Life Lessons With Horses

On Sunday, my young friend Aurora came over for a ground school lesson with Shaman. She is 12 and longs for her own horse, but it is not just horses she is learning about. These are life lessons about using your energy, maintaining good boundaries and paying attention. For many young woman it is about finding your voice and being heard.  I remind her she is in charge and help her to find that place. She is learning about body language. The horses are masters of that art. She likes to work with Shaman, who is crazy about her. When she arrived, Shaman got up from his nap and came and stood at the gate watching her, then went over and rolled the barrel in a circle at a canter..(surely this will get her attention!)

 

Aurora usually cleans the corral prior to her lesson. Then she uses her body language to encourage Shaman to come to her and lower his head for the halter. We use a rope halter as it provides clearer information for the horse. Grooming is one way of establshing a relationship and Shaman loves the scratching and brushing! Aurora is working with him to stand still on the black mat and after two lessons with her, he is being very cooperative. 

  

The first few lessons Aurora worked in the round corral, but this week we headed out into the arena for some lunging. Shaman was happy to move out at a trot and canter, listening attentively to Aurora. It was really fun for me to see how well behaved he was. 

  

That seemed so easy, we set up a course for Aurora and Shaman and he loved that!  Aurora had to jog and she had roses in her cheeks when she was done!

 

Shaman is a Kiger Mustang. We adopted him at 6 months of age. The Kigers are the most well known of the herds in Oregon, and are highly sought after as they are very Iberian in origon. You can see from this photo how he tucks his butt under him and brings up his back, arches his neck and carries himself with pride. Yet, on the ground he is quiet enough for a complete novice. (with Supervision)  Kigers are known also for the dun factor: dark points, spider webbing on his legs and chest, hooked ears that looked as if they were dipped in an ink well, thick dark mane and tail, fine boned, hard feet and easy keepers. He has never been shod and never been lame.

Like most horses he looks better in the summers!

Breaking Their Spirit

For years I have struggled with the 'right' way to treat a horse. As a young woman I was very confident with horses and there were times when I asked too much too soon and there were disasters. Sometimes I followed the mantra of that time: "just make him do it!"  But, mostly I was sensitive and gentle, preferring to maintain the relationship rather than force the horse.  I  rode Thoroughbreds and other hot blooded horses, and like me, they were sensitive, and I knew they could not tolerate rough handling. Sometimes I was told I was too soft.

Ten years ago when I got back into horses I wanted a quiet trail horse or a sensible dressage horse. While horse shopping, over and over again I met horses that had 'checked out'. I looked in their eye and they were 'hidden'. Dissociated.  So many horses with a dull, blank expression. The laid back trail horse seemed impossible to find,  many people seemed to think 'trained' meant a horse would follow his buddy down a trail. God help you if a bike went by, or a plastic bag flew up in the air. So many horses who had been bullied and pushed too fast. Ruined before being fully grown.

Eventually I discovered Mustangs and they were definitely NOT checked out! They were alert but not flighty, curious, intelligent and they wanted to interact. They enjoyed playing with people and one another. Their spirits were intact. I have come to think that what many of us seek in our horses is their Spirit. As their caregivers it is our job to protect their spirits, their joy in living, their desire to engage in life.

As a young woman I was sent to Catholic Schools and eventually a Convent School. Life was rigid there, prayers starting at 5 am, bells signifying what we were required to do throughout the day. The Rule of Silence for some reason was extended to the girls, only teens, most of us not planning on being nuns.  We were not allowed to visit or talk in our dorms, all but two hours of the day were scheduled for us, nor could we go home most weekends. You may find this hard to believe, but there was chain link fencing surrounding the school. I begged my parents to be set free. They ignored me. I was incarcerated. There were many ways that School and the Church tried to break my spirit. We were not allowed phone calls, our letters were opened and read, dressed in uniforms we were told how soiled we were by simply being young women.

Eventually I learned how to check out, how to dissociate, how to create a glass wall for protection.  Recently I read these are ways institutions try to break your spirit.  When I read that I thought oh.. Now I know, now I see why I chose the wild ones, the mustangs, the Horses with their Spirits Intact.

My Sweet Black Elk Dumped Me!

Wonder where I have been? Well first my daughter and I went to Mexico to sun ourselves on the beaches and laugh and have a bit of an adventure. It was great..we had a ball. Snorkled off of Playa Morelles north of Play del Carmen at the most pristine reef loaded with all kinds of colorful fish. Spent days bouncing in the surf, walking the beaches and eating guacamole. That was fun!
Came home to sunshine in the Pacific Northwest.. and then rain. Not much horse time in the rain, so it was a quite a while between rides on Black Elk. He seemed as mellow as usual. I did my ground work routine, I lunged him and then I got on. He was fine. Or so I thought. We rode around calmly for about ten minutes, then my foot hit one of the barrels we were going around, he spooked and starting bucking, I think I acually fell off when he took a sharp turn to the right. OWWWW!
Fortunately Ken was home, as this was not one of those brush your britches off and climb back on kind of falls. I knew I'd broken ribs.. a bunch of ribs and I could barely breath. Somehow I mustered up enough breath to call for Ken and he came out and helped me into the house. By then I was begging for pain pills...now, I am not a pain pill kinda gal, but that's what I wanted. Ken cut off my muddy sweatshirt and got me to the couch. Little did I know that is where I'd stay for weeks! 
It's not been that much fun, as I like being out of doors and not laying around. But now.. eight weeks later, I am getting back to some kind of normal. Not that I am riding yet, but I did garden today in the 55 degree sunshine and that was wonderful.

 

The boys had other ideas on how to spend the day.

Black Elk at age 4 is coming into his own. He is much bigger than his buddies and challanging them all of the the time. Where as last year, he struggled to canter in the arena, now he canters small easy circles while playing. He is also much more forceful and likes to play charger with Rascal and Shaman.Would you ever guess that by this photo?

 

Rascal ( standing) and Black Elk

Emotional Fitness

Friday I thought I should give Black Elk a bit of a rest, an easy day. I had always wanted to get him used to walking behind the marsh, as I plan to ride there. It's a very claustrophobic trail dense with salal and overhanging branches. It is pretty though with views of the marsh and after about 1/4 mile opens up into a meadow which was the origonal homestead of the Tompstons family. I had taken Rascal there about a year ago, and by the time we got down that trail he was ready to blow up, and in fact through a fit bucking and cantering in circles around me. Not fun!

Even Cassie taking off in the bushes didn't bother him.

Black Elk led like a water flowing behind me. Not a worried moment. We stopped on occasion to let him eat a bit of green grass. I was amazed at his composure and emotional fitness. I wonder about this quality. I was so careful with him to respect his 'thresholds' and not push him when he was scared. We used the clicker for clearer communication, and I let him go at his own speed, sometimes taking quite a long time to grasp issues. But what I saw happening was once he got it, there was a willingness and eagerness to do as I bid that I did not always see with my other horses. But most of all it was the level of trust that seemed to grow as a result of never scaring him, of waitng and asking, of respecting him in his process.
I have made this effort with all my horses but I think I have gotten a bit more sensitve with each horse. 

Black Elk looking back toward Turtleback in Deer Harbor

So around the marsh we went, through the meadow where he got to graze and down the gravel roads I hope to ride him on soon. Nothing bothered him. He'd look and maybe bulge a bit away from somethings but was calm and respectful.
Now, I have trail riding issues. Almost 30 years ago while taking my daughter trail riding, she fell off and nearly died. Two weeks in intensive care in a coma, two more weeks until she could talk. She suffers physically to this day from that accident. It was the worst thing that had ever happened to both of us. I strive not to define my life around that accident, but it's a struggle every day.
Prior to her getting hurt, I thought galloping cross country over fences alone in the evening was a blast. I always rode the trails alone, and was basically fearless. I fox hunted and I evented. Untill that day. What had been my pleasure and greatest joy now brought up fear and grief. I sold my horses.

The Old Apple Truck on Bullocks Farm

It wasn't until 10 years ago that I had a horse again. My husband spent years putting horse ads in front of me. Eventually we started looking, and eventually we bought. Naturally I chose an alpha mare, who was a redhead and a thoroughbred. She was a terrible choice for me at the time. but she taught me alot. Why I could ride her in the arena prior to owning her, and not once I got home, is a long discussion. She forced me to find a new way of relating to horses, to learn about Natural Horsemanship, to study Parelli, and of course, she taught me about myself. My journey with horses is truely a healing journey. Isn't it always a lot more than just the desire to ride?
So, now after all these years, I have a horse who has emotional fitness and I feel safe enough to consider riding the trails. One more step in that healing.

Black Elk Stands

 Black Elk watching his kitty Theo

Thursday was sunny and beautiful, in the 50's, and so of course I needed to be out with the horses. I wanted to see how Black Elk remembered his mounting lesson and if he'd stand without any moving. While brushing him, I put a box beside him to stand on, which in fact enables me to be able to brush his whole back. I thought if he got used to me being in that same spot while being brushed and eating his vitamins, it would help.
We went out into the arena, and worked on transitions, walk to trot to walk to trot, each getting lighter and more subtle. He is a great listener, and we both have good focus. All I had to do was let out my breath to stop him and bring him in. Then he'd get to rest by the mounting block. He stood every time. I took off the lunge line, tied the rope to his halter, led him up to the mounting block and he stood like a soldier! I had tucked a bite of apple under the pommel of the saddle and once seated, dropped it on the ground in front of him. He liked that.

Now we were off and running, or in our case walking - slowly. OK, well I had done the Throughbred thing and was no longer interested in hot horses, so slow was good. We worked on steering, first my eyes, then my belly button, then my legs and then the reins. In his case I use rythym. That will change when we start using the bit. Which will be soon.
I love his steadiness and unflapple nature. Some people might think he is not sensitive, but because he is somewhat introverted and if does not quite understand he just 'copes'. If given a chance to figure out what you want, he is very responsive. I used the clicker early on to create this connection, and he was an apt student. When the clicker comes out, he actually gets excited! He only gets a treat now and then after he grasps the concept, but he is ever hopeful.

I asked him for 'the big walk' and marveled again at how it felt so long and rolling, so very comfortable. The we worked on trotting. Well we have lots of work to do with the trotting, but I will say I am not worried about him being too hot! His head hardly raises and his trot is very slow yet.
You can see how he puts his butt under when trotting in our not so glamourous picture!

THE BIG ESCAPE

 Shaman, Rascal and Ranger in the Lead

Another wet and wild day today, but as soon as the rain let up, I went out to ride. I was going to ride Rascal, but Black Elk was looking at me so longingly, and came up and put his head in the halter, so I took him instead. After yesterday, I though he might need a day off, but this morning, he did not seem to think so.
I figured we'd work on mounting, or to be more specific, standing still while mounting. We did some ground work, then off to stand by the mounting block. Before doing anything, I stood with him and tried to breath with him. Then to slow me down and to make me remember what is really important here, I sang to him. 'All I want for you is forever to remember me loving you'. This song, or chant is actually a Sufi dance and I used it alot while gentling Black Elk. It really helps me get into the right frame of mind.
Then we got to do our dance. Moving in, moving away and Black Elk's job was to stand still. Then moving in and getting up on the mounting block and off, while he stood still, then up on the block and hanging on the saddle. I added my clicker to reinforce his good behavior and made him circle if he moved. The dance continued, when he was able to stand still with increasing pressure, he got a bite of apple. Up and down, up and down, petting, singing, circling. Eventually I moved the block so it was parrell to the fence so he could go frontways or backwards but not swing his butt out.. and Success!  I got on. He got a bite of apple.  Once on he was fine, a bit more energetic than yesterday, but fine. Later I realized he had quite a bit of pent up energy. We kept the ride short, working on figure 8's and turns on the forehand. All coming along very quickly. Meanwhile it had started rainning just about the time I went out into the arena. I took my phone with me in a plastic bag, and I was getting wetter and wetter. So, we called it a day, or so I thought.

 RANGER AND RASCAL

I put all four of the horses out in the arena and went in for lunch. Oh boy, with the wind and the rain, those guys were putting on quite a rodeo. Black Elk seems to be gaining confidence from the riding, because he is initiating a lot of the horseplay. Prior to actually getting anything to eat, Black Elk was pushed through the fence by Ranger.  I just moved that fence. Quess he was not used to the space being a tad smaller..and they were loose!  Yahoo.. the big escape, how they love being wild again. After 4 days of rain, our pastures were saturated and they had a blast ripping them up. Then off to the neighbors and down the road. Fortunately they have a favorite place to go; Rob's place. He's usually there, roasting Coffee and loves our guys, why I am not sure.  Perhaps their escapes to his house adds some excitement to his day, while I am mostly worried about the holes in his lawn.

I got my boots back on and down the road I went with an apple in my pocket. There they were on Rob's nice green lawn. I walked right up to Rascal and put the halter on him, and then Rob lent me a rope for Black Elk. Then, I realized I should get the halter on Black Elk and the rope on Rascal, so I switched. Down the road we went with Ranger trotting along behind and in front.  I had managed to capture Shaman and put him in the arena,  so he was home yelling his head off about the indignity of being left alone.

KIGER SHAMAN

RIDING IN THE DARK

November is definitely here. It's dark in the morning and barely gets light all day unless the sun peaks out. Lots of showers today and wind. Took a walk with Mary and Cassie along the water during a semi dry spell. Lovely and warm and windy.
After shoveling, I took Black Elk out again, today with just a halter, as he is fussing with the bit being put in his mouth. I want to just have as long as I need to work in tiny steps getting him OK with the bit again, and since it was already pretty dusky and I wanted to ride, I put it off for another day.

So I lunged him a bit and then did our mounting block routine. He is way to big for me to get on without steps!  He has been standing beautifully for the most part, but not today. I did not work with him on the ground as long as ususal, because I was really running out of light. Sometimes you really get it that is never pays to hurry. We went back and forth about me getting on. He'd move away, I'd move him back, he'd move backwards, I'd move him frontwards. After about 4 of those every time he moved away I sent him off in circles. Brought him back. Same routine, circles again. Then I got out the lunge whip. He moved away, and I moved him back with the whip in my hand. Never touched him, but after that he stood.
I got on.

Over night he seemed to have grasped the steering thing. He was able to go around the outside of the arena with no big issues. Wow! huge improvement. Then we went in our 24 meter circle. Well, he's a big horse, why not? He had that down pretty well too. So, then we trotted a bit. I am so amazed at the comfort of this huge trot. It's like a big old fashioned caddy. No need to post. It's like floating on a cloud. Now, it's true this is his SLOW trot, things might be different when he really gets going. This guy has gears, low and slow and big and  ground covering. We have not been in the ground covering trot as yet..but soon, yes, soon.