Its Really not that Scary ? !!!

For the most part, horses want to get along. They want a leader, someone they can rely on and trust. Once that is built, the horse, usually, will follow you anywhere.

Yet, take for example what I am going through with Miss M.

She is a 6 year old, draft/thoroughbred cross. Who has not had the best deal.

Now when I get her and ride her, it seems everytime something happens. Something spooks her and we go for a canter around.

Well as a rider, after while, your going to start anticipating things. Your going to not look forward to riding. Your going to feel some measure of stress.

Yet, what about the horse. Can the horse feel the same thing.

I notice with Miss M, at first she seems happy to see me, but then when I go in her paddock with the halter, so moves away, not searching me up like my other horses, but actual moves out.

I think, honesty, she feels the same thing I do.

When I get her saddled, and head down to the arena, I can see in her eye the worry....

Now... I know the problem, now I need to build in a solution.

Its about her, you see, not me...

So I think to myself, today I am not going to press her. I am going to ride within her comfort zone and get a change on a couple "SMALL" things...

No lions den today, just move the hind, move the front... Feel me open up, try to follow my feel.

Thats all I did today, and we went back to the stall, and she seemed relaxed...

Now I need to build on that.

Horses can be sensative, and maybe Mares are more so. Yet, I know I want her searching me up, finding the sunshine while she is with me. Right now, she thinks, you know its better when your not here. I need to change that.

I remember reading some old time horse trainer, saying you need to build on the horses pride. I think in some ways that is what we are trying to do. I want to set Miss M up for success, I want her to feel like a rockstar when she is with me. Not like I am constantly challenging her, pushing her to far into the lions den. Build on her Pride, figure out that way that the horse feels good, feels good with me. Hunts that feeling up.

Miss M is about escape right now, and I need to change that. She needs to be about try.. But try comes through release and sunshine. Balance... Balance...

I learned something new today. I learned that horses can feel as we feel, maybe not exactly, but they can show us what they need.

She needs to build her confidence, and I need to be a good enough teacher to help her.

Yet I know she is a confident horse, she needs to be confident with me. We dont have that yet..

I am optimistic someday we will..

Hi Ho!

L