02/06/2026
Today’s thought on the morning walk…
I’ve had rescue dogs for the last 16 years.
This morning, I was out walking two of mine. One is nearly 13, and I’ve had him since he was five. The other is three and a half, and she only came to me last December.
Walking them today really brought something home to me. Because these dogs received little to no real training or socialisation early in their lives, I am still struggling with their training and handling today. The people who originally chose to bring these dogs into the world simply didn't put the work in. They skipped the socialization, the boundaries, and all the foundational building blocks required for an animal to grow up feeling happy, confident, and secure.
I see the exact same thing with horses that come to us. They arrive without the basic life skills they should have learned years ago, and we have to start from square one, undoing years of confusion.
Here is the truth: taking an animal into your life is an absolute choice. You don’t have to own a dog. You don’t have to own a horse. But if you make that choice, you are signing an unwritten contract with that animal. You are committing to educate them, to guide them, and to shape them into a confident, socialized creature that can cope with the modern world.
Think about it like having children. You wouldn't just refuse to educate your kids. Whether you send them to school or home-educate, you ensure they learn how the world works. You get up every morning, make sure they do their homework, and pour daily effort into helping them become caring, well-rounded, capable adults. When they finally leave home for university or a career, you sit back with absolute pride knowing that all your hard work is paying off.
Owning a horse or a dog is no different. It is hard work. It is daily, constant, relentless effort. But it is your job to be the trainer, because you are the one holding the lead rope or the lead rein every single day. You are the one leading them through life.
And there’s another side to this, too. If life ever throws a curveball and you god forbid have to rehome an animal, a well-trained, confident, happy animal is easy to place in a good home. When you neglect their education, you leave them vulnerable, making them incredibly difficult to rehome if the worst should happen
All of my rescue horses and dogs are proof that you can still make progress later in life.
It’s absolutely doable, and it’s possible—but it is a mountain of extra work.
Just something to think about today. You are the educator. It is your job, no one else's.
