There is a bit of a plague on Instagram & other social media. It looks fun & maybe harmless but it’s actually super horrendous & the exact opposite of horsemanship.
I am not sure whether to call it the “Let’s Crank Up The Gymnastic Line For A Good Insta Pic” or the “Maybe If I Just Gallop To A Jump That’s Way Too Big For My Horse & Me & Neither Of Us Dies, I Will Get 1,000 Likes”. I have other names as well but this is a family blog…
First let me say that whatever level you are at, you can be proud of doing it to the best of your abilities. Even if it’s “just” a cross rail but your heels are down, your eyes are up & your are giving your horse a sympathetic crest release I will throw your post a Like & I may even comment something like, “Keep up the great work!” In my mind, a beginner jumping a small jump well is every bit as impressive as someone with decades of experience jumping a huge jump. Each is an admirable goal & should be celebrated.
A gymnastic line, like the one above, is among other things, to build confidence & perfect one’s position & to teach the horse rhythm, balance & help his technique over the fence. It should be a calm & methodical experience for both horse & rider. When done Insta-Improperly, it can teach poor position & can scare &/or hurt both horse & rider, although I must say that my heart will only hurt for one of them…
Not so nice to say? Yup but think about it- our relationships with horses is based on consistency & trust & that type of “schooling” (because we are schooling our horses every time we are on & around them) is a big fat lie to the animals who depend on us for their well being. Is losing that trust really worth 1,000 Likes? I don’t InstaThinkSo.
