Horsy News,
Views and Attitudes Vol. 1 Number 23 December 24-30, 2007
|
Feeding time in Connecticut. Photos by Lee Cummings. (Thanks
Lee!) __________________________________
|
Mobile Music This past
Saturday Wiggins residents were treated to a caroling posse of ponies. Crandal Stables students
decorated their animals and rode out to go caroling in Wiggins. Pony Pals Anna Harley, Lulu Sanders
and Mrs. Crandal's daughter Pam rode their ponies Acorn, Snow White and
Lightning. Three more
ponies were along for the ride. Two students from the stable, Eve Greeley and
Sandy Young, followed on Daisy and Cloud, along with their friend Fred Sands
riding Splash. Adults
included Jane Crandal on her thoroughbred JB and Wilhelmina Wiggins riding
Picasso. Victoria Winters
brought her sport horse 'Perfection' in to ride with the group but soon
discovered that her horse had other ideas. "Perfection
was doing fine tied to the trailer even while horses with jingle bells and
colorful blankets were going round the arena," Winters said. "He
even started to settle after being barked at by Crandal's huge sheepdog. I
was just hand walking him when he started to get very wild eyed and dance
around."
Crandal said "Her horse was out of control, so I told her to take
him back to the trailer and put the stud chain on his halter." That didn't
solve the problem, though. "When we caught up, Perfection was looking
and feeling like he was a champion," Winters continued. "I was
scared he would upset the other horses so I took him back and put him in the
arena." The carolers went from house to
house all afternoon and finished the day with hot cider and brownies at the
Off Main Diner. |
Thought for the day - -
Cold and windy,
horses get frisky.
Page 2
Horsy News,
Views and Attitudes Vol. 1 Number
23 December 24-30, 2007
|
LEARN TO SPEAK HORSE YOUR
QUESTIONS ANSWERED Q. This week my friends and I wanted to go out caroling
and my Aunt thought it would be a good training experience for her horse. But
he started to act up really badly. We had to leave him behind but when we
came back and she led him to the trailer you would have never known. What was
that horse trying to say? Fred S. A.
Any time that a trained horse begins to misbehave, it's sure that
animal is worried about something. Whether it was a lot of other unfamiliar
horses or being away from the barn with too much that was new to think about,
it shows a lack of horse confidence in that equine's human. Just like we think that we
"have" horses, they think that they "have" us as part of
their herd. Ideally they think of you as their leader. If so, they will try
to walk through what appears to be a solid wall if you ask them to. In this
instance your Aunt was asking her horse to do something that horse did not
trust her to lead him into. The horse was saying,
"You are crazy to think this is safe and I don't trust you to lead me
into this danger. Let me out of here!" To overcome this takes lots of time,
patience and love. Every time your pony gets scared, you have to be there to
help. You always say the same thing
over and over, "Look at that. It's not dangerous because I am here with
you." Your horse behaves well when it comes to believe that, not before. Good horse training is not fast. But it
is forever. Once a pony learns to trust you they will do it for the rest of
their lives. That is why a well-trained
older pony is the very best for a new rider. That pony has already learned to
trust and will help its new rider learn to become confident. |
Pony Pals Letters & Photos Dear Webmaster,
I wrote this poem, I hope you like itÉ I did think of the words myself.
PoniGirl Their minds tell us their intelligence, Through their veins flows the blood
and pride of the champions, HorsesÉ.. In their hearts lies loyalty &
honesty, Through their hooves flows the
silent song of running free, HorsesÉ.. In their flesh lies the beauty and
history of the stars, Through their bones runs power and
strength, Roaming the Earth for longer than
we have, More intelligent than any humanÉ.. Which one of us is worthy Enough to stand beside Such a creature? HorsesÉ..
Silk in pasture. Photo by Lee Cummings |
