--- In IceHorses@yahoogroups.com, "Judy Ryder" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > "In training one always wants to go too fast. To arrive quickly, do not > hurry, but be firmly assured of each step. The lesson should be for the > horse, as for the horseman, a rewarding exercise, an instructive game which > never brings fatigue.
You have to have faith to go slow, because the reward isn't always right in front of you. Others don't believe, they try to hurry you also. I know that some people think that since I have a five year old equine who isn't dead broke, in fact is very green at riding, that I just haven't been doing anything, but it's not true. Last night I got a call from the people I board with because one of the mules had a big iceball in her hoof, I had been out ealier and they didn't have much of anything at the time. It was about 8pm and about 11 degrees outside, we only have a high of 13 today. The problem was that neither he nor his daughter could get anywhere near the mules, they had both tried to "catch" her and they ran and ran, "even the ponies ran". Ok, so just in case, I went out there, when they saw my car the mules started running to me. Actually the iceball had gotten knocked off before we got there, but I went out to check, a mule at either side, a little tense from his flashlight, let me look at their hooves, no halter, no nothing. So the thing I have accomplished in going slow, slow like a turtle, is trust and with trust I have something to build on, it's really everything. Things may not be perfect, but I've done something right here, and we will never know how hard things would have been if I didn't establish a relationship first, maybe the way they react to others might give me a hint. Kim
