Working with Shorty
November 29, 2014
Last week I went over to my sister-in-law’s place to play with Shorty. I moved Shorty from my place to hers for several reasons. The main reason was that I want to sell him. Even though I have had some people interested in him, it never worked out. Like many of us, he has issues. I know that he really misses my late husband. One session I had with him he asked where that guy was. I replied that he knew where Ralph was; so don’t ask a question that you already know the answer to.
For some reason I was hanging onto this last horse I had to sell of Ralph’s. I really didn’t know why until I recently realized that I was hanging on to Ralph. Shorty is a funny horse, but like most of Ralph’s horses he is quite a handful. At first glance and observation he appears to be quite docile. However, for some once their backs are turned he turns into a real monster. The lesson here is that watch out! I’m a horse! He demands you pay attention to him.
This summer when my horse friend Barb and I were taking pictures of Star and Shorty, before I posted their for sale ads, Shorty did not really want pictures taken of him. He did not want to be lunged. He just didn’t want to do anything. In humans when we want to do nothing, this is called depression. I am sure that it was the same thing with Shorty, but he wasn’t talking. That happens sometimes with my horses and me. They wait until way later to tell me things. Thanks for telling me I tell them, but you could’ve told me a long time ago, like when this issue started. Often I am met with silence. No response.
Later on this summer I tried to lunge him again. No response. He just looked at me like what do you want me to do. No talking either. He did follow me around like a well-trained halter horse though.
Ralph and I had a deal to keep our marriage. After much arguing and such about how to work with and ride a horse, we agreed to disagree. I am glad to say that we had a great marriage, we just didn’t see the same way when it came to horses. So after Ralph died last year, I was able to easily sell three out of four of his horses. Shorty was a great horse but I discovered that he was not for everyone.
So last Friday I took Shorty into the indoor arena at my sister-in-law’s wonderful new home. Clipped the lunge line on his halter and moved him out. He was amazing! He lunged like a pro with little to no resistance. He showed me that he is ready. He is ready to work and he is ready to be sold. That night he showed me he loved cows! And he said he loves the footing in the arena.
Last week I went over to my sister-in-law’s place to play with Shorty. I moved Shorty from my place to hers for several reasons. The main reason was that I want to sell him. Even though I have had some people interested in him, it never worked out. Like many of us, he has issues. I know that he really misses my late husband. One session I had with him he asked where that guy was. I replied that he knew where Ralph was; so don’t ask a question that you already know the answer to.
For some reason I was hanging onto this last horse I had to sell of Ralph’s. I really didn’t know why until I recently realized that I was hanging on to Ralph. Shorty is a funny horse, but like most of Ralph’s horses he is quite a handful. At first glance and observation he appears to be quite docile. However, for some once their backs are turned he turns into a real monster. The lesson here is that watch out! I’m a horse! He demands you pay attention to him.
This summer when my horse friend Barb and I were taking pictures of Star and Shorty, before I posted their for sale ads, Shorty did not really want pictures taken of him. He did not want to be lunged. He just didn’t want to do anything. In humans when we want to do nothing, this is called depression. I am sure that it was the same thing with Shorty, but he wasn’t talking. That happens sometimes with my horses and me. They wait until way later to tell me things. Thanks for telling me I tell them, but you could’ve told me a long time ago, like when this issue started. Often I am met with silence. No response.
Later on this summer I tried to lunge him again. No response. He just looked at me like what do you want me to do. No talking either. He did follow me around like a well-trained halter horse though.
Ralph and I had a deal to keep our marriage. After much arguing and such about how to work with and ride a horse, we agreed to disagree. I am glad to say that we had a great marriage, we just didn’t see the same way when it came to horses. So after Ralph died last year, I was able to easily sell three out of four of his horses. Shorty was a great horse but I discovered that he was not for everyone.
So last Friday I took Shorty into the indoor arena at my sister-in-law’s wonderful new home. Clipped the lunge line on his halter and moved him out. He was amazing! He lunged like a pro with little to no resistance. He showed me that he is ready. He is ready to work and he is ready to be sold. That night he showed me he loved cows! And he said he loves the footing in the arena.