I've found that horses are unique in the way humans relate to them, and they to us. Horses can't really be thought of, or approached, as pets. And yet I realize how they have drifted from being such a focal and essential part of our lives many years ago to being just that - pets?
You may not know it but Hudson and I had a somewhat rocky beginning. At one point he even kicked me in the upper thigh in frustration. But we became closest friends after that incident. He and Bella are both retired race horses, and although that might seem a cool at first thought, it's actually quite sad. Most race horses are not that well treated - by their owners or by the jockeys. We bought them both from a shelter for abused horses. Bella's back was so bad she couldn't even take a saddle without it causing pain. Thankfully we came a cross a very good vet/chiropractor for horses. It was amazing the difference it made.
Hudson was ridable, but only by the most experienced rider. He was poorly trained, if at all, and was very head strong. The first six-nine months we just spent spending time with them. We (Darla, Ashley, and I) would take them treats several days during the week, then again on weekends. We would clean their stalls, let them out to roam & run in the arena, groom them, and did I mention - give them treats.
I've never seen bigger "kids" than these two when it was treat time. They would ignore everything else and focus like an arrow to the bulls-eye. Their favorites were carrots, apples, and mint candies. They also liked most of the "horse treats" you can buy in 50lb bags.
All this time was necessary just to establish a relationship with the horse. Because horses are prey animals, not predators - as you might think, they function from a cautious and reactive posture. They actually make great mirrors of our (human) emotional states.
Once Jim, our border, relocated, we began the regiment of ground work necessary for their training. This, I believe, is what was missing before, and without the ground work everything else is questionable. This ground work was both enjoyable and frustrating. Enjoyable because I got to spend lots of time with them. Frustrating because I hadn't planned on training them before riding them.
During this training process you learn so much about the horse - and they learn about you. Hudson was so smart - almost too smart for his own good. Ashley aptly named him Hudson - the Momma's Boy. He came off as this big (which he was) tough guy - but was actually just a little kid.
And Bella is the sweetest thing - and she had the sweetest face to go with her personality. I noticed over time that Bella was especially cautious around men. I surmised it had to do with how she was treated and by whom. But I was able to overcome her fear with lots of love and patience.
I almost forgot that part of our ritual together in the arena was to let them eat the leaves off the mesquite trees that grew just outside the arena fence. I would even climb on the fence and pull down branches they couldn't reach. They sure seemed to enjoy that. I did too.
I love them and miss them both.
2 comments:
They were both so sweet and so much fun to see how they interacted with each other and with us. Do you still have them?
Kirsten, not technically. Our border Jim is set up as a shelter also, so he was able to take them. He was in a better position to find someone to lease or purchase them. If things change for me where we can have a place to keep them, then I would definitely buy them back from him.
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