In which good horses do the things we tell them to do, (in quotations)

This may be the most important thing the Dragon has ever taught me:

Good horses do what we tell them to do.

(and they don't do what we tell them not to do)

Exhibit A:  Fiddle the Dragon, c.2006

In late December 2006 the woman who gave my horse to me couldn't get her to load in the trailer so she could bring her down from Canada to me.

The Dragon refused to get on the trailer, even though she'd never given trouble loading or travelling before.

What happened?  

I have a theory:  Jacqui told the mare not to get on the trailer.

Travel back in time with me and see how it happened.

• 5am, it's dark.  The sun doesn't rise in December until 8am.
• Late December, it's raining.  Pouring rain.
• Jacqui was crying.  Not just because she was giving away the horse, but also because she'd been diagnosed with a scary brain tumor, which is why she was giving away the horse.

The Dragon, who has proved numerous times that she is very attuned to her people, "heard" Jacqui "say" quite clearly:  "I'm afraid and sad, and you getting in the trailer will make the fear and sadness worse."

So the Dragon, who is a good horse, did what she was "told":  she stayed out of the trailer.

Several frustrating hours later, Jacqui went inside the trailer to get out of the rain while she called the vet to ask for a sedative...and she stopped telling the Dragon to stay out.

And the Dragon, who doesn't like standing in the rain, walked into the trailer.

Jacqui is still surviving her cancer, btw.  This photo of Jacqui and
her granddaughter feeding the Dragon was taken in 2015.

I have numerous examples of my horse doing what I "tell" her to do, and lots more examples of her refusing to do things I "tell" her not to do  (>>ahem, canter ahem<<).

The Dragon is not the only good horse I know.

Recently I rode with a nice lady who has a very good horse.

Sherry and DEX at the Tree Farm.

Sherry approached me in the parking lot and asked if we could ride together.

"Sure," I said.

(I am really becoming so much like my father, who will talk to any stranger, and golf with anybody willing to head out in good weather and bad).

Two years ago, Sherry had a super-bad wreck and came off of Dex in a big way:  broken ribs, collarbone busted in more than one place, and more.

Sherry is healed up now, physically.  As you can imagine, she's got some fear issues.  She doesn't ride fast or far right now, and she doesn't ride alone.  And she's scared.  But she still rides, which I think is awesome.

Her horse Dex is a classic Good Citizen:  big solid body, big solid feet, and a big steady personality.  He's almost the perfect horse for a fearful rider, and he doesn't want Sherry to be afraid.  He "listens" to what she "says" and he does what she "tells" him to do.

He also won't do what she tells him not to do.

Sherry didn't have a riding partner that day at the trailhead because Dex had refused (for HOURS) to get on the trailer.

I wasn't there, but I bet I can guess why he refused to load.  I bet y'all can guess, too.

They aren't blurry in real life, but my camera has trouble with our dark and rainy days.

I'm pretty sure I'm right, too:  when we got back to the trailhead after a 90-minute stroll, Dex walked right into the trailer without a squeak nor a peep.

Going home isn't scary for Sherry, so she stopped "telling" Dex not to load.



So here's a question for the readers:

What do you "tell" your horse to do?  How is that working out for you?

The view from the saddle of a Good Horse

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