In one of my recent posts I said our goal here at Apple Treat Stables is to develop excellent horse people. So what is the difference between a horseman and a rider? A horseman is skilled in caring for and managing horses as well as riding.
We teach our riders to be “students of the horse” by example. Alisha and I have spent years with our horses observing and living with them, feeding and grazing them, camping with them, raising foals, and riding 1000’s of miles on trails as well as in arenas to develop our horseman skills. Horses communicate with each other and us using body language. We translate what the horse is showing us for our riders.
Our riders learn about running a barn and the horses individually by helping out around the barn. They learn how to lead a rambunctious horse to and from the pasture on a windy day. They may hold a horse for the farrier or the vet. They learn to watch the weather conditions; mainly wind and rain to keep the horses healthy. They learn that hay is fed by weight and some horse are “easy keepers” and others are “hard keepers”. At Apple Treat Stables we have a good variety of breeds, ages, and personalities of horses to learn from.
appletreatstables.com 