Yes I’m easily entertained. By long shadows on a warm spring afternoon, mountains under a moody sky, sharing space and time with a young, developing horse.
I took DG Griffin out for a walk the other day and we had some big teachable moments that I’m glad I had the opportunity to address rather than waiting to deal with them until he’s 3 or 4 or chalking them off to “Awwww, he’s just a baby, he’ll grow out of it!”
Yearling Devil’s Garden Mustang Griffin, youngest of the Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy Ambassador Mustangs, is usually a quiet old soul. He doesn’t spook or fidget when he’s on the clock. He’s as patient in public appearances as his older friends. He does, however, have a strong desire to be with his herd.
That’s wonderful when I let him follow along loose on our rides. I also know it’s something I need to help him with because he’s going to be expected to go out alone, confidently and without fuss.
So we go for walks together, just me and him. On those walks we work on things. A bit of lunging, moving, hips, shoulders, backing, standing quietly.
On this walk he experienced some pasture magnetism. He’d trot around on a circle and at the spot closest to the pasture he’d stall. I asked him to maintain his pace. He told me in no uncertain terms that I should shut up and leave him alone.
As you might imagine, that’s not my strong suit so we had a meeting of the minds and the little guy discovered that he could, in fact, maintain a trot all the way around me.
We continued walking until I stopped to take in the views. Good boy Griffin stopped too, except he made it a point to leeeeaaaaannnn into me. So we talked about space bubbles. At the school we do that with hula rings to give the kids a visual. I don’t hike with hula rings but I got my point across regardless and the issue was quickly resolved.
When we got back to the pasture, the little guy was more interested in scanning the horizon for Tiny than paying attention to me and calmly lowering his head for me to take his halter off.
Instead of 2sec, the process took 5min. Goal was achieved, no foal feelings were hurt and he soon trotted off to go find his friend.
If you get a horse young and make good use of those early years, many conversations don’t need to be had at all when they are older, or are much briefer and easier than if you wait.
If you don’t get your horse young, the best day to introduce the rules of your household is day 1 of working with him. How often have you seen a horse herd give a new member a 2 week grace period before they explain to them what’s what? Doing otherwise is misleading and confusing for them.
