Re: Around the Mountain & mental conditioning

["Bonita B. Young" <corky@foothill.net>]

Linda
Reminds me of years past when I had the pleasure of riding with Smoky Kellin,
he loved to sing mostly cowboy songs, San Antonio Rose was a favorite of his.
Smoky also loved to make up animals and people that he "saw" in rocks, it was a
real hoot.  Smoky had a real talent for passing the time.  I still miss him!!

Corky Young

Flemmer, Linda wrote:

> B. Miskimmin/J. Curtis wrote:
>
> > But how do people out there deal with perking up those horses that "don't
> > feel like it" right now? Is it possible to mentally condition a horse, or
> > do we just have to be lucky enough to have horses that have the gung ho
> > attitude in the first place?
>
> I pulled a mare from her first 50 years ago because she just STOPPED out
> on the trail.  She was simply depressed.  She didn't want to leave a 30
> mile check (going back out by herself), then she pooped out on me out in
> the middle of the Ocala National Forest.  I was sure that something was
> seriously wrong.  Blood work was normal, and she was perky again when
> she saw the other horses.  I think that she felt like she was the only
> horse out there.
>
> If my horse has "down time" (& I do too, sometimes), I sing with a good
> trotting rhythm to it.  Rocket seems to perk up and keep time, much like
> when we do dressage to music.  You <do> have to realize that he may only
> be going faster to get away from the caterwauling on his back.  I
> couldn't carry a tune in a bucket (with a lid)!  Oher times, we'll do
> some "exercises" (bends, lateral work, hop a log) to break up the
> monotony on long stretches.
>
> Experience seems to be the best cure for the horses that I've ridden.
>
> Linda Flemmer