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Re: [RC] affecting the horse - Sullivan----- Original Message ----- From: "Steph Teeter" <steph@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> It was very powerful - and really gave me a sense of how 'telepathic' these horses can be, especially when we just let things happen. They can pick up on our mood, our fears, our excitement so easily! Steph Steph, I am a practical kind of gal who tends to poo poo stuff like "horse whispering and telepathy"...I have always believed horses just learn by habit, consistency and repetition..... however, in my 20;s, I had a grumpy appaloosa named Silver. Being young and lazy, my basic way of riding was to slip on hackamore, vault on bareback and ride the hills. After some months of adjustment, and changing her way of thinking some (horse would balk, rear and spook), we finally turned into a team, though I did not realize it at the time.... looking back I think I had a relationship with that horse I have not found since. I remember riding in the foothills, and just thinking, "this would be a good place to canter", and she would immediately go into an effortless canter, with no obvious cue from me. I do think animals are very good at reading subtle body language....and perhaps I did tense my seat some, but I just remember it being more of a "meeting of minds." I don't think it happens with every horse, but when it does, it is truly something special. But, getting back to your comments about if the rider is focused on something other than how the horse is behaving, often the horse does much better. I can think of times I was on a green horse, but worried about my dog catching up, or coaching another person on a new horse, or one of mine....where I had no TIME to be nervous on the horse I was riding...just gave cues automatically, and more relaxed....and sure enough, the horse does better too...... Another sure fire way to get comfortable on a green or nervous horse.....is to buy one younger, more green or nervous! Suddenly horse #1 is not so bad! Karen Karen =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= http://www.endurance.net/ads/seabiscuit.html Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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