Bunnylady
Well-Known Member
Oh well, so much for theories! Who said, "feeling like an idiot is part of the job?"
I called my friend, and arranged to be there this morning at feeding time. I told her about how much the horse's behavior had changed. She told me that a girl who had looked at this horse about a month ago had called her back, and was very interested in taking her on trial. I wasn't told, but they arranged to make the move at feeding time, this morning.
Last night, I had tried a little experiment after feeding. When this horse was standing a couple feet away from me, I just thought "go away, horse." My posture changed ever so slightly, no person would have seen it, but this horse did. She immediately turned away and left.
A few minutes later, I thought "let's see if I can call her." So I walked over toward where she was eating hay. 12 feet away, she looked up. 10 feet away, I saw her shift her weight, and I stopped. Then I started backing up. One step, two steps, three steps, still nothing, so I dropped to one knee. Here she came!!
Evidently, I was just too intimidating standing up. My mini mule taught me that some time ago, I don't know why I didn't think about it with a "big." That might explain why she always turned away, too. I thought I was "speaking softly," but it wasn't quite soft enough.
This morning, when we all got to the barn, we found that the QH mare had somehow gotten into the backyard with this girl. The two of them were as cozy as old chums. Everybody remarked on how much calmer the Welsh was. Then my friend chirped, " Maybe all she needed was a buddy!" :arg!
Now, she's my friend, and I love her, but sometimes, she can be so dense! Yes, the QH was a big part of it, but these two had been neighbors for a month and this "friendship" had only developed in the last week! All the thought and effort I'd put into making this girl's life more rational, making her comfortable enough to forge a friendship instead of run and fight, and this is the thanks I get? I don't know, some people have all the subtlety of a jackhammer!
Anyway, it turns out the previous owner kept her in a pasture with other horses (so much for "poorly socialized") and got rid of her mostly because she was so impossible to deal with on the ground. The fear of being trapped in the stall may only have been the result of my friend's hamfisted attempts at handling this horse. She has said she just doesn't get along with TB's, I think I know why! The horse is trained for jumping, and jumps like a dream, it's just that she races through the course (did someone hear me say "trust issues" again?)
I told the prospective owner about what I had seen in this horse, and about my little experiment last night. She nodded several times, so I think she understood what I was talking about, even if my friend didn't.
So the horse is at yet another barn, where (please God!) maybe someone who truly understands her can deal with her. I'm feeling a bit foolish, but hey, I'll get over it. I decided several days ago that the really important thing wasn't knowing the exact cause, it was doing the right thing and getting the right result (which I was.) It has been an education, and a priviledge, to have had an opportunity to "play" with this animal, and I have learned a lot. I made my friend promise that, IF this horse comes back (and I hope for her sake that she doesn't,) that she will let me take care of her, or at least let me teach her how to take care of her, who knows, maybe my friend will eventually become a "real" horsewoman, rather than just someone who plays with horses!
I called my friend, and arranged to be there this morning at feeding time. I told her about how much the horse's behavior had changed. She told me that a girl who had looked at this horse about a month ago had called her back, and was very interested in taking her on trial. I wasn't told, but they arranged to make the move at feeding time, this morning.
Last night, I had tried a little experiment after feeding. When this horse was standing a couple feet away from me, I just thought "go away, horse." My posture changed ever so slightly, no person would have seen it, but this horse did. She immediately turned away and left.
A few minutes later, I thought "let's see if I can call her." So I walked over toward where she was eating hay. 12 feet away, she looked up. 10 feet away, I saw her shift her weight, and I stopped. Then I started backing up. One step, two steps, three steps, still nothing, so I dropped to one knee. Here she came!!
Evidently, I was just too intimidating standing up. My mini mule taught me that some time ago, I don't know why I didn't think about it with a "big." That might explain why she always turned away, too. I thought I was "speaking softly," but it wasn't quite soft enough.
This morning, when we all got to the barn, we found that the QH mare had somehow gotten into the backyard with this girl. The two of them were as cozy as old chums. Everybody remarked on how much calmer the Welsh was. Then my friend chirped, " Maybe all she needed was a buddy!" :arg!
Now, she's my friend, and I love her, but sometimes, she can be so dense! Yes, the QH was a big part of it, but these two had been neighbors for a month and this "friendship" had only developed in the last week! All the thought and effort I'd put into making this girl's life more rational, making her comfortable enough to forge a friendship instead of run and fight, and this is the thanks I get? I don't know, some people have all the subtlety of a jackhammer!
Anyway, it turns out the previous owner kept her in a pasture with other horses (so much for "poorly socialized") and got rid of her mostly because she was so impossible to deal with on the ground. The fear of being trapped in the stall may only have been the result of my friend's hamfisted attempts at handling this horse. She has said she just doesn't get along with TB's, I think I know why! The horse is trained for jumping, and jumps like a dream, it's just that she races through the course (did someone hear me say "trust issues" again?)
I told the prospective owner about what I had seen in this horse, and about my little experiment last night. She nodded several times, so I think she understood what I was talking about, even if my friend didn't.
So the horse is at yet another barn, where (please God!) maybe someone who truly understands her can deal with her. I'm feeling a bit foolish, but hey, I'll get over it. I decided several days ago that the really important thing wasn't knowing the exact cause, it was doing the right thing and getting the right result (which I was.) It has been an education, and a priviledge, to have had an opportunity to "play" with this animal, and I have learned a lot. I made my friend promise that, IF this horse comes back (and I hope for her sake that she doesn't,) that she will let me take care of her, or at least let me teach her how to take care of her, who knows, maybe my friend will eventually become a "real" horsewoman, rather than just someone who plays with horses!
