who has advice to give on being at one with your horse – and the internet is so wonderful in enabling us to access so many experts with so many opinions. A bit like religions, they can’t all be right, so until I find a “live” instructor who is right for us, we’ll have to carry on following our instinct (we’ll be keeping the bareback stuff at home) and a pick-and-mix of all the experts out there – a huge thanks for your generosity! 

I don’t know exactly why, but Jimmy Cliff’s “Many Rivers to Cross” seems a good theme tonight. 

May the horse be with you,   Cav’a