Opinion Piece - Making and Monitoring Progress
This little piece of writing was inspired by a thought I had recently after dismounting from my horse, Hamish, after a ride.
For background - Hamish is a 15.1hh Arabian X 12 year old gelding who has done “not much” in his life. He did a bit of low-level endurance as a younger horse after being broken in at 4, before becoming a kids pony clubber, and then ending up with me.
Despite this existence of doing “not much,” Hamish has many issues. These include (but are not limited to):
Moderate bilateral hock osteoarthritis (with his lower joints on the way to fusing)
Moderate fetlock arthritis in all four limbs
Moderate bilateral carpal arthritis
Desmopathy of the supraspinous ligament with some entheseous and osseous change (“kissing spines” in his lumbar spine)
Sidebone in both front feet
Hamish has never been perfectly sound in the almost-year that I have owned him. I am up to 3 lameness examinations, multiple joint injections and regular speed bumps in his workload (including both his and my own periodic “unsoundness”!)
As I was dismounting the other day, I frustratingly thought to myself that he Hamish still didn’t feel perfectly “sound” despite everything I have been doing to help treat him.
I thought back to all of the horses that I have been a part of their journey (as a veterinarian or a rider) and reflected that each had their own niggles/issues to contend with, and realised I couldn’t recall the last time I saw a perfectly sound horse - so why did I expect Hamish to be any different?
I reflected back to what Hamish was like when I first bought him, remembering his severe anxiety and fidgeting in the tie up area, moving away when he saw the saddle, his overdeveloped trapezius muscles, his severe topline bracing, and fascial binding over his neck. I recalled that he couldn’t strike off on the correct canter lead on the right, and that he couldn’t offer extension in any of his paces.
Despite his many flaws and niggles, Hamish is now offering extension by himself, consistently picks up the correct lead, has changed his shape and developed his topline and neck musculature considerably, and most importantly - is a much happier horse who no longer gets anxiety when tied up in the saddling area, and runs up to the gate when you call his name.
This made me realise the following:
“Don’t compare your horse to the “ideal horse.” Compare them to themselves and how they used to be.”
Getting stuck in ideals and how your horse “should be” is a surefire way to feel like everything is lost, and that things aren’t working. But if you can stop and look back on what was, compared to what is now, the picture becomes a lot brighter.
Above: Hamish pictured in November 2022 (left), compared to May 2023 (right). Note the significant change in the shape/angle of his back (lifted) and increase in neck musculature.
Monitoring progress is so important to feel like you are making steps in the right direction. So here’s some tips from me to you:
Take photos
Get photos of your horse in the same stance (ideally standing somewhat square, on a flat level surface.) Look back and you will see changes in posture, fascial tone, muscle development. If you can’t see it - ask your vet/massage therapist/farrier to have a look!
Video your riding
Comparing yourself from A to B is a great way to see all the ways that you have improved as a rider, and how your improvement has impacted your horse’s improvement. Horse and rider are inextricably linked and we influence each other greatly.
Notice the little things
Small changes in posture/stance/habits can be a huge indicator of positive change. For example, Hamish used to fidget constantly when tied (anxiety) and would move away when he saw the saddle coming. I think a large part of this was the expectation of pain during ridden work. Now he will stand quite happily for extended periods of time and is happy to be saddled.
Get an experienced eye to help you see the changes
My instructor is a huge support to me. Her experienced eye for the “academia” of riding helps me to connect the dots between my anatomical/veterinary brain and how it translates to improvements in my schooling.
Similarly, I have had clients remark that their horse’s bodyworker has commented on huge improvements in the horse’s body after we have pursued veterinary treatments (such as pain relief, arthritis medications or joint medication.)
Having experienced people on your team can help you to notice improvements that you wouldn’t have observed without their help.
If you can try and implement these ways to monitor progress, you will soon find that you start to see how far you and your horse have come from where you were even 3 months ago. And finally to end off with a very true and very relevant motivational quote:
“Don’t let perfect be the enemy of the good.”