As I doctored Carmen this morning I realized how far she's come in her trust in me (and her ground manners). She let me frig with her foot and accepted the poultice boot. She was curious but not freaking out. Old Carmen would have been very tense about the whole thing and probably would have flung the boot across the barn.
Carmen: umm, what is this thing on my foot?
Me: it's a poultice boot and an epsom poultice
Carmen: *waves foot vaguely in air* it feels weird
Me: it should help with your sore foot.
Carmen: *sniffs it* okay, if you say so.
Since watching a Warwick Schiller video on being 'present'. I've been trying to to that. In the morning as I pick out her stall, rather then plan my day I chat with her about the weather and my plans. I know she doesn't understand me but it seems that she gets that I'm talking with her and not just ignoring her. I can't explain it but she seems to respond.
It's also the time of year of Facebook flashbacks. One popped up of us from a few years ago and I see how far we've both come in our training.
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| April 2015 |
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| Nov 2016 |
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| November 2017 |
And then to this year. Things are feeling much better. Not that there's not tension or shenanigans.
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| November 2018 |
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| Sept/Oct 2019 |
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| November 2019 |
What a beautiful trip down memory lane with those photos! Though the best part of all of it is your reflection on how much trust you have between you now. Isn't it crazy how the simplest things being trustingly-received by our horse partners can be so satisfying? I love how she's so much more trusting of what you do/ask these days. <3
ReplyDeleteThey go hand in hand. A big part of unlocking her talent is gaining her trust. Tonight as I applied the poultice she kept blowing in my hair.
DeleteThat Warwick Schiller video. Wow. I follow him on FB but just subscribed to his YouTube channel. Will make some enlightening winter viewing I think.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy them.
DeleteLook at you two! Wow!!
ReplyDeleteThank you
DeleteThose most recent pictures are breathtaking. You truly have come a long, long way.
ReplyDeleteThank you! It's helpful to look back on where we were.
DeleteSo beautiful! Love the power in the later photos!
ReplyDeleteThe power is amazing to feel too
DeleteWow that last picture! She has such great uphill balance! She's so beautiful <3
ReplyDeleteShe can be quite uphill- if I stay out of the way!!
Deleteoh man, she looks like an entirely different horse <3 <3 <3
ReplyDeleteShe definitely is mentally/emotionally! I also think that I'm a different horse person/rider.
DeleteOne of my barn friends (an older woman) always used to remind me to talk to my horse - it always worked pretty well with Ramone, I miss her since my move and now try to remind myself to talk to Dante.
ReplyDeleteYou two are most definitely getting there! Great progress
Thank you! I find talking to her helps me to stay present and breathe. both of which are good things.
DeleteI hope that abscess works it way out quickly for you - Maizey had a rather nasty one a few weeks ago and it was just miserable for her.
ReplyDeleteYou and Carmen have come such a long way - sometimes it helps to look back on old photos to really see the startling difference.
She seems to be feeling better. Fingers crossed that she's back to her old(new) self soon. Poor Maizey. I think having photos to look back on are so very helpful. It's easy to get discouraged and not see the progress.
DeleteShe's such a pretty girl! And you two have come really far together both in and out of the tack. Hope the foot is on the mend soon!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteHope her abscess heals quickly. It says it all in the flashback pictures. You and Carmen have come a long way in your partnership and you both keep getting better and better.
ReplyDeleteI love having these pictures and the blog to look back at where we were.
DeleteI love the progress pictures! She isn't greying as fast as most greys I've known!
ReplyDeleteI wish that her tail, mane and legs would stay black but they won't.
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