very wise words for living and working with horses

Progress in very small increments. Make smart choices in the sequence of exercises. Never ambush your horse. Never skip a step. First establish trust. 

-Faverot de Kerbrech

I read this quote this morning on Thomas Ritter's Facebook page and immediately copied it to print and put in the tack room on my bulletin board. 

I absolutely love the line "Never ambush your horse."  I think much of what we do to horses in the name of training them and dominating them could easily be considered ambush - not so much the what we do but the HOW we go about doing it. 

Usually because we get in a hurry, expect too much, and then blame the horse for being rude or not responsive or stubborn. 

When I get impatient and demanding with my horses, I try to think about what it feels like to them. They know me. They trust me. And yet, it's still rude if I march up and suddenly demand that they do something without engaging with them first - letting them smell my hands, blowing softly into their nostrils (and then breathing in THEIR breath that they are giving back to me), allowing them to smell the halter or the brush or the bridle or the saddle pad or the whatever it is I've decided they need me to do to them in the name of "good horse care." 

What would I do if someone, even someone I love and trust, marched up and said "Get in this box. I'm taking you to a show. Sorry you have to leave your friends. We'll be back soon." I assure you it wouldn't be a very pretty sight.   

Long-time readers here will know that I have a needle phobia, and that one of the things that helped me overcome it to the degree I have was when Keil Bay needed Adequan injections. 

(note: he no longer needs them - I discovered that human grade glucosamine and chondroitin given together at tx doses for his weight works even better and costs MUCH less) 

What most readers won't know is how I got the needle phobia. When I was very young, I was afraid of the shots I needed to get, and at that time it was considered okay to simply hold the child down and administer the injection. They did that to me until I was old enough that I have a very clear memory of two nurses (it took TWO) holding me so the doctor could stick me with the needle.

By gosh, I got those vaccinations! But I also got a lifelong phobia that really needn't have been the result had they only stopped to think:

Progress in very small increments. Make smart choices in the sequence of exercises. Never ambush your horse. Never skip a step. First establish trust.

Funny how the words apply to all of us. And that NOT following them can have similar results whether we're dealing with a child OR a horse. 

How many times in a day of working with our horses do we simply demand that they submit to our will? It makes about as much sense to them when we demand and insist as it made to me when those two nurses held me down. And you can bet I never did cooperate. I fought harder the next time.

Some of us fight harder, others give up and comply - but in some ways that is worse. A little bit of our spirit dies when we have to submit to something we are not sure about. 

Find your own example of a time you were ambushed. And then think about that the next time you do it to your horse. You might be surprised - I always am - at how that impatient, demanding person you've become in the moment simply melts away. And even more surprising - your horse will feel the melt happening and what was difficult will likely become that much easier to accomplish.

an evening with many hooves

Yesterday afternoon I felt well enough to tackle the ongoing chore of hoof care for the herd here on November Hill. We've had many weeks of wet ground and almost as many weeks of sick humans, so after their trims on Friday I was determined to get back in the swing of things.

It was time for Salina's lunch so I got her tub ready first and went to let her in. She was, as usual, waiting by the gate, accompanied by Keil Bay, who is determined that at 21 years of age, he, too, should be brought in for a mid-day meal. Because he was covered in dried mud and clearly needed some attention, I let him in with Salina.

He followed me around like a big puppy, doing his best to look hungry. Salina wisely went into her stall and waited for her tub.

Can you guess how this turned out?

Keil Bay didn't actually get a full meal, but I couldn't resist a small meal of soaked timothy cubes in the barn aisle while I picked his feet. He was about as happy as he could be.

After the two seniors got their meals I realized the paddock needed mucking, so I sidetracked onto that and ended up letting everyone into the big barnyard while I worked.

By this time it was nearing sunset and I had not yet started the hoof cleaning I came out to do!

But it needed to be done, so I set up a "station" in the barn aisle with a tub of soaked timothy cubes inside the wheelbarrow, a hay net to the side of that, my cleaning materials, and brought in Cody so I could get to work.

I've done this in different places and different ways, but I really liked the way it turned out yesterday. I had a big jug of clean water, a flat pan to put the hoof in, my hoof pick, scrub brush and cleaning materials, and my little bottle of oil of oregano in my pocket. We have lots of red clay here, and without a thorough cleaning of the hooves, it's hard to see what the bottom of the hoof really looks like underneath. So I scrubbed and rinsed and treated as necessary with the oil of oregano.

One hoof at a time. Times 6 equines. Equals 24 hooves.

As I finished each horse, I put them into their clean stall with hay for their evening stall time. Fortunately my husband came out and helped - otherwise I might still be out there working!

But what I found, again, is that there is a rhythm to almost all chores, and if we take the time to set up properly, and then look for the rhythm, the chore progresses more easily and with some pleasure.

Yesterday the barn was clean and quiet and DRY, and for the most part the equines were content to have a little meal while getting their feet cleaned up.

I think I hit a little bit of a zen moment as I studied each clean hoof. They began to look like artwork - varying colors and shapes and individual characteristics. A sharp contrast to how they look day to day, the color of the earth they walk on.

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If you're interested in reading the November Hill Press titles I have available on Amazon but don't have a Kindle, there's a free and easy way to access them on a number of electronic devices, including;

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Thanks to Dawn for allowing me to use the "No Kindle? No Problem!" phrase. She's brilliant. :)

end of a very cold week and trees of fire

I'm sitting inside while my husband supervises the hoof trims being done this morning. Round two of this very nasty cold is being ... nasty. Thankfully my husband and son are on the upswing now, while daughter and I catch up.

Tomorrow we will get up near 50 degrees so hopefully the still very slick sheet of ice in much of our driveway will finally melt, and we can get on with a more normal for the season temperature.

A few weeks ago I was out at the barn, in weather that seemed gloriously moderate compared to what we've had since, and as I got horses ready for their evenings, I noticed the sky was the most gorgeous shade of delicate pink.

It was the pink of a particular antique rose bush that climbed up and over the old "barn garage" that sat out back behind a beautiful old house my parents rented for a few years when I was in college. The roses were the palest pink I've ever seen, and were simply beautiful.

The sky, in that pink color, with the black silhouettes of bare winter trees in front of it, was breath-taking. It was a sky that changed every few seconds, and I wanted the camera but knew if I went in to get it, I'd miss the whole thing. And then it changed past the pink so I decided to get the camera and see what else might happen.

The horses, donkeys, and Dickens the cowboy cat are very accustomed to me stopping all work and standing to watch something. Often enough they will stop and watch with me, which is always touching - isn't that what we all want, really? Someone to admire what we admire, in silence borne of complete understanding?

We were all quite taken by the trees of fire that formed as we stood in the arena together. A beautiful show, and we were there to see it.

after the ice

Well, not quite *after* yet but getting close as the sunshine today melts things down. It's 36 degrees Fahrenheit and windy, but the geldings came out of blankets to get a break and they are right now standing in the front field in full view eating tree bark. What is it that they love so much about tree bark in the dead of winter?

The pony came down the hill at a very fast trot as I was watching and did the equine equivalent of "pumping the brakes" - I'm serious! Trot trot trot trot - sit back a second - trot trot - sit back a second -trot - halt.

So cute.

I kept Salina and the donkeys in their barnyard and paddock area today so they could go in out of the wind when they wanted to - and also to keep Salina from running with the herd if they happen to start up out there.

We're feeding from the small mesh hay nets this week, trying to reduce hay waste and keep them busy. Although now I see Cody has started in on a small tree trunk and he is rocking the entire tree trying to get some bark. I have threatened to build a track if they keep this up, and ... just might do it for all the great reasons to have a track.

Keil Bay is now craning his neck to reach a branch and pulling straight back with all his might.

And now, for the grand finale before I go finish my chores, the pony has turned and is using a small tree to give himself a nice butt scratch.

I think they're glad to be on the other side of this weather. (although down to 19 tonight, it looks like 50s for the weekend - and please, I'm begging, NO RAIN!)

Hope all are staying warm and safe - I'm seeing so many reports of major snow storms and blizzards in the U.S. - saw yesterday that 49 out of 50 states had snow?!