tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7529851584296728593.post7380569383136491258..comments2023-06-14T05:22:27.586-07:00Comments on www.horsesdontcry.com: Small Therapeutic DosesAbby Koglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08450666025524079343noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7529851584296728593.post-28526214899214253392012-09-02T20:37:04.808-07:002012-09-02T20:37:04.808-07:00Such an excellent story and point Elaine, thank yo...Such an excellent story and point Elaine, thank you. Some horses just need to think about things for a moment or two. Its an easy thing to forget, but can make or break a ride or lesson for sure. Make Haste Slowly is true for many things, but particularly for our work with our horses >;->Abby Koglerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08450666025524079343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7529851584296728593.post-89582351404425741332012-09-02T07:54:28.379-07:002012-09-02T07:54:28.379-07:00I have learned with Dini, that no amount of pressu...I have learned with Dini, that no amount of pressure can make him do what he isn't ready to do. Just last month I was ground driving him around the barn property and we came to the stream. Now I have lead him over this stream a few times so I was thinking "no problem": he would not cross the stream. It was about 90 degrees and humid and all I wanted to do was finish our lesson. I yelled; I slapped him hard with the reins; I smacked him with the whip; all to no avail he wasn't budging. He would keep backing up and then I had to turn him, and straigten him and face him toward the stream again. Finally I had to stop because we were both soaked in sweat and my heart was beating way too fast; had I continued I would have passed out. So I lead him into the stream so he could soak his feet and lower his body temp, while I sat down on a large rock and waited for my heart to stop pounding and my own temp to lower. Then I calmly walked him across the stream and back thru it again to our starting point. Then I asked him once more to ground drive across the stream, which he did with no hesitation. Consequently, I now understand that I cannot force this gelding (with a stallion attitude) to do anything before HE is ready. With Dini one must play the waiting game. If I had just waited for him to decide about the stream he would have eventually gone across, because his food, water, and buds were across the steam, up the hill at the barn; stupid he isn't....now ME sometimes yes. But that's how you learn. I should have remembered the trailer. When you load Dini, you need to line him up straight, then ask him to go forward, then you WAIT a few minutes for him to check it out and decide and then he calmly walks in. But you can't force him: no way, no how.Elaine Lnoreply@blogger.com