by Diane Nafis
IntroductionFirst let me introduce myself, the human half of the horse/rider partnership. I am Diane Nafis. I am 50 years old as I write (and about to add 1 to that figure), 4’ 11” tall, 100 lbs. and mother of 5 (grandmother of 6.) Until I was 47 years old I had only admired horses from afar.
In my entire life I had never been around horses or ridden and had only been on a few nose-to-tail trail rides as an adult, but I had loved horses from afar since I was a young girl. When I was a teen I spent my babysitting money to join the Arabian Society (the only horse organization I could afford.) and I dreamed. Then I grew up, raised a family and started a computer consulting company but never really lost that dream of horses.
About three years ago I answered a barter ad in a local throw away paper: clean 11 stalls two days per week in exchange for a riding lesson. The first thing I learned was how to clean a stall. Then by observation I picked up how to lead the horses, mix feed, groom and put on a saddle and bridle. I volunteered to do extra work around the horses and was taught to groom, take care of wounds and clean tack. This barter arrangement worked well for 4 months. Then the horse I was riding in my lessons (my dream horse) came up for sale when the girl who owned him went off to college. I was heartbroken that he was going to leave. THEN my husband Don went "behind my back" and I got my first horse as a surprise anniversary gift when I was 47 (two years ago) and our children were grown. Guess I had to learn to ride and to take care of the horse! This is my childhood dream coming true and I was scared witless of the awesome responsibility. I cried. I could not sleep for a week.
For the past two years I have concentrating on learning, learning, learning.
There is not just the art and skill of riding - and oh, by the way, what discipline? - but horse care and feeding, tack fitting and care plus so much more a young girl does not even consider when she dreams of having a horse!
I knew nothing! And here I was with an 11 year old thoroughbred gelding who stands 16h 2" and who only came with a ratty nylon halter. Luckily, he was at a private facility where I could continue - for a few months as it turned out - to exchange barn work for a weekly lesson. I paid board and Book was cared for exactly as he was before I owned him. The barn owner clued me in on things as she saw fit. There was no plan to her teaching. She told me when the farrier was coming and what it would cost. She told me that the dentist was coming and what that would cost. She told me that the horse needed immunizations and what that would cost. She let me borrow tack.
Then she had to tear down her 5 stall barn to make way for an indoor arena.
Book had to be moved and moved now!
PANIC!
I called the vet and asked for a recommendation. She put me in touch with someone who had some stalls open. This person had a trailer to move Book but no truck. My husband bought a used truck for me and we decided to move Book. This was when I learned I could not move a horse that did not have something called a "current coggins" which was issued by a vet who had to come out and take some blood from the horse. Called the vet. Done.Negative - this is good - coggins. I moved Book to a small private facility. There I learned quickly the worst ways to treat, feed and care for horses. Book lost weight. I had no guidance but no one seemed to care. About this time I fell off and broke 3 ribs! Luckily I had made friends with someone who worked at this barn, took lessons there but did not have a horse of her own. She looked after Book while I sat home for 8 weeks.
Once able to drive and ride again I looked into courses in feeding and caring for horses. I read everything I could get my hands on. I subscribed to magazines. My horse was not thriving and I had only an inkling why. Again luck was on my side. One of my instructors from school told me to call his wife. The facility where she had her horse had a stall open for a lesson horse, and maybe my horse would qualify. I called her and she took me on a tour of the most beautiful horse farm I had ever seen! I wanted my horse there and made arrangements for his "interviews." I was asked to ride him, then the owner of the new facility had a student of hers ride and then her daughter ride. Book was accepted and we moved him. He is now in horse heaven.
Here he was slowly changed over to an all-natural diet with a good vitamin supplement. He gained weight and found his place among his pasture mates. The lesson program was not (and is not) hard on him, the vet care is excellent, I have a terrific farrier and I am learning to ride effectively.
End to story? Absolutely not. Only the beginning, in fact.
I have chosen dressage as my discipline and centered riding as the tool but there are other choices I considered: balance seat and hunt seat, jumping and cross country, games and trails, gymnastics and exercises. I am still learning about feeding and fitness, grooming and maintenance, tack fitting and refitting, bitting, trailering, etc. This list is extensive and even includes such things as riding apparel for me, showing and training.
Meanwhile, through others I have been exposed to the problems of buying a horse (gosh was I ever lucky).
After almost three years Book and I are beginning to get somewhere as a partnership. Sure having other people ride him is slowing our progress but we trade that for being part of an excellent facility. I know what "leg" is and sometimes I can use it effectively. I am serious about entering some schooling shows in order to learn how to show. I have been fortunate in that I can devote time to my riding and I get out 5 or 6 days a week (two of those are lessons with a terrific trainer).
For discussion I think that choosing a riding instructor is one of the most important decisions a rider must make whether she owns a horse or just takes a lesson a week at a riding school. Riding apparel is important even for a once-a-week rider. More advanced topics are buying a horse, and choosing a boarding facility and learning to handle the horse on the ground for safety of both the human and the horse.
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