God Bless The Lesson Horse

I have this one super sweet old guy. He really has the most kind, gentle heart. He doesn’t know that I don’t own him; all he knows is every morning I come down to the barn, I serve him a specially formulated breakfast of special feeds, supplements, medications and water. With his age, his teeth have worn, he no longer chews and swallows as a young gelding. He served many special years as a show gelding for his owner. During retirement he has faithfully served an even more special role as a lesson horse. Without our beloved lesson horses our equine industry (as we know it) would vanish into a memory. Our lesson horses are how we introduce new riders, new kids and adults, to this amazing industry. It’s where the weird kid, the quiet kid, the ugly kid, the obnoxious kid, the jocks and ballerines all can come together and find common ground - where everyone is accepted and respected [at least in my barn]. And the one thing these kids all immediately bond over: the lesson horses. The old horse in the barn who fondly receives gentle pets and extra treats, he is a pillar of my program and the foundation our great industry is built upon. Appreciate your lesson horses, appreciate your trainer for finding the most special collection of unicorns and treating them all with their special (sometimes old horse), quirky needs. My old guy trusts that I will give him what he needs and in return he will give me (and all who meet him) his heart in return. And at the end of every night I will kiss his nose and tell him goodnight before closing the barn - this much he knows.