Recently, I officially retired my mare Diva from riding at age 25. She had started showing signs that riding was no longer a comfortable or enjoyable experience. I noticed her topline dropping and her hind end becoming stiffer (which was confirmed as the early stages of hock arthritis in her left hind). In general, Diva’s body was no longer receiving a benefit from being ridden. I decided I am not comfortable medicating my horse so that I can ride her.

In another of my horse training articles, I discussed how tension impacts not only the horse’s well-being but also the overall training experience. In this article, I’d like to share a few strategies aimed at encouraging relaxation when a horse becomes overwhelmed.

Do you sometimes yourself leaving the mounting block, fixing your stirrups, and unsure of what to focus on in your next training session? When your coach asks about your progress since your last lesson, do you often admit that you’ve mostly just been riding without a clear goal in mind?

My introduction to horses came through ranch work. I was earning my keep in the saddle, riding horses owned by the outfit I worked for. At the time, I assumed logging long hours on horseback meant I was skilled. The truth? I was riding animals that were considered "broke" by ranch standards.