Restarting Eddie’s Education

Eddie is a 6yrs old Thoroughbred gelding who was bred to race but had to retire due to an injury. He can still be ridden following treatment but is not allowed to do any jumping.

Eddie was brought by his current owner who had ambitions of doing a little dressage but when a surprise pregnancy happened she had to change her plans.

Eddie was then put out to pasture and allowed to chill out and mature.

In May of this year, I placed an advert on social media asking for another horse to ride. Eddie’s owner contacted me and the rest they say is history.

After our initial meeting, we soon realised that what she wanted from Eddie was what I was looking for so it was agreed that I’d trial him and we would go from there.

I spent the next few weeks getting to know Eddie, his owner and his routine. We bonded by having regular on the ground contact and grooming sessions.

It is my belief that we shouldn’t just jump straight on a horse and bomb it around a ménage.

Obviously, if you’re in the business of buying and selling horses then the scenario is different but this was/is a relationship that needs trust and honesty and that builds up over time not over night.

So, by visiting regularly, grooming, playing and walking with your horse they start to build trust with you and create the much wanted bond.

The next stage we have got to now is the lunging stage.

I certainly don’t profess to know everything there is to educating a horse or that what I am doing is 100% accurate but I give it a good shot and happy to receive constructive criticism from the more experienced.

So for the first couple of session, I basically started to lunge Eddie on a 20 meter circle for just 10 minutes on each rein using a standard lunge cavesson, lunge rein, and lunge whip.

I also used brushing boots on both front and back legs as well as over reach boots, because they both act as protection and support for the legs and the heels whilst being lunged.

Now I have swapped the lunge cavesson for a snaffle bridle to get Eddie used to having a bit in his mouth again.

He was a little fresh the first time I lunged him in his bridle but that may be due to the difference in the grass as the season changes and not necessarily the use of his bit but who knows.