Trouble at the stable

The last few weeks has been abit weird if I may say so. Before I got Bosco I was used to horses kept in stables and with shoes. Now, Bosco was barefoot when I bought him, and has been so all his life so there is no reason to shoe him. He has also been kept outside in a paddock all day, all year round and I didn't want to change this because he is more comfertable living outside in a herd.

Anyway, when I got Bosco I knew I had to find another place to keep him. None of the places I have kept horses before, keep horses outside and in a herd, so I had to look elsewhere. I got lots of tips from other people who also have their horses outside and finally I found a nice place.

Bosco, loose in the arena

This place was at the other side of Oslo, but it doesn't take me extra time to get there so I'm happy. The horses are kept in two different herds, one for the fat horses and one for the horses that are able to limit their eating. In other words, one fat herd and one thin herd. They got a big area indoors where you can groom your horse and give extra food if they need it. There are 4 stalls and a few places where you can tie up your horse. There are also a few places outside where you can tie them up. We also got a "washing booth" in a separate room. The thing I like the most about this place is all the people, mostly grown ups who only care for their horses and their well being.

Bosco in the indoor area

Now, on to the thing that troubles me. We got one of the best arenas in the area, and I think we got 3 different instructors on a weekly basis. Last week there was a note in the stables that said that after the 21st of june, there would only be one instructor. If we wanted to take lessons from someone else we would have to ask this person and he/she could say yes or no. And there would be a 3 month quarantine where only this instructor would have lessons, noone else. Apperantly there has been some discussions before I arrived at the stables about different training methods and that some people are cruel to their horses because of the way they train them. This has led to some bad mouthing and some people has felt they have been looked down upon. That is why they want this quarantine, to calm things down.

First of all, I really don't care which training methods other people use, I might not like them, but thats my buissness. Secondly, I have never met a single instructor everyone likes. There will always be someone who doesn't agree or just don't like the way they do things and that is why I dont get why they want to keep just one instructor at this place. I have nothing against this instructor personally, but when someone comes and says she is really good and uses techniques she apperantly has invented her self, there is a red blinking light going "DINGDINGDING" in my head at least. She has no educaution when it comes to riding or instructing and from what I can tell, she does not ride for instruction.

One of the reasons I moved to this place was to be able to train for Pelle on a weekly basis. This has worked perfectly and the other instructors have lessons on different days so nothing is colliding. Since everything is going smoothly the way it is I really dont get why they want to close down the stables for any other instructors. If she is having a hard time getting students, this is not the way to do it! This is practically pushing people away.

We had a meeting today where everyone exept the stable owner agreed that we wanted the opportunety to choose who we wanted to ride for. Now she got until monday to come up with a set of new houserules, and if she keeps the 3 month quaranteene, quite a few of us will move out. I have no intention of being controlled by someone else, I want to choose whats best for me and my horse and I can not see why they want to do it this way. But its their stable and they get to set the rules, I just think its sad if we have to move since we are really happy with the way things are.

Now I just have to wait until monday to see if I have to start looking for a new place. I don't want to go all summer without being able to have any lessons and the summer is the highseason for us who got outdoor horses, I want to use it!

On another note, since Bosco pulled a "wolfs tooth" the previous week, I have been riding with a cavesson. It's not going great. He is not comfertable with the pressure and I'm not comfertable with the little control I seem to have with it. The good thing about it is that I have to ride with my seat, if i cheat he wont work. When I really focus, he is working aceptable, not great, but its ok. Main problem is me, as usual. I just really hope he wont have much problems afterwards and that I can go back to riding with the bridle soon. The vet told me to check the wound in his mouth, but that's not easy when he keeps throwing his head about every time I try to look inside.

Perhaps a bit too much complaining in this blog, but I just had to get it out. I'll keep you updated on how things are progressing.

Signing off with another picture, just because he is so cute !

He will soon has lost all of his winter coat, can't wait!