Motivation is an interesting topic. I’m very motivated when food is involved. Just shake a can of pellets, and I’ll sing and dance for you! Okay, okay. I nicker and stomp. But you know what I mean. If Jane corrects me, she always follows up by “retesting” me with the same question. The retest gives…
I stepped on a little rock yesterday and bruised my foot. Ouch! It didn’t hurt for very long, but it made me grumpy. Then I got bit on the neck by a big fly. It hurt! I snapped at it and bumped my nose on the fence. I was having a really bad day. I…
I really like my barn. It’s so cool with it’s screened-in porch and big air fans. The floor is a cushy rubber brick that absorbs the impact of my steps. There’s a beautiful bowl fountain with an eagle sculpture in the center that’s always full of clean, cool water. I appreciate how spotless the barn…
At my barn the white dressage arena fence is about twelve inches high. Around that is a taller fence, about five feet high. Around the perimeter of the property is a dog proof mesh fence that’s six feet high. Wow… That’s a lot of boundaries! There’s a saying that strong fences make good neighbors. This…
Sometimes our biggest challenges become our greatest successes. As a Friesian, I’m not built for a good canter. My breed was bred for a fancy trot to elegantly and smartly pull buggies and carts. But with determination and proper training, I was able to develop an amazing canter! My ability to do superb one tempis…
Being different can be tough. While on one hand we all want to stand out and be unique, we also are programmed by our very nature to want to fit in. We want to belong. If you’re different than the crowd, sometimes you can feel left out or “wrong.” I have a good friend in…
I was watching someone work with a frightened young pony today. The pony had never been handled before and was terrified. The person was using a clicker and treats to help him get over his fear, and was teaching him how to think before he reacted out of his natural fight or flight instincts. The…
A new fellow moved into the barn this week. His barn name is Joe, though his registered name is a mile long and beyond my ability to pronounce. We’ve had some interesting conversations. Joe’s been around. He’s very smart and worldly, and a really nice fellow. Joe and I watched the barn’s farrier working on…
All those things make you feel good right? I used to think so. I used to compliment all the other horses in the barn, thinking I would be helping their self-esteem by reminding them how great they are. But new studies indicate that this may not be the case. An article by Po Bronson, posted…
A friend of mine in Australia wrote to me this week, expressing her excitement about learning dressage after a career on the race track. She had been a bit discouraged at her progress because she was used to being successful on the track mostly by her strong will and a strong hand. Neither are very…
