A gripe about today's youth (and their parents/mentors)
It frosts me that many young riders poo-poo mucking (so to speak). It seems to be beneath them. Case in point: A middle-aged friend of mine worked at a show barn, and the barn manager/trainer assigned her to work with a healthy 20 year old boarder/rider named Sara. Although both were paid the same, the usual division labor changed while Sara worked with her. Sara's tasks were to do the feeding/water/other light work, while my friend mucked and rebedded 15 stalls and swept the aisles. "Sara doesn't do stalls," the manager explained in a protective tone that discouraged questions. The BM sent my friend a message, albeit unintentionally: talls are too demeaning for her, but fine for you. My friend was annoyed. But you know there is vindication for this story...
Enter Horse Hero and UK eventer Wayne Garrick!
Once again I'll put in a plug for Horse Hero -- lots of videos, great topics, big names, sprinkled with humor. In this video, "Mucking out shavings ('Ritz' style) with eventer Wayne Garrick," we see that in the good old U.K. at least, top riders don't see mucking stalls as beneath them. Wayne's words echo the way I feel about mucking. It's important work. Horses work for us and we should repay them the favor.
Look, if you really don't want to muck a stall, EVER, no one will make you (well, unless you have a good trainer, parent, or coach who wants to help you become a horseman/woman, not just a rider). If you really want to know horses, you have to take part in the widest range of tasks and jobs that are part of their world. Even the unglamorous ones...
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I don't always muck out my own stalls. Some days(the really hot ones) I think I'm lucky, but most days I would really much rather be back at the stable ankle deep in shavings and poop than up in my restaurant being nice and monitoring food presentation.(I'd be in better shape too.)
ReplyDeleteI don't think anyone is too good to clean stalls just as I don't think anyone is too good to wash dishes. Including me.
I love mucking stalls (5 plus paddocks and barnyards) for my horses. I turn on NPR and unless it's freezing cold or hideously hot, I enjoy keeping the stalls clean.
ReplyDeleteI guess it makes some difference that they technically aren't stalled - they have stalls open to paddock and usually pasture 24/7. And I get help from daughter and husband, but I generally do at least half the mucking every day, and some days I do all of it.
Often enough, one or more of the horses or donkeys will come hang out and keep me company while I muck.
The only downside is when there's limited daylight or funky weather. Sometimes mucking has to be done instead of riding!
Remember the times we'd do an entire barn's worth of water buckets for a free lesson? Those were the days. I was pleased to see that one of the first skills eldest learned at her current stables was how to clean up after the horse. She can muck a stall, clean the aisle and the arena, no complaints!
ReplyDeleteHell I love doing stalls. I think that 20 year old girl just wasn't raised right thats all. I still say I love doing stalls when on a daily basis I do between 20 and 50 of them and come home overworked and underpaid. People who don't get down and do the dirty work are not horsemen/women they are just riders. I know too many unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteI do believe it's a matter of how people were raised really.
There are two types of horse people: those who love to ride because they love horses, and those who love horses because they love to ride. Anyone who refuses to do stalls definitely falls into the latter category. If you truly love the animals, you love to take care of them too! Not just use them for a good time. 'Nuf said.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE mucking stalls (not saying hours of mucking stalls though ;o)...I find it quite relaxing & excellent time for brainstorming...when I muck the ideas just keep coming...
ReplyDeleteVery well said!!
ReplyDeleteMucking is neither demeaning nor meaningful. It's simply a job that has to be done daily and everyone should be willing to do their share. I wouldn't put up with that girl who won't muck.
ReplyDeletePony Girl is right.
I think you should HAVE to muck stalls - if for no other reason, to determine what is "normal" bowel and urine events for your horse. Unless you have the $$ all the time, I also prefer to be the only one to clean my horse's stall at a show, even though all of us are trying to help each other. If I know how he "normally" goes, then I can quickly catch a colic or dehydration before it becomes obviously symptomatic.
ReplyDelete-Just another Dressage queen
Pony Girl- that is the perfect way to describe it!
ReplyDeleteI'm also with anonymous, though. Mucking stalls is definitely important, but I wouldn't really classify it as demeaning or meaningful. It's just a responsibility horse owners have, and no one is too good to do it! I think I've found a new favorite eventer, too! :) Thanks for the link to that video.
Meaningful. I remember many a dark, freezing cold (and hot, bright) morning mucking out stalls before school or work. I also remember getting marked down for ANY manure pile or wet spot that my horses left during Pony Club camp or rallies. But, I felt a great sense of accomplishment after cleaning stalls and finishing all the barn chores. I definitely think the prima donnas should put on their wellies and grab a pitch fork!
ReplyDeleteNo problem with mucking here, either. I don't love it, but I do love seeing a clean stall. My knees protest a bit much sometimes with the wheelbarrow dumping, but there is something about cleaning a stall that gives a unique sense of accomplishment.
ReplyDeleteI agree that most real horsemen usually do muck, and if they never have, then I'm not sure they are really horsemen.
Poop is part of the package; I think every horse owner, regardless of their *cough* social status, should learn about every aspect of having a horse. I also find it to be a great time for some personal percolating on those big, deep thoughts, don't you? :o)
ReplyDeleteI have always worked off my lessons, leases and now board. I love mucking stalls! It is such a relaxing job but it is great exercise as well!~
ReplyDeleteI have never minded mucking stalls. I do 6 a day and find it is a great time to think. I love having nice clean stalls for the horses when I bring them in each night. I would never put a horse into a dirty stall. In fact I actually pick the stalls 2 other times a day besides the cleaning. Talk about anal!!
ReplyDeleteHey I'm not a "horse person", but I shared your website with my girl cousin who live in Montana/California, SEE IS! She is on my Facebook, and I don't have her email to subscribe to you.
ReplyDeleteAnyhow, looks like a great site, U drop, I'll follow.
Peace.
I haven't watched the vid yet, but will later! Anyway... I don't know as it is just "today's" youth, but maybe just "certain" youth. I'm 30, so not exactly an old fart, but in my teen years some kids mucked and others were "too good" for the job, or some such. Usually attitude was proportional to parents' money.
ReplyDeleteI still muck, even if I don't have to. Often at the barn I'll just tidy up some stalls and sweep the isle, even for other people's horses. They deserve comfort. I've got two hands.
Blogger Pony Girl said...
ReplyDeleteThere are two types of horse people: those who love to ride because they love horses, and those who love horses because they love to ride.
That's very quotable!
I've mucked stalls out for more than half my life. It's not the most glamorous job in the world, but it needs to be done and it's how I can afford my horse, so I'm thankful for the opportunity.
ReplyDeleteAs for people who are too good to muck, well, I'm probably too dirty and happy to spend time with them.
I agree!!! I grew up mucking stalls at a boarding facility where we all took care of our own stalls/paddocks. My parents saw it as free daycare, and I had a blast doing it!
ReplyDeleteI don't mind mucking a bit. I do it every single day. It's therapy for me and as another poster said, it keeps me informed about digestive issues that may be present. I think it's just basic horsemanship. Thanks for sharing the video...I loved it!!
ReplyDeleteI share the duty with my husband, but I don't mind doing it at all. I'm very aware of how/when my horses are peeing and pooping, and anyone who tries to tell me that this knowledge is beneath me is an idiot. In fact, the thing I hate about having my horse boarded away from home right now is that I can't get an intimate sense of his bowel movements. It is, after all, the ultimate way to understand how he's really feeling physically.
ReplyDeleteI clean-up after 18 horses and their care and condition (as well as their stalls) are part of my job. I love doing the work because it's peaceful and it's that time that I've truly been able to reconnect with horses on a daily basis. It's not easy work by any means, but it is rewarding in so many ways.
ReplyDeleteNo one is too good to muck a stall.
Great video; I'd sleep in that stall. I don't mind mucking. It's a labor of love. When the weather is nice, I find it to be relaxing and calming...until one of the horses tips the wheelbarrow over.
ReplyDelete