Have you ever wondered what our horses would say to us if they could talk. Would they tell us they are here to make us look great? feel in control of our lives? feel warm and fuzzy when we give them a carrot and put their blankets on them for a cold night? or would they share with us that they are the safest way to look into our own souls.
Horses have no agendas and yet our daring enough to be completely honest with us. Their responses to us are many times a reflection of what is going on inside of us. We usually try and change that in our horses because those behaviors are not pleasing to us. We blame them, the tack, the last trainer, last owner and search for equipment to mask the behavior.
What if we listened to them and thanked them for showing us a glimpse into our own being. Wait a minute that would mean we would have to look at ourselves.
If we could look at ourselves and consider that we may be the mirror they are reflecting we could begin to make changes in our responses and by changing our hearts it might go down through our hands and onto our horses.
The softness in our hearts might bring out the softness we are all looking for in our horses. You may ask how is what your are saying practical ? How can I use these thoughts in my training with my horse?
I have some great answers to ponder and put to practical use. I would love to stimulate your comments to this post. Please ask questions and tell me your story about you and what problem you are having right now with your horse. Keep it to the point and I will answer questions and give practical ways to make some changes that will amaze you and your horse in my next post.
Christa Lynn
hi, saw your comment on one of my posts and thought I'd come see 'your place'. Think I'll be visiting here often!
ReplyDeleteHi Christa! Great post. My biggest horse issues are 1. Catching my horse (you can read a little more about this on my latest post, and in several old posts, too.) and 2. Creating momentum in my horse. He is a bit on the lazy side. All rest and no work. I want to motivate him, preferably without spurs. I learned some great stuff at a Buck Brannaman clinic this past fall that I hope to apply once I really start riding him more frequently this summer.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to read what you have to say!
Ok...I am embarrased to say...I really don't have any problems with my horse! For our trail ride today HE JUMPED UP into the trailer AND LOADED SO FAST I had to get out of his way. Oh sure he does do naughty little things from time to time but nothing dangerous or scary and I think it is part of his "personality" and do not want to stop him from engaging with me. I got one of the "old soul" guys!
ReplyDeleteHere's a problem for you. I have a horse that doesn't want to cross a creek, not a deep creek just ankle deep and three steps and he is across. he has been over it many, many times before with no problems. Crossing the creek we go up a steep dirt (no rocks just dirt) abandoned road, when we get to the top we travel on a gravel road then onto another abandoned road. I am thinking he doesn't want to walk on the gravel road. does it hurt his feet, I don't think so, he has feet hard as steel and in excellent shape! If I try to get him to go across the creek and try to push him he will buck jump and gets really, really pissed!!! I'm not that good of rider that I want to ride it out. He will also go backward and try to go over the creek bank that way. Now if I get off lead him across the creek get back on, we are fine. How do I convince him that we want to go across the water and me stay on his back?? Sometimes when he doesn't want to do something he will start backing up, very frustrating and I can't use pressure from a crop to move him, he will buck if pushed too hard.
ReplyDeleteOh, when he does the backing up on the flat land we do circles and move the feet until he gives up and goes forward but on a creek bank I am pretty nervous about him going over backward.
Any suggestions??? Thanks in advance! :-)