View Full Version : Some horses my mind just balks at....
desertrider
04-28-2007, 12:11 PM
I usually get by ok. However, there are some horses that really look like another horse i used to know and when I'm around them my reflexes and responses just gum up. I've tried to sort this out and I can go to another completely strange horse and even more complex horses and get along fine.
I get back to the one that looks like the old horse I used to know (and I guess I'll admit I miss him very, very much) I just *stink* because of the grief etc, that the new horse thinks is fear or worse aggression, and that I have to struggle to overcome- and this makes my timing poor at best)
Any hints how I can get over this?
(Should I get a few bottles of hair dye?? Prozac? Whiskey?)
Its very frustrating to me and I want to be there for this horse and its look alikes too.
FrancaV
06-27-2007, 12:13 PM
Hi, desertrider,
I just noticed nobody ever responded to this. Probably because it's a really tough one! I don't know the answer ... the closest experience to this I've had was a couple of years ago when my mare made a real jump in maturity and I had to learn to look at her as a grownup horse instead of a baby. I noticed the difference in the way I approached highly trained horses and the way I approached my own and realized I needed to trust her ... that if I approached her as a trained horse she might just live up to my expectations. And so she has ... it was a turning point in our relationship.
It's been a couple of months now - how are things going with the look-alike horse?
kennewman
06-27-2007, 07:46 PM
my ,my, your tooo good, let's not let this hang any longer. as alotta folks tell me, this happens to them. sometimes over and over again. first replace your ego [ which you are to leave at the house] with your good sense of humor! you sure sound like you got a strong handle on this so just git to it and let this new critter take your imagination and sweat to it's zenith. you sound like you can do it , anyway, remember it isn't us that can judge you, only the new horses can. give them the time and your good experience and see just how fulfilling that'll be for all of you. no fluff here, only the pure thoughts. good on ya kid.
Mulie
06-28-2007, 07:43 AM
I'm struggling with something a little bit similar. My husbands horse reminds me of a gelding I used to have that I had some problems with. It takes alot for me to feel angry but I can feel it welling up sometimes when I have to work with him. Of course as we have discussed before "the horse is always right" and I definitely think it has something to do with my ego. I have to remind myself his job is not to be good just so I can feel good about myself and "think" I'm a good horseman. It's embarrassing to come out and say that, but I think that's what got in our way. Things are going fairly well right now and I remind myself of that every time I work with him.
kennewman
06-28-2007, 08:27 AM
mulie, your admission of anger brewing is admirable, now, you are more able to do something about that,,, when you decide to listen to your friends that tell you their grandma was there to re-remind them that 'anger' is just 'lack of knowledge' in disguise. experience can get in your way for certain, that is why certain peoples of ancient times, [like this oleman] , preach to you good folks that, 'in-experience' can be a wonderful thing. it exposes you to new avenues for searching with your horse for the better things. happens to be one of my favorite sayings. keep at it , kid and keep smiling.