As a warning, this is a little off topic from any happenings with Twisted Sisters or our horse, but it does share relevance to the overall scheme of our endeavors.  From time to time, I might share with you some things I come across that baffle me, shock me,  or things I might struggle to understand.  This leaves a wide variety of topics open for discussion, and this is one of those times.

As part of the AOT world now (Amateur Owner Trainer for those unfamiliar with the acronym), I look at a wide variety of things online and I know Cindy does too.  I stalk forums and tack swap sites and I look for advice from those more experienced than myself. I am not too proud to ask for help and I am not above gathering tips from other experienced horse people. Gathering as much information and knowledge as we can will only aide our success with Fizzy. However, every now and again, I run across something that just blows my mind!  Today was one of those days.

Now, if you have read my background, you know that I have been around horses essentially all my life.  I have seen a lot and done a lot, and I would never, EVER take on this challenge of AOT if I didn’t feel educated and capable enough to handle it.  I know that Cindy feels the same way.  She and I both have a great deal of experience working with horses, so I feel comfortable and confident that we will be successful. I would never subject Fizzy to the kind of incompetence that some people subject their poor horses to.  You know when you hear people say there is no such thing as a stupid question?  Well, those people are wrong. There is, in fact, such a thing as a stupid question and here it is:

SERIOUSLY?  If you need to ASK what type of bit would be good to START a horse, maybe you should consider seeking professional help. Nix that, you SHOULD, by all means, seek professional help. Not only for the safety and well being of your horse but for yours as well. And by God, if you are unsure what a snaffle bit is, then I would venture to say you need a LOT of professional help before you should be working with horses on your own.  Do yourself a favor, and take the time to educate yourself and learn from experienced horse people as the rest of us have done.

This isn’t to discourage anyone from trying to learn.  I encourage everyone who is willing to love horses and learn the sport, but, let’s face the facts here people.  If you can’t identify even the most basic equipment, It’s probably not likely that you’ll be successful in trying to “start to train” a horse by yourself.  You will ruin your horse, you will ruin your love for them, and your desire to ride.  You will ruin your chance to be a part of something amazing, something fulfilling, something incredible.  Do yourself a favor and find a trustworthy trainer and allow them to help you learn, have good experiences, and enjoy your horse the way you are supposed to.

On that note, I will leave you with this gem: