It’s Always the Rider’s Fault… or is it?

One of the fondest memories I have of Karl Mikolka is a car ride taking him back to the Bed and Breakfast after a clinic day. I rode a client stallion that day that was feeling particularly emotional (if you ride stallions, you know what I mean). I told Karl how much I appreciated his help and told him I was glad the stallion acted up with him there to help. Karl became quiet and solemn. “That is one of the highest compliments you can give me.” I followed up with, “So many say ‘It’s always the rider’s fault’ in those situations. How is it my fault he was acting up? Sure, we can find fault with my responses not being perfect, but still it’s pretty discouraging.” Karl shrugged. “Sometimes the horse has a bad day, sometimes the rider has a bad day. Sometimes both have a bad day. It’s no one’s fault, you just deal with it.” He went on to say how he too was discouraged by that adage and found it defeating. Needless to say, that was a profound 15 minute car ride!

But wait, you might say, doesn’t that let the rider off scot-free? Heavens no! In fact, I’d like to change the saying to this: It’s always the rider’s responsibility.

The true meaning of the original phrase is that the horse is not trying to be bad. They are basically 1000lb toddlers; big emotions, little higher reasoning capacity. That doesn’t mean they’re not extremely intelligent; on the contrary! But what it does mean is that they have no guile. Usually, there is a simple reason for their actions, whether it is something we’re not communicating well or some other problem.

So rather than blaming the horse (“He’s just lazy,” “He’s so naughty,” “He’s mad I took him from his pasture five minutes early”) or even yourself (“I’m just a bad rider,” “I’m out of shape,” “I’m just not talented”), quantify the issue. What exactly is going on that you want to change? Most of the time, the issues boil down to one of two things: poor communication and a physical something.

Most of the time, communication errors come from the seat and position. I love a metaphor I once read that describes riders as “monkeys in a backpack.” It is very true. If our seats are “off,” we’re like a monkey in a backpack, pulling and leaning out of balance. So, it’s our responsibility to be nice, balanced monkeys.

Sometimes communication issues come from a previous issue. Horses remember things incredibly well, so if they learned not to be very forward or to ignore something out of self-preservation (or because that was how they were taught), we have to re-educate them clearly and effectively.

Physical issues can be a range of issues from equipment to an actual problem (kissing spine, PSSM, ulcers, whatever). It is the rider’s responsibility to make sure that they make sure there’s nothing underlying in those areas. And don’t stop with one expert! Get second opinions if solutions aren’t found.

No matter what, it is the rider’s responsibility to make things better for their horses, whether it is improving their communication or solving problems of saddle fit or veterinary issues. However, it doesn’t mean that it is always the rider’s fault; it’s not the rider’s fault if the horse has PSSM and requires a special diet, nor is it always the rider’s fault if the rider has a blockage with their seat. For it to be a fault, there has to be a certain level of intention from the rider, and therefore it can be the rider’s fault if they intentionally do something that may cause harm.

So if you’re finding yourself a bit defeated by that adage, try to change your thought process from considering it your “fault” to considering it your responsibility. You’ll find yourself in a much healthier mindset and therefore much freer to improve and progress if you can adopt this philosophy.

-Emily Wright