Spring is in the air … er … hair I should say.
Every wind gust this time of year reminds me that nature can indeed be a real mother. Our once docile barn beasts have awoken and are suddenly feeling as green as the grass poking up in the pasture and greet me every morning wiry and insistent like the blades of hair now clinging to every piece of clothing I own. It’s that time of year when I leave the house in a tee-shirt and return in a woolly sweater; its spring shedding season.
I had a friend who doesn’t own horses offer the opinion that it couldn’t be “that bad.” I tried to explain that dealing with springtime horse hair was a little like blowing a dandelion into a pile of Elmer’s glue and dryer lint onto your best friend while you are both standing in the mud and then offered to let her share in the experience with me. She, in turn, declined and was decidedly thrilled to have a lint roller and a dog at home.
The seasonal barn glitter is a small price to pay for the springtime transition with your horse. It is a good visual reminder that it’s time to brush up and those winter coats aren’t the only things that stand to benefit from a little upkeep.
Springtime is prime time to brush up on your own horse skills. From clinics and workshops to gymkhanas, horse shows, rodeos and organized trail rides, the opportunities are sprouting up like the daffodils this time of year.
Spring is a time of transition. Sunlight lingers, and days become longer. Horses take their cues from the changing hours of daylight, which triggers hormonal fluctuations that govern coat growth and shedding.
If only a little extra sunshine was all it took for the rest of us to pick up on the signal that change is necessary to make way for new.
Grooming this time of year is a great way to work on your relationship with your horse. I’ve learned to take advantage of the tedious task by using the opportunity to work on the give and take of touch and space with my horse. I’m allowing the experience to build on the bond of trust that may need brushing up of its own after a leisurely winter of being a pasture princess.
But it’s not all doom and gloom this time of year. Extra daylight means extra time in the saddle. If your equine companion has a few extra pounds of winter weight to shed along with that coat, now is the time to get him back in tiptop condition and like the rest of us that doesn’t happen overnight.
There are quite a variety of clinics and events on the calendar this time of year for horses and riders of all skill levels. From barrel racing and pole bending clinics to obstacle courses and gymkhanas, there is a whirl of activity busier than the flurry of horse hair in the air.
Spring training clinics are great for both horse and rider, allowing you both to get back in shape, physically, mentally and emotionally. It is also a great time to support local arenas and to learn from local experts willing to help.
Whether you are hoping to shave seconds off your barrel time, work on streamlining your precision with pole bending, learn equine first aid and rehabilitation, work on skills through obstacle courses or hit up an annual tack and equipment sale, there is something out there for everyone this time of year that will make us all better horses and riders come summer.
So if you are like me, in the barn, fighting the good fight with a curry comb and a prayer, may the wind be in your favor and your horse cooperate! Happy spring. See you on the slick side!
Jenny Johnston is a fourth-generation Durango local, part-time rodeo announcer and full time wrangler to two lil’ buckaroos. You can reach her to share all of your horse woah’s at [email protected].
