Horses Need to Know Their Worth
We talk a lot these days about happy horses, and that’s a good thing. Today’s horsemen want to go beyond just keeping our horses from harm or suffering—we want them to thrive. We want them to really enjoy their lives and the time they spend with us. We talk a lot about relationship, trust, positive reinforcement, play, and letting them be horses and live as naturally as possible.
These are all noble pursuits, and this trend makes me glad. I hope we continue to study, learn, and improve horses’ lives. Horsemanship and training have evolved so much in my lifetime; with every passing year I feel myself become a more enlightened horseman. I learn, learn some more, and at times I’m saddened by the mistakes I’ve made in my past through ignorance.
But where we may be missing the mark is keeping horses in a way that bores the life out of them. Horses so often seem lifeless in their safe and “happy” homes. They are powerful animals built to run, jump, travel across miles of rough ground, and compete with one another for food, water, sex, and status. They aren’t people, and to give them human traits and emotions is to take away the very thing we love about them—their wildness and strength.
While training and judging working equitation I’ve noticed how pleased the horses become when they are asked to do the obstacle work and they “figure it out”. When trained well, without force or rushed techniques, horses catch on (rather quickly) to the fact that they are completing a job. They begin to do the obstacles almost without the rider’s direction and appear proud and confident. I see this in plain arena work too when horses are allowed to express themselves. Working cows, jumping, getting from point A to point B on the trail, liberty work; all are “jobs” horses thrive doing.
I know how difficult it can be to find time to get your horses out and do things with them, but isn’t this why we have horses? Give your horse a job, show him how wonderful and capable he is, praise him, and you’ll see a truly happy horse.
See this article in the July 2025 Online Digital Edition:
July 2025
Kim Roe grew up riding on the family ranch and competed in Western rail classes, trail horse, reining, working cow, and hunter/jumper. She trained her first horse for money at 12 years old, starting a pony for a neighbor.
Kim has been a professional dressage instructor in Washington state for over 30 years, training hundreds of horses and students through the levels. In recent years Kim has become involved in Working Equitation and is a small ‘r’ Working Equitation judge with WE United.
Kim is the editor of the Northwest Horse Source Magazine, and also a writer, photographer, and poet. She owns and manages Blue Gate Farm in Deming, Washington where she continues to be passionate about helping horses and riders in many disciplines.