Riding the Rehab Tide

Ride the rehab tide

Are you riding the rehab tide? Are you in one of the dips , Plato’s or highs

Anyone that has or is experiencing rehab will know what a rollercoaster it is.

It’s finds you in many forms, when you’re at your wits ends with your horse, and a diagnosis answers or enlightens your recent worries. You might take on a rescue that needs rehabbing. It’s very common for me that behavioural cases come to me, and we find it’s pain and will require rehab.

You might be riding the rehab wave of rehabbing the mind, when a horse has suffered under the hands of humans and has lost trust, the wave of rehabbing the mind can be tough, like us, we don’t just get over things that have been tough, we can be doing well and something can remind us and set us back , it’s the same for horses.

Rehab can be be overwhelming, lonely, scary, dangerous, frustrating, disheartening, heartbreaking and keeping it real - fam right soul destroying at times yet it can also be

Rewarding, promising, empowering, educational, fulfilling, warms the heart, brings closeness and connection between you and your horse.

As we dive into the world of horse ownership, we also sign up to becoming the best owner we can for our horses, not just settling because we’re told something by someone that it’s gospel.

It’s our responsibility to read, research , ask questions - trust your gut and intuition.

Other professionals may hate me saying ask questions , but I love it when clients do, not just following thoughtlessly. Sometimes we may even not agree, I’ll always respect what someone wants to do for their horse even if I’d do it differently. Might mean I can’t help etc, but that’s ok . It’s important to be true to ourselves for both parties.

If something tells you get a second opinion - do. I’ve been baffled by incredible “talk” that sounds scientific, backed with research blah blah blah, and yes I have regretted not trusting my gut sooner, to get that second opinion , I know I would now, as despite the big words, the “research” - my gut was right.

It’s your second brain - trust it.

Equally you can’t buy experience, and knowing … sometimes people need to make their own experience and other times they will look for yours.

Rehab takes a village. Riding it solo will be tough and lonely

Reach out to those you trust around you for your horse.

I’m always so thankful to the incredible team that supports mine and clients horses and riding out the waves together , it’s never just me, it’s the body workers, healers, farrier, water treadmill, the training, the studying , the oils, crystals and friends around you - that will help you ride out the waves.

I don’t offer a super structured programme for rehabs as I find they don’t take into account just how much changeability rehabbing requires.

I’ll give a gauge of what to be doing what weeks but it’s a more, don’t do X until they can do Y etc.

Daily rehab programs don’t take into account days the horse feels tired or has over done it in the field etc, or just an off day.

Having a plan that’s super flexible is vital to have a successful rehab . It might take longer than an on paper plan, but the results will be solid and developed rather than just done as it was on the plan.

Stay listening to the horse, know your small goals to work towards, but never stop listening. Rehab is rarely plain sailing … play and ride for softness always. No matter if you’re rehabbing or not.