How (Not) to Take Care of a Horse – 4/5/26

I recently started volunteering at my horse farm (Garrod Farms) this past Monday as a trainee. This way, I could get some exposure and meet new friends who have the same interests in horses as I do. But, let’s just say it has been one of the most humbling experiences yet. I went in thinking I had a good understanding of horses since I used to take English classes and competed for ribbons, but actually working behind the scenes is a whole different story. It’s not just about riding, it’s about taking care of these 1,000-pound, sentimental animals and learning all the little details that keep everything fun for both horse and rider.

A beautiful chestnut horse with a halter on.

One of the first things I had to learn was how to clean stalls, which sounds simple until you’re actually doing it. The way you do it is by picking your tool of choice: a squeegee or a broom (I’m more of a squeegee girl). Pulling back on the dust from the stall ground into the floor in front of it is considered manual labor times 100 for me. It’s physically exhausting, way more than I expected, and definitely not glamorous. But at the same time, there’s something kind of satisfying about finishing a clean stall and knowing you made a horse’s area more comfortable. Still, my arms were absolutely done by the end of it.

Then came Western tacking, which was honestly confusing at first. I did English riding for about 2 years until I stopped classes due to busy schedules, so I’ve never actually tacked up a horse Western style before (and boy, it is heavy). Everyone else seemed to just know what to do, and I was standing there trying to remember what goes where and in what order. It felt a little overstimulating, but I’m starting to pick up the technique slowly. I also fed the horses. Before, I used to use the bucket and fill it with grains and water, considered mash, but now, it’s just bales of grass/alfalfa. So, I accidentally threw the alfalfa on the ground instead of putting it in the eating mill, which was definitely a moment. Not my proudest, but at least now I won’t forget again.

An example of Western tack

Despite all the mistakes, one of the best parts was getting to release the horses and watch them run up the hill. Screaming “RELEASING HORSES!” was exhilarating, since the horses were very excited to leave the lot (unfortunately they left slowly and started eating the plants…)There’s something really peaceful and powerful about seeing them move freely like that. It reminded me why I wanted to do this in the first place.

Two lessons I have learned from this first experience was to remember to ask my mentors and leaders for help instead of just guessing and throwing the food all over the clean stall. Another includes to keep in mind that I’m still learning and to take it slow. Everyone’s first time was like mine, and they all eventually learn how to work in the farm with teamwork. Anyway, that’s all for now. Check out my last blog posts for more motivating and funny stories!