The Three T’s to the Top

Did you know that success has three T’s? There is a three-part equation that seems to exist when it comes to developing equine athletes: Training + Talent + Temperament = Top Performance. Before you think “This doesn’t apply to my horse, we are only at Training Level,” let me be clear – I’m not talking about the Olympics when I say top performance, I’m referring to getting your horse to its own maximum potential.

Photo Credit: Mutt Love Photography

Did you know that success has three T’s? There is a three-part equation that seems to exist when it comes to developing equine athletes: Training + Talent + Temperament = Top Performance. Before you think “This doesn’t apply to my horse, we are only at Training Level,” let me be clear – I’m not talking about the Olympics when I say top performance, I’m referring to getting your horse to its own maximum potential.

Now, you’re probably wondering is what is the ratio of Training to Talent to Temperament? Do these qualities exist in 3 equal parts? While it would be lovely for us Type A personalities to have an exact formula to success, things rarely fall into a specific outline with horses. When it comes to horses, we often must think outside the box, because every single horse is a unique individual.

In actuality, the ratio of the Three T’s is going to vary from horse to horse. Some horses are oozing with raw talent but have challenging temperaments to work with. Many FEI dressage horses and jumpers are known for their quirky temperaments. Lots of fabulous amateur horses may not come out of the womb looking like Grand Prix prospects, but what they may seemingly lack in natural talent they make up for in temperament.

Then there is the training component. When you have a horse that maybe isn’t your picture-perfect image of talent, then quality training becomes paramount in helping that horse to reach higher levels of performance. Teaching your horse to have good posture, move fluidly through its entire body, and execute movements technically correctly are all things that go a lot further than many people realize. A seemingly “average” moving horse can become quite brilliant with great training. A dressage test or jumper course with a horse that’s ridden well technically can outperform a flashy horse with holes in its training who wobbles in its shoulder in or has a rail due to a sloppy turn.

Training also plays a large part in the role of developing talented but quirky horses. A horse who has a challenging temperament requires a lot more skill in training than one with a stellar disposition. He could be oozing with talent, but nearly unrideable. Maybe he is extremely spooky or gets explosive in the ring. Or perhaps he struggles to handle the mental and physical pressures of collection, even though he looks like he was born to piaffe. Oftentimes the “average” horses surpass the insanely talented ones because their brains are better suited for the job at hand.

Lacey has become such a great example of this. When I purchased her, I did not see an FEI dressage prospect in the slightest. She has challenging conformation to work with (long back, croup high, camped out behind), and a very flat, flowy hunter trot (which is what she was bred for). Nothing about her screamed “dressage horse” to me. On top of all that she is pigeon-toed with a very broad chest that accentuates her paddling front legs, while her hind legs turn outward so she stands with her hocks and heels nearly touching – to the point where I always think of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz clicking her heels together and saying “There’s no place like home.”

So why did I buy her? In all honesty, for her temperament. One of my students had owned her full sister, Lamora, for two and a half years when Lacey went up for sale. I absolutely loved Lamora; she had an amazing temperament and lovely, springy, floating movement that felt like riding a pogo stick on a cloud. When the chance arose to own her full sister, I was psyched…till I saw Lacey’s sale video and how different her movement was to Lamora’s. My student talked me into going out to try Lacey anyways, reminding me of how much I loved Lamora’s temperament.

My heart sunk when I saw Lacey in person, and the extent of her conformation challenges was obvious. Her hooves were also in terrible condition, overgrown and cracked all the way into the coronet band, which made her movement even choppier. But there was something about her personality that made me want to own her anyways; I figured worst case scenario she’d be a fun resale project, and we could do some hunters, eventing, and low-level dressage.

Eleven years later, Lacey continues to surprise and impress me. She has one of my favorite brains I’ve worked with. She can handle pressure and keep her wits about her, she loves to perform, and above all else she tries her heart out to please me. She doesn’t actually have the easiest of temperaments, she could be downright dangerous when I bought her in certain areas. But it was a temperament that I clicked with and knew how to work with. I was able to get her to the point where she was much safer and more trustworthy to handle. I was also able to build a relationship with her that would enable us to surpass her physical challenges and make up for in temperament what she lacked in dressage-related talent.

When you’re looking at temperament, there is no one-size-fits-all. What might be a great temperament for one rider could be a disaster for another. Everyone has a different personality – both humans and horses. We all need to look for a horse that fits us well, versus some generic standard. For example, if you’re an anxious rider, you will likely get along better with calmer, more confident horses that are middle of the pecking order. A more confident rider will be a better match for bossy or insecure horses. Some people prefer spicy horses, whereas others prefer horses with lower levels of energy. Figure out what you click with and prioritize that when you’re horse shopping.

The more experienced a rider, along with the level of support they have from a competent trainer, the more training can make up for the areas of talent and temperament. Ideally, we want a horse with adequate talent and a compatible temperament to our own, and then training becomes the T that will take us to where we want to go.

At the end of the day, there is no perfect horse or ratio. Find the right balance of talent and temperament for yourself, then fill the gaps with training to make your horse the best version of itself that it’s capable of being. Helping a horse to feel better physically and emotionally and find joy in fluidity of movement and partnership is one of the greatest gifts we can give our equine friends. Instead of trying to find the perfect horse, find the perfect horse for you. Then make your own box!