Category: News

Written by Amy 7th grade:

Horsemanship,

It’s both, because of this:

You have to know math in order to keep a horse, otherwise, financially you

would be broke, but spiritually, it is an art. You must feel the spiritual

bond of the horse, otherwise you will never enjoy the beauty of riding and

becoming one. You and the horse are a bond, a team, a herd. What some people

don’t get is that a horse is much more then an animal. (But animals are

beautiful and important people already aren’t they?)

Horses help people feel like they can do anything, people feel power when

they are with horses. But also what some people get confused with is that

horses are big animals, so they need to be controlled, show no mercy toward

them.

That’s sounds pretty stupid if you think about it. Horses are loving gentle

giants that are teaching people how to be disoplined and resourceful. (In my

case, horses are what get me outdoors.)

Horsemanship, you must think about the business, about also the horses. What

is your education on mathematics and spirituality on these powerful,

beautiful creatures.

That is what I think.

The subject has come up lately about bringing in new horses and selling others. I’ve been faced with students, parents and supporters who feel like this reduces our horses to commodities to be bought sold or traded at will. It seems like time to debunk this train of thought.

First, for every horse for whom we find a wonderful home, we are able to receive, rescue, care for another soul. The number of horses in America who end up at slaughterhouses is staggering. This year, the number of horses sent to slaughter in the US and Canada is expected to be 100,000. The work we do at Square Pegs is committed to be “one horse, one student at a time.” This is important work to us here.

Currently, with staff (that’s me) and volunteers at this level, the 9 horses we are caring for today is about all we can handle. This means that each horse is cared for, groomed, vaccinated, has regular vet and hoof care, special diets and exercise and lesson plans appropriate to their mental and physical needs are attended to. If you have spent any time at the barn, you know that there is ALWAYS work to be done. During the short days of winter, darkness seems to fall about 20 minutes too soon. Our board bill would make you cry. And our board just recently went up!

Continue reading “Horses as Family?”

We are on weather hold here on the coast again. It’s been pouring rain here today, except when it isn’t. The last month has been tough on us because this weather requires that we cancel lessons, and we never quite make them all up. That hurts program revenue and we’re still running pretty tight financially.

The bad weather also means extra work for us. The horses stll need exercise, and we have to be especially careful of blanketing and other care to be sure our buddies don’t all get sick.

Hopefully by next year we’ll have a covered arena, making us at least a little bit more weather-proof!