I am Michelle, and this is my heart-horse, Gambit.
Gambit is a 12 year old 15hh QH cross gelding with looks to die for, and eyelashes that will melt your heart. Gambit and I have been together since Christmas Eve 2016, and what a journey!!
I fell in love with him the moment I met him, and bought him as a Christmas present from me, to me.
Within the first 15 minutes of our first ride, I had established that along with those good looks, came a multitude of other issues – the first being NO BRAKES and the second being a BUCK that’s fit in a rodeo ring. And his ground manners were appalling!! So, not being too concerned, I started lungeing him before riding, put him in a stronger bit and carried on. And he carried on being pushy and anxious and dramatic, he still had “iffy” brakes and threw the occasional rodeo-style tantrum.
Fast-forward a year or so, and the yard I stabled at had their first natural horsemanship clinic. After a morning spent on groundwork, I was quite horrified to learn that I would have to ride Mr No-Brakes-Bucking-Bronco in a rope halter that afternoon. It was a huge moment of enlightenment when he didn’t put a foot wrong, stopped and turned when he was asked – and he was relaxed and there was no bucking. I learnt more about horses, and why they do the things they do on that day, that I had ever learnt in my life (and I’ve been around horses since I was six years old).
Since then, I have been actively using the natural horsemanship techniques, and Gambit and I have built up a strong partnership. He still has his quirky moments (which make for good stories which I will share in future posts), but the majority of the time he’s sweet, sensible and I’m not scared of being bucked off or bolted with. He will always be a brave, forward-going horse, but now we can go for long, fast gallops which are safe because he stops when I ask him to.
We have a long way to go, but I’m happy with how far we have come, and I’m very excited for the rest of this journey.
I am Michelle, and this is my heart-horse, Gambit.
Gambit is a 12 year old 15hh QH cross gelding with looks to die for, and eyelashes that will melt your heart. Gambit and I have been together since Christmas Eve 2016, and what a journey!!
I fell in love with him the moment I met him, and bought him as a Christmas present from me, to me.
Within the first 15 minutes of our first ride, I had established that along with those good looks, came a multitude of other issues – the first being NO BRAKES and the second being a BUCK that’s fit in a rodeo ring. And his ground manners were appalling!! So, not being too concerned, I started lungeing him before riding, put him in a stronger bit and carried on. And he carried on being pushy and anxious and dramatic, he still had “iffy” brakes and threw the occasional rodeo-style tantrum.
Fast-forward a year or so, and the yard I stabled at had their first natural horsemanship clinic. After a morning spent on groundwork, I was quite horrified to learn that I would have to ride Mr No-Brakes-Bucking-Bronco in a rope halter that afternoon. It was a huge moment of enlightenment when he didn’t put a foot wrong, stopped and turned when he was asked – and he was relaxed and there was no bucking. I learnt more about horses, and why they do the things they do on that day, that I had ever learnt in my life (and I’ve been around horses since I was six years old).
Since then, I have been actively using the natural horsemanship techniques, and Gambit and I have built up a strong partnership. He still has his quirky moments (which make for good stories which I will share in future posts), but the majority of the time he’s sweet, sensible and I’m not scared of being bucked off or bolted with. He will always be a brave, forward-going horse, but now we can go for long, fast gallops which are safe because he stops when I ask him to.
We have a long way to go, but I’m happy with how far we have come, and I’m very excited for the rest of this journey.
“When I bestride him, I soar, I am a hawk.
He trots the air, the earth sings when he touches it.”
– WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
“When I bestride him, I soar, I am a hawk.
He trots the air, the earth sings when he touches it.”
– WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
