Linzi Hardingham B.H.S.A.I

Hello everyone. Long time no speak.
I just want you all to know how sorry I am that I've been unavailable for so long. It never was my intention but unfortunately due to several factors in my personal life, I have genuinly just not had the capacity to take any freelance work on.
For many reasons it's been a pretty crappy time.(putting it mildly)

-on more positive notes, I am pleased to report that my mum is padding determinedly onwards on the road to health after her cancer treatment.
My son has made me so proud and is adjusting well to all the changes that have been thrown at him. He makes us laugh everyday.

Our horses have not had the exercise and adventure we would of wanted through this time but they are happy with their life and little routine.

Mum has started to set up her equine wellness sessions using them to help people in need. It's been really interesting to watch and we feel the horses get a lot out of it as well as the humans.

I'm not quite there yet with being able to put myself out there but I do see a light at the end of the tunnel.
I wish everyone of you and your horses the best and I do miss you all.
Would love any updates on how you are doing if and when you have the time.

Love
Linz. X

Hello everyone. Unfortunately I have some pressing family stuff going on at the moment so I may be tricky to get hold of for the next week or so.
I appreciate your understanding and patience and I hope to get back to things 100%as soon as possible.

I had a lovely little Highland guest to stay for a week!
Dougal settled in beautifully and Jack in particular was super sad to see him go at the end.

Jo wanted her pony to have a little bit of an education top up.
Doog's had up till now been hacking out but still learning about canter leads and school work.

Its always amazing how fast green horses way of going can Improve with the introduction of basic focused forward transitions, circles, lateral work and straightness.

His rider has an old injury and part of my job was to bring on the canter and introduce a few simple small jumps in a way that would encourage the pony to become more balanced and forwards, behaving positively but fairly calmly.

Dougal and Jo's aim for this summer is to attend lots of fun rides and pop some logs!

I was super pleased with him. Like many natives, there is a lot going on in that noggin and he soaked up the lessons like a sponge.

I think they have a fun summer ahead of them and it was lovely to be able to help them towards their goals.

It was great to see Gabby and her horse Jack again today for a jump session.
(Gabby is obviously honoured that I named my son after her horse😄)
After the lesson we had a catch up.
Jane reminded me I first started teaching her daughter when she was 8 years old on her cheeky 12.2h Charlie. Gabby has now finished her A levels and will be off to study law at University 😱
I think that is amazing! But oh my goodness I suddenly feel a bit old!!

My maternity leave is over.
What a year it has been!
I came home from my first day back at Discovery to be greeted by jack and Nanny waiting with some "wowers" according to Jack🙂

Leadership.

(This may not be written the best as I'm attempting to keep a hyper toddler alive so apologies and please bear with!)

I often feel sad when I see or hear of people feeling they have to show Leadership to their horse by dominating. That they have to MAKE horses respect them.

I've come across posts recently calling for us equestrians to become "the boss bitch" or stuff along the lines of treating horses as they treat each other with chasing and threatening behaviour.

For me there are many ways of being a leader of any kind, whether you are horse or human.

-Having observed and cared for horses for many years I can tell you that as long as horses basic needs are met such as space, company, food, shelter, they don't need to communicate in the more hard core sense by threatening and chasing each other.
Much as we can shout and threaten but in a normal everyday situation we wouldn't dream of it or feel the need to.

It saddens me that in this day and age some may still feel that to achieve a working relationship with any horse they must start by chasing it around and getting it on the back foot.

I often think of the horseman and author Mark Rashid. Who teaches us to think about working to become the leader that people and horses want to follow.

I have witnessed this with horses in the herds I have cared for.
When something is wrong, its the more calm and confident horse that others look to. The overbearing dominant ones are steered clear of.
If you have a stable reliable leader, the herd is much the same.
If you have a dominating, anxious, insecure leader, the herd is much the same.

When I watch and try to feel out situations with horses I'm going to work with, I look at their energy and try to be what they need.
I also try to flip things around and take a look in the mirror at myself. I think about the type of leader I would want for myself.

You won't get the best out of me by coming straight at me and barking orders until I'm on the back foot unsure of what comes next.
To get the best out of me, a leader needs to be calm and communicate well. To prepare me before they ask of me, to be positive and let me know when I've done well, to let me know right away when I'm off track and patiently redirect me.

When I first meet a human leader I'm appreciative of the ones who take time to get to know me and build a relationship of trust.
I would not be relaxed and build confidence and trust with someone whose first step upon meeting me is to dominate until I respond without question.
Questioning is how I learn. I need time to think and process.
When I am working with a horse, I treat them in this way too.

I guess what I am trying to say is we can connect with our horses and gain their trust. We can give them confidence and have them follow us as their leader... by becoming what they need... rather than focusing at it from the other end of the perspective and making them become what we need.

There is some quote floating around out there which says something like this:
"A horse will cross any bridge you ask of it as long as the first one is from you to them"

To me this is so true.

The latest must have item.

Before I go into my latest grumpy old man rant I think I should explain a little of my history. I have worked professionally in the equine industry for 30 year in various roles, as a groom, stable manager, rider and coach. As a younger person my employers would instill in me results would come from hard work, sticking to a proven system and being consistent, something I still believe in today.

In recent years there have been some fantastic improvements made to the equipment we use on our horses and I'm all in favour of anything that can improve the comfort, welfare and performance ( blatantly stolen from my wife's website, she's an equine physio and bitting consultant) of any horse. Today the tack options for our horses are endless. When I started competing, apart from a few nosebands you could pick from, when you were asked what sort of bridle you wanted the options were simple, black or brown.

Equestrianism seems to have gone high tech. Just like we need the latest iPhone because apparently the last one was useless and you really need the new one. Now we're being persuaded that items of tack that we've used for years are no longer up to scratch and that newer items are going to be performance boosting.
We are being bombarded with new innovations constantly. Girths, breastplates, stirrups, saddles, bridles, numnahs, boots, shoes, bits, nosebands, additives, all claiming to improve your performance.
Take something as simple as a stirrup iron. I ride at home in a bog standard iron with rubber tread. When I ride other people's horses I have composite stirrups, plastic ones, aluminium. They have treads angled front to back, left to right, rotating attachments, gel treads, springy treads. Most are endorsed by top riders that they'll help you ride more like them. When in them do I ride more like the Olympian that endorses them? Not really. Am I more comfortable? Not really. If the endorsing rider were to ride in my bog standard stirrups would s/he turn into a gibbering wreck in the collecting ring or panic in front of every fence. Probably not.

There are so many opinions and it's all so confusing.
I see bits that use poll pressure fitted with poll relief bridles. Spurs on horses that are too fast. We have lovely flat seated xc saddles that allow rider movement and then you can get sticky breeches and resin to make you stick to the saddle. If you have ever gone down a substantial drop fence in sticky breeches you'll know something has to give. If the breeches stick you'll end up with a wedgy from hell. If you see a male rider doing it those are not tears of joy running down his face.

So having bought the latest bit of kit which is three times the price of regular kit will it make a difference? In a very unscientific way ( let's face it, horses aren't the easiest thing to do a scientific study on) I would imagine that if 10 horses/riders used some new kit maybe one or two would notice a real difference, the others, very little if any. In the surreal world of social media with those same ten riders 2 would honestly post about the difference. Another six or seven would see these posts, feel they're missing out and jump on the bandwagon and say how amazing thing are since using it. One or two would be honest and say there was no difference but worth the try. Six months later 8 items would be for sale on eBay.

I'm sure it's very frustrating for other professionals seeing the same thing. People clutching at straws, trying the latest wonder kit instead of improving their own skills. If you've got hands that look like you're trying to pull start an old petrol mower then it's unlikely a fancy noseband is going to change much. Don't get me wrong, making your horse comfortable in their tack is vital but it's not always the newest or most expensive that's best for your horse. My own horses all get saddles and bits fitted and regular physio so they can perform their best.

So, embrace the new technology but not at the expense of improving your own riding skills.

How would it feel if you could stop pushing yourself so hard to get everything done?

Just a thought in this time of women’s solidarity for each other. 🤔
I am sad to say I have met a lot of ladies in 20 years who have been broken, destroyed, their confidence shot to pieces by the harsh words, veiled comments, direct insults and plain bullying from other women in the equine world. 😢
Because you know that challenges of being female, maybe it would be great if female equestrians could universally support each other, encourage each other, build confidence in those that need it, listen without judging and for those that can’t do that perhaps they could just stay quiet and focus on their own journey.😥

I know everyone wants to speak up for the horse and that comments are well-meant and are because people care about equines, but destroying other women is not the way to improve the world for equines.

To those of you that already try to walk this path, thank you. To those of you that have been on the receiving end of negative comments and bullying, I know you are strong enough overcome this. The world would be a better place for equines if all equestrian women treated each other with the care and respect you all deserve.
Choose to be kind and supportive over being right, choose positive encouragement over harsh comments. Help each other to become strong for the sake of all the horses, donkeys and mule.

I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences on this topic

I'm so sorry but I don't seem to be able to access my messages on this business page at the moment.
While I'm trying to sort it please contact me via my mobile: 07900926078
Or my personal profile if we are linked.