Vond dit zo'n mooie mail, elke zin ademt paardenkennis
Having been a profession farrier for 47 years, stated many horses and mules over the past 50 years. I can't say I have never been kick, bitten, pawed or run over. But there was always a good reason being the action of the horse. On my part I failed to read the horse correctly.
As for just a plain mean horse, I have met a few over those years. Two that come to mind are "Crazy Horse" and "Jim Bean 100% Outlaw"
I have drawled two horses that come to mind and both named "Rocky" to work with. One on the Berbigla Ranch outside KC, Mo to work cattle with and the other one in Glacier National Park, Mt. as my guide horse. Both of these horses like to play games with their human counter part. Not mean by any standard, but just play games. Once you read the horse and knew what he was about, they were both great using horses.
I think where most people run into problems with the horse is they fail to read the horse, they are in a hurry to get this and that done and they want instant gratification. All they need to do to solve their problem with the horse is to look into a looking glass. Start with correcting the problem there.
Not braging, just fact I use to have a reputation of being able to trim or shoe any horse. The reason was I took the time to read the horses, to understand the horse and to work with the horse.
Another problem I see is people discarding a horse before they understand the horse and take the time work with the horse. A mentor/cowboy friend of mind (Buz McKellips), always said, just go do it on any horse you select. Doesn't matter what you want to do, the horse will do it for you, if you take the time to under stand the horse and read it.
My personal horses, as well as my wife's personal horses, we have bought all as weanlings or bred all of them. Then we have kept them their entire lives. Ole Smoke was 39 when he passed (bought at 6 months), I have Ole Son (bought at 6 months) now and he is 30 and soon to past, Bobbie just sent Gunner after 28 years (bred and raised by Bobbie) to a retirement home that works with people with disabilities. Then we now have the two "Toads" a pair of Morgan horses, one a gelding and one a mare, brother and sister given to Bobbie as weanling and yearling in very poor condition. All these horses have done or do as we ask. They all ride, drive and pack. You can catch them in a 100 acre pasture as they will walk up to you when you call them, you trim there feet any where with out a halter or lead rope. The reason they know us and we know them.
I had to good fortune to be schooled by many top hands and farriers when I was starting out. Both men and women who knew how to read and understand the horse. No you will not find there names out and about, they were just excellent men and women doing what they liked best, working with horses and mules.
Moowj he?
.
Piet
Clicker training is a wonderful tool for teaching
people to focus on the positive and have an
attitude of gratitude for every effort your horse
makes.
Warboel
