13/09/2026
We are not entitled to ride our horses.
Not because we bought them.
Not because we pay for them.
Not because they were “bought to do a job”.
Not because we’ve spent £200 on a lesson, entered the competition, booked the clinic or driven three hours to get there.
None of that gives us an automatic right to get on their back.
If a horse is uncomfortable, frightened, overwhelmed, unwell, poorly prepared or simply not coping with what we’re asking, then our plans are irrelevant.
And I think the horse world still has a real problem with this.
We are very quick to say a horse is being difficult, lazy, stubborn, taking the p**s, testing us, napping, refusing or “just needs to get on with it”.
Far slower to ask whether we should actually be asking in the first place.
Of course horses need education. Of course they can learn confidence, boundaries and new skills. This is not about wrapping every horse in cotton wool or deciding that any sign of reluctance means we never ride again.
It is about recognising that ownership does not equal entitlement.
A horse is not a piece of sporting equipment that happens to need feeding.
They are a living animal whose body, comfort and emotional state should matter more than whether today’s session goes to plan.
Sometimes good horsemanship looks like getting on and working through something.
Sometimes good horsemanship looks like getting off.
Sometimes its not riding at all.
And knowing the difference matters.
I love riding but I also want horses to have long, enjoyable lives where they are comfortable & sound.
I don’t think “I pay for this horse” is ever a good enough reason to override what the horse in front of us is telling us.
I think the horse world still struggles with this. 👀🐴
