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

Doing Nothing

What is doing nothing?

Does it make any sense?

For me doing nothing is just spending time with my animals. I sit around with them, talk, pet and laugh. That might include them being goofy and dragging whatever they can find back to me.

For my mare, our time is important.

we spend time through out the day just being. She grazing and walking and myself going along with her. Yesterday was my first official day of doing nothing, I threw out the ideas of haltering her up.

I did bring a rope, that way I could swish it for flies when we stop under the trees.

Maybe a hour or less we hung out, I follow her and she followed me. The donkeys tried with their might to butt in but soon she was stomping at them and moving them off.

The donkeys were offended that this mare got tired of them, man Colby was heart broken.

For those who are new to me and my herd. I own 2 BLM donkeys and 1 BLM mustang mare. I privately rescue at times and try my best to help unwanted mustangs, burros and domestic donkeys. Belladonna; my mare has issues with other horses. She fights with them all the time until she jumps out of the pen and does her "ha ha ha" dance at them and will not go back in that pen. When I adopted my first burro, she first was afraid. But by the next morning she was mothering the burro, Colby.

From that day on when ever a donkey shows up she goes into fits screaming for them and mothers them. Colby has grown up here kinda ruthless, he thinks he 10 feet tall and bullet proof and will boss any 4 leg around, because Belladonna allows him to act this way.

So when she refuse him yesterday he was shocked, how could this mare of 4 years he known just now cut him off? Belladonna realize that the burros will take me away from her and she fighting it. which is GOOD, because before they could do anything and she just give up.

What does it mean? I am not sure but maybe with her taking some control things will equal out better and right?

I like to also play treasure hunt around the herd, we live on a historical piece of land that at times spits out things like old square nails, pieces of broken pottery, bottles, horseshoes...whatever. So I look every other day for things and if I start to dig, the other 3 will come over and paw.

If I sit and kick my legs around in the dirt (wear pants) they look at me and come on in, I get up and soon they roll.

So on some level I am part of their herd (a small level) which is nice BUT I want to learn and do more.

My mare plays but it usually when she needs to blow steam, she holds it in. I know when she needs a good run and just all out crazy 20 mins of being a horse. But naturally she will play a bit with the donkeys but holds her self back. When I know she ready for me to say "Play time" she strung up tight, she jerky, looking around at things but NOT DOING ANYTHING!

when I gentled her, I taught her that If I was in the pen, calm behavior is a must and only if I ask for other behavior is it okay. So when I play "Chase the mustang" I bend forward and carry my lunge whip behind me. I slowly stalk her and that's when she lowers her head at me and you see the change.

It like dealing with a dog that has issues being alone. she wants to hang out with me and not waste that pen up energy. so it takes me 10 minutes to get her to open up.

By then, she in a full flying gallop, screaming, bucking, rearing. which causes a lot of other animals thinking something's wrong. (I have 2 other neighbors with horses around) and she does a fine job getting the neighborhood thinking that a dragon is around, LOL

But she could be all out running and all I have to do is step into the pen and yell for her and say "easy" and she'll run at me and slow down in 15 feet and by 10 a walk and still respect my space.

Out of everything she respects my space a lot, a point of the finger or a look has her moving away If I think she too close or trying something new.

I have noticed I gotten off track but oh well.

So what is your "doing nothing" with your own horse?

Belladonna April 2008

The Path Of The Horse DVD

http://www.stormymay.com/Path.html

I have found myself for the last few years, completely at a stop with horsemanship. I have come up with so many excuses to Why not complete my beautiful BLM mustang mare, Belladonna. I remember as a child being horse crazy and everything hoses. Just standing there was more then enough. I took riding lessons and read every book I could get my hands on. Soon I wanted more, I have always wanted to learn about things and just go way over the top to learn all I can. I have paid the monthly fees of top horseman's net clubs and thought I found a answer, but soon after I was finding myself just unhappy.

Why?

Every where we look horsemanship is about what we can do to horses, from 3 day events to classical dressage. Fun events all around, yet I was unhappy, with it all.

I went to a event here in my Home town called "Nevada County Rein Storm " http://www.nevadacountyreinstorm.com/ I had my own little space for my Abrasive natural hoof care, something I started studying over 3 years ago and never regretted it. I had some time to look at a few booth and saw Stormy's and was drawn over there. The DVD caught my eye and we traded a few words and I bought it, and off I went to get back to my booth, if people wanted me to explain my style of trimming.

I never got a chance to watch the DVD that night, but early the next day with  a cup of coffee I sat and watched it. I have heard of some of the names on the DVD cover, people who think outside of traditional horseman methods. The DVD was beautiful and really makes a person think and realize things.

For me it made me realize why I been in my downturn and have lost the passion for horses. It made me realize it is not all about running, yanking, tapping, etc.

When I first gentled my mare, I had her in 30 days halter broke and lead trained. And not with traditional ways. I listen to my gut and did things I felt were right for her and I, which made our bond grow stronger. I was happy and excited where I was in 2004 and 2005. But slowly I was told of this or that, or not doing that right or whatever. so I started to get my hands on everything. Natural horsemanship etc. I found myself in 2006 unhappy, I felt like I was stuck in a rut and it was just getting bigger and PLUS my mare and I only did things in training. I pet her etc but we lost our "togetherness" (is that a word?)

every one around could do things and yet I wanted more, I wanted to have something with my mare that is a fantasy. A partnership, a meaning...OUR BOND.

I think people should see this DVD and really think, because watching Stormy's movie really woke me up and made me realize that there are other ways and what I saw on this movie is what I myself want with my own horse and helping other horses.

For those wondering who is all featured on the TPOTH here are the people who Stormy interviewed: Klaus Ferdinand Hempfling, Alexander Nevzorov, Carolyn Resnick, Linda Kohanov, Mark Rashid, and Kim McElroy.

I started this blog because I want to write down my journey to better my bond and make a partnership with my own horse, thinking out of the box. Doing something that some may call worthless or silly. I believe it will better myself and get back what I have lost with my own mare, a bond and understanding.