Page 26 - Libro_MariaA_26agosto

María Alejandra Ramelli

about how boring it must be to spend 23 hours inside a box when your natural in-
clination is to be grazing and running outside. One of my grooms once commented
that he can perceive when horses don’t want to come back to their stall. He said
that they are usually happier in a paddock than inside a box. And, he’s right.

I remember a very sad case of
a man who gave her daughter a
pony for Christmas. During the
first months, the little girl was so
happy with her new pony. Howe-
ver, after a while, the girl ran out
of charm with her pony, and no
one would take the pony out for
a walk. She would spend the enti-
re day inside her boring stall. If it
wasn’t for a friend and I who star-
ted taking her out every day, that
pony would’ve died of laminitis
and even boredom. So, always
keep in mind that your horse’s
needs will not diminish if your
interest does.

Although 24 hour turn out is not always an option, the most appropriate and
natural solution would be to take your horse out at least twice a day. Even if the
weather is bad, walking outside for half an hour would make your horse hap-
pier. There will be days where you have to give up other things you like such
as hanging out with friends or even sleeping to put your horse’s needs first. It
is not uncommon for a horse to beco-
me ill or injured a few days before an
important competition, and there will
be many shows that you will have to
give up because your horse is under the
weather; that is called teamwork. You
can’t compete if your teammate isn’t up
for competition.

If you are planning on purchasing a
horse, keep in mind that the price you
pay for your horse is just a little piece
of the horse-ownership-cake. Consider
everything you have to pay for to keep

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