06.21.08
Herd’s visit with HorseGal comes to an end
[continuing report from Connie's friend, Guest Writer HorseGal...]
HERD VISIT DAY 25 – The days are flying by way too fast and my time with The Herd is starting to wind down, however, my horse time with Emmie is over. Thank you, Em, for all that you’ve taught me, your patience in answering my nonstop questions, listening to my equally nonstop chatter, for putting up with my camera that was always in your face and for letting me spend so much time with you, Momma mare, Gilford and baby Glendale.
HERD VISIT DAY 28 – It’s just me and the Herd now and I’m having a great time just brushing them and being around them. I am still having some problems trying to keep them all from hovering around on top of me (mostly the boys… momma mare would hover but I easily got her to give me some space).
Glendale wearing his lunch!
While I do so love having them rest their head on my shoulder (they really did this from behind me!!) and I love having them want me to brush them (they would all stand perfectly still and not budge when it was their turn), it makes it very difficult to get anything done when they hover around so closely. I tried again to do what I’ve seen Connie do, but it didn’t work well.
But, after talking to Emmie and Connie and getting their advice, I changed tactics a bit and the horses LISTENED to me!!! They were SO good. What I needed to do was 1) be more assertive with them in my tone of voice and 2) I took in a lead rope with me and would swing the end of it towards whomever was getting too close and say, as sharply as I could “back”.
I was so proud of those boys and how well they listened (when I finally started doing it in a way they understood). Like Pat Parelli says “If your horse says no, you either asked the wrong question or answered the question wrong”.
I have to tell you about a really comical incident – I was in the pen brushing the herd. I left Emmie’s box with all her grooming tools outside the pen. Well, one of the resident horses (who wander around at will) came up and for some odd reason, grabbed the hoof pick out of the box and ran off with it!
It looked so funny seeing this horse, wearing a cribbing strap, run off with a red hoof pick in his mouth. I dropped everything and ran after him yelling “You drop that!” and he did after a minute or two of running around with it!
HERD VISIT DAY 33 – The Moses Herd left today to go home. It was really difficult to see them leave; I felt like I was losing my best friends. I’d become so close to these guys having seen them almost every day for the past 33 days. I was actually choked up when I saw that trailer pull out. I gave Connie and Em a hug goodbye, walked back to the barn and left them alone to say their own goodbyes.
I learned so much by watching Em, listening to her and asking her questions. I also paid close attention to the Herd and all their antics and to what she was doing with them at any given moment. I even had a few of my own personal “firsts” with horses along the way during their visit.
As far as the Herd’s behavior - sometimes they were fractious; but mostly they were quiet and content and it was always so peaceful and calming to watch them and hear them munching away on their hay on beautiful quiet spring nights! I love the sound of horses eating hay! Because I was able to spend so much time with them, I saw a side of them I normally never would have seen, which is their strong separation anxiety. Especially poor Momma mare– she makes it so unnecessarily hard on herself.
What an experience this was for this Horse Gal. I was given a glimpse into the day to day experience of owning horses, if only for a short time. I consider this whole amazing and wonderful event to be another chapter in my life long journey to become the best horse gal I can be.
GOODBYE HORSE GAL!!!
love, the Herd
