đź’™ Reflections from the Round Pen đź’™
Standing by the round pen, I found myself deep in thought…“Should this horse be further along by now?” I wondered.
But then I reminded myself, “Nope, he’s exactly where he needs to be, considering his journey and where we started.” %
And yet, a small voice crept in, “But what would other people think if they didn’t know the whole story? Would they think all of this training has been a waste?
Just as quickly, my heart and soul answered: “NOT!” beating back that ego-driven doubt.
🛑HARD STOP.
Thankfully, my higher self took over, reminding me how far this horse has come—from terrified to trusting, from panicking over basic handling to calmly accepting healthcare. This horse, who once feared even a light drizzle, now has the confidence to be ridden in the rain. Watching him in this moment, I couldn’t help but reflect…Â
- What if we all focused on how far we and our horses have come instead of how far we still have to go?
- What if we focused on the Gain, not the Gap (thank you,...
How to create Happiness for your Horse - Pony Party Time!
“It’s a horse eating monster!” our giant size chestnut Trakehner had to be thinking (or something similar) by the looks of it. He’s snorting and blowing loudly at the sight of a side-by-side topped by a very large blow-up pool. The pool was strapped on the roof and the whole menagerie was heading across his paddock, with his blue heeler friend riding shotgun.Â
Meanwhile, a 13.1 hand Chincoteague pony gelding is having an entirely different reaction as he peeks out of a nearby run-in shed, ears pricked, looking very curious. (More on this story in a second.)
Happy Horses are more resilient, less likely to spook or overreact, more tolerant of human mistakes and when they do encounter trauma, tend to recover faster. How do we create horse happiness?
- Play,
- Physical comfort (including staying cool in summer heat),
 - Feelings of safety and care,
 - Friends,
 - Good nutrition,
 - Choice and autonomy when it comes to husbandry and healthcare procedures and
 - The ability to enga...
