Baggage

Baggage, can horses carry emotion and physical trauma with them for life? Many think they get over it quickly and just wipe it under the carpet.

But I don't believe so, I think some horses carry the scar of whatever happen to them, for life. Just like personalities some horses can get over things in a blink of a eye, while others carry it around like a blanket.

How does one deal with a horse that carries baggage? My mare carries baggage and a few tricks she learned when she was boarded a few years ago.

It has been one of the sources of our unhappy period since, it is still there.

When Belladonna came back home in 2006 I couldn't halter her. She see that halter and take off. She is fine if I approach with nothing or a rope. But a halter still sends a nasty vibe through the air and things get sticky from there. In 3 years we have barely improve this issue, we have had no improvement in pulling back when she either scared or throwing a fit. And the issue with strangers has stop improving and starting to go backwards, to the point I worry.

She's a mustang, smart and problem solving BUT she keeps her baggage nice and tight with her. The trust issue with strangers has always been there since I first rescued her, she is wary of new people and will do this dragon snort and I am still waiting to see flames shoot out of her nose.

Last night was a ordeal for applying Eqi-spot, which helps my animals for like 27 days. Better then spray on, but guess what? I did the 2 burros, which one is a shy guy with in 5 minutes. And guess who just blew up and pulled back and acted like the end of the world was happening?

Belladonna made a choice to be a butthead but the whole thing and took 15 minutes to apply the stuff too. WHY? not like this is her first time, but this is her baggage. Halter goes on and she starts flinging her baggage about. It like a little old lady smacking you with her purse, but this purse is being welded by a 800 lbs mare.

Oh I was mad because this shouldn't happen, she grumpy because of flies and should been relived when we applied. Instead I get the fit throwing hissy fit.

Normal ways and traditional methods have not worked, I been trying for 3 years and is one of the reasons why horsemanship has STOPPED!

I asked and read until I am blue in the face and yet she rooted down into her baggage, like a hog in a mud hole.

So here is one of my sources my I am on a new path to find the answers for her and myself. Spiritually I am sinking, and have been feeling lost for a while.

I am unhappy with myself which I reflects into her. Not healthy and probably one of the reasons baggage is still around. I started to read " The Tao Of Equus"

I am just a few pages into this book and love it. I look forward to my new journey and maybe Belladonna and I can loose our baggage in time.

2007 the herd