Re: Horse Personalities

["Maggie Mieske" <mmieske@netonecom.net>]

Bany wrote:  that if I treat them as if they already had the temperment I want them to have, eventually they end up with something at least close to that personality.

 

Interesting idea that works for us in almost every situation and every day is surely different for us.  Many times a horse owner will warn us about a "bad" horse...can't trim that one or watch out for it to do such and such... we appreciate those warnings, definitely.  However, if we approach the horse (keeping the warnings in mind) with the mindset that this horse WILL be fine and behave with no problems, 9 times out of 10, that horse won't give us a minute's trouble!  Inexperienced horse owners sometimes don't realize how much their indecision or fear or apprehension or whatever transmits itself to the horse.  A confident approach gives the horse confidence in YOU.  And usually, the times when it doesn't work is usually because 1) the horse hasn't been handled enough (maybe it's a youngster with no experience at what we are asking it to do) or 2) it truly is afraid because it had a bad experience at one time or another or 3) attitude...I don't WANT to and you can't MAKE me.  In those cases, patience and persistence will usually wear them down, they give in when they find they aren't being hurt, understand what we expect them to or realize we won't give up and all is well! 

Maggie