My horse used to be good, what happened? By Don Jessop

September 18, 2023

Have you ever heard of beginner's luck? Well, when it comes to horses it's actually real. And here's why...

When you meet a new horse for the first time. (Usually, not always.) Something happens to the horse, something called stage fright. When horse's experience something new they often freeze a little which gives a false impression of calmness. This misinterpreted experience is one of several reasons some riders claim their horse used to be good but can't figure out why they're not anymore.

Here's a fun poem I wrote to illustrate this phenomenon. "Day 1, day 2, we can do. Day 3, day 4, not anymore!"

Good trainers know you have to persist past the early novelty days of having a new horse, through the valleys of reality and back to a normal, safe place for everyone.

Here are a few other reasons horses can go from good to bad:

Physical lameness
Poor saddle fitting or bit fitting
Separation from friends
Change in temperature or seasonal changes
New stimulus inside their environment, such as a new horse, or construction project, or fence line
Change in body chemistry such as breeding cycles or associated nutritional factors

Good horses are not impossible to find, train, and enjoy. But even the best horses can become challenging for one reason or another. Good horse people are hyper aware of the potential pitfalls and address them line by line in order to optimize their horse's experience in our human world.

If you're struggling with a "Jackal and Hyde" type horse, one that's good one day and bad the next, reach out. Your first appointment is absolutely free. We are here to serve.

Thanks for reading.

Here's to your success!

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