Everyone has those things that they can not be without. They make your life easier and you know just where they are all the time. So, what’s in my tool box?
In no particular order.
A good knife, I have a penknife that I have on me all the time as I work around the Ranch. From cutting twine on bails, to small repairs on the track it is always to hand. It also makes a perfect emergency hoof pick (use with care!)
A large Ikea shopping bag, they are perfect for carrying hay around. You can fit in enough to feed two horses a meal and it makes a perfect distribution system for spreading the hay around.
Apart for the obvious pieces that all grooming kits have, brushes etc. I also have a couple of rasps to maintain the horses feet. I have an incredible barefoot professional come trim and balance their feet but in-between times I will maintain them. Apart for my hoof rasps I also have a block that I cover with sandpaper to take off any sharp edges. I always use the cloth backed one as it lasts longer.
A good pair of gloves, you can’t beat a good pair of leather work gloves. I buy mine form a local hardware store, they are not special, inexpensive and do the job perfectly. You can buy roping gloves for 3 or 4 times as much but will not last you any longer.
Steel toe cap boots! After I broke my leg (non horse related) they have been my go to footwear, even in 40°.
Talking of the heat, the summer so far has been nuclear. I have added a water bottle and hat to my must haves. It is a full time job keeping the horses hydrated and often we forget about ourselves. Having a good water bottle to hand creates a habit of drinking.
What else do I have in my general arsenal which might be of interest?
In terms of coaching I always have a reel of 8mm nautical rope hanging around. I work exclusively with rope halters, I find they have a better communication and it is easier to transition to riding with them. If a client does not have one and none of mine fit I am able to make a bespoke one for them. I also have a reel of 12mm and 14mm nautical rope for lead and lunge lines. There are no need for clips, it is very easy to attach them with a simple knot.
I have a series of whips. I have long tail and short tail lunging whips and a dressage whip. Non have ever been used for whipping, obviously, but as training aids they have there place if used conscientiously. However, I also have a set of canes, just common-or-garden bamboo canes, of various lengths.
I wrap the handle with cycle tape that is used on the handlebars, it is soft and grippy. This is something my father used and that my grandfather used before him. They are cheap, you can buy a pack of canes for very little, the same for the cycle tape. Why I prefer the cane over the commercial whips? They are usually black, they can be very bendy at the end and so quite aggressive with the noise they make. They also hurt like hell, if you have every accidentally caught yourself you will know how they sting! But with a cane, they are more visual, they are stiffer so you can handle them better, and it is easier to do rhythmic work with a cane as your aid.
The other thing I have for coaching is a flag. You can buy all these professional branded goods and they are great but again my flag is a cane. Longer than the the other cane I mentioned, with a child’s kite on the end. What it does not do is retract, as some are telescopic and I think this a handy feature. I’m still scouring the hardware stores for something that I can use to make one…
But, you know what, the horse doesn’t know that you haven’t spent 30 or 40 euros on a piece of equipment “designed” by some great trainer with their name splattered all over it. They see a long stick with a flag on the end of it and I have a long stick with a flag on the end. It’s always about how you use!
Which brings me neatly on to the most important tool I have, and in fact we all have. That is your energy, your intent, your ability to communicate. It can be available 24/7, and free to use if you want it to be, but can be costly if you don’t learn to use it in the right way. It takes an open mind, patience and the ability to observe.
There are many other things but these for me are the absolute essentials. What do you have in your tool box?
If you are interested in learning more about equine communication and our coaching methods just send a note to Rachel Windchaser at The Whole Horse Code. We taylor our programs to your needs.
