Last week I wrote about loitering in the sun with horses and not feeding carrots. People who train with treats spoke up and I agree; during work sessions, treats are positive motivators. In fact, there are times that giving a treat has been my end goal.
Breezy was a small pinto pony who came to my client’s barn as part of a real estate deal. They had room with their other horses and in the beginning, he was a favorite with the neighborhood kids. Somehow over time, he became more and more fearful until he was impossible to catch. That’s where I came in.
Pony CSI: Breezy was almost too handsome; a black and white pinto with wild blue eyes. As I watched him, the owner told me the family had tried. Their daughter was a teen rider who did her best, but had no success. The dad had played with him some, but after hearing the description of their game… well, good intention but a dangerous miscommunication. Then two different horse-people had offered to help, each saying it would be an easy job. The pony was just a little spoiled, was all. Eventually both people gave up in turn, leaving Breezy frightened and untouchable. By now his hooves were at least an inch too long with huge chunks broken out.
Breezy faced me head on and his eyes did not blink. Ever. They were so round and tense that I thought they might pop right out of his head. As I stepped to one side, his hind legs crossed over, almost twisting his front hooves but never releasing his full frontal position. His body was tight, every molecule braced. He used no calming signals; he was shut down and over-stimulated all at once. During the next hour I didn’t make much headway but I was hooked.
What a training quandary: I didn’t think he’d be a quick re-train and ponies don’t cost less to work with than horses. I asked if she might consider relinquishing him to a rescue. I was thinking perhaps I could foster him, as I had other ponies, until the kinks got worked out. But the owner said no; Breezy was their responsibility and they’d support him. She hoped I’d take him on.
In a few days I was back to help load him into their trailer. Breezy was in a stall when I arrived, so haltering him only took a little over an hour and by mid-afternoon he was in one of my runs, his backside wedged into a corner while facing me with all his might. Breezy ignored his hay and didn’t drink. I never saw him eat once that first month, but I put out more hay and mucked every day.
And we had stare downs. One day I took an apple in with me, ate a bite or two, and offered the rest to Breezy at a distance. He panicked and bolted past me. I lowered my eyes and exhaled an apology, while he quivered at the end of the run. So that was how they tried to catch him. Horses will tell you everything.
Was he abused? Some people thought so but I wasn’t so sure. It didn’t matter; Breezy thought he had been and that was the only opinion that counted. When horses take something to heart, they’re no different from us. I didn’t threaten him with fruit again. I know it sounds crazy, but for all his avoidance, I always knew he was fighting to find his way back.
Change came slowly. Haltering was possible if he was in his safe corner and I breathed more than I moved. Finally I was able to pick up his feet, but touching his body remained impossible. Still no blinking, but I found a way to use our stare downs in his favor. I’d take a step to the left and his head followed me, and then the same to the right. I did this passive two-step back and forth, again and again, and twenty minutes of neck sway later, his poll seemed to relax a bit and he blinked. So did I.
Here’s where I share my favorite training aid. Some swear by clickers or flags, and a well-timed piece of carrot can be a miracle. Because horses are all a bit different, I’ll always believe the best aid available is our own creativity.
We continued that warm-up every day, followed by some obstacles in hand. He was totally fearless marching through the llama pen and the plastic wading pool. He matched my stride on a slack line, but if he felt a drop of pressure on the rope, he sat back violently. People remained his biggest fear.
Breezy was a hard case; I respected that. A year passed. The farrier could trim him if she hummed and made no sudden moves. I could hand groom him but curries and brushes were still too much. He was far from okay but he couldn’t stay forever. Finally I asked his owners if I might try to find him a suitable home.
A couple of weeks later a friend of one of my clients arrived. Breezy was in the round pen and I asked if she’d like to go in. I’d been brutally truthful on the phone, but she still looked surprised when Breezy bolted away from a small boy who walked up. She spoke in a sweet high voice and reached toward him but he acted like she’d cracked a bull whip. That was the moment Breezy went beyond cute and became interesting. She listened and took her groundwork down a notch, and then even quieter. A half hour later, both Breezy and I were impressed.
I got updates frequently during his first year with her. There was a wonderful photo of Breezy standing–not all that tall–between her two Thoroughbreds, the proud herd leader. His new owner gushed about his progress and renamed him Joey Try. Finally, she told me that after some weeks of watching her other two geldings chew contentedly on theirs, this brave pony was able to accept a carrot from her hand.
Training is an ART and human logic doesn’t always rule. Sometimes carrots are complicated. Then other times, they’re just sweet.
Anna Blake, Infinity Farm.
Wow…this one has me spellbound
Horses are endlessly fascinating, aren’t they? Thanks, Lynell.
I love happy journeys… Breezy/Joey Try, sounds like he still has a ways to go, but seems to have a good start and safe place to travel. thank you for helping him and finding him a safe place.
Yep. No more worries for that boy. Thanks, Sharon.
What an interesting story – I do wonder why he got so spooky to start with?
I think the kids teased him. There was a rumor that he was originally purchased for kids to ride, but never actually trained… Ponies frequently get manhandled in ways no one would try with a full size horse. But who knows??
I have so much fun trying to get inside their very interesting minds. I just hope they find me entertaining as well. Great story of an interesting soul. May he continue to be blessed with a great life and loving humans.
Indeed. Thanks, Diana.
Wonderful that Breezy came to someone who truly cared enough(you!) Too often they go “down the road” from one trainer to another – and eventually I’m sure after one final attempt get thrown away as if its the ponie’s(or horse’s) fault. How sad that really all it takes is time and patience and actually trying to find out WHY! Pretty depressing to think how many wonderful animals (whether they are horses, dogs or any species) are ruined by people. Always the quick fixes, right?
He was right to be afraid of people. Thanks, Maggie.
This is yet another beautifully written and incredibly inspiring story. I would love to share it with “A Pony named Satan” on Facebook. Is there a way to do that? I don’t want to infringe on any copyright stuff.
Thanks
Thanks, Lyn. Go ahead and share it with the button, my name will go along with it. Thank you.
Thank you. I have done so. If you are not familiar with Satan, you might go check him out. He is a very troubled pony who has found the perfect home with the most amazing couple. It’s a wonderful journey to watch. 🙂 https://www.facebook.com/PonyknownasSatan/
Thanks for sharing this beautiful tale of Breezt! It gave me goose bumps.
I really enjoy reading all your blogs and I share them with my sister and niece in Canada , knowing they read them and enjoy too.
Thank you for sharing them, Carole. This pony is special, all right. So sensitive and smart. And probably right to doubt us!
What a wonderful story! It breaks my heart to see any animal that afraid and you can only imagine what terrors, real or perceived, made them that way. Sometimes just going with the flow, be it the two-step or cloud gazing or counting dust motes is the perfect way to connect, no fancy gadgets or methods. Trying to figure animals out is endlessly fascinating to me. Maybe that’s why I so enjoy Temple Grandin.
Agreed. That phrase Less is More comes to mind, in about a hundred ways. Thanks, Sherry.
What a better weekend start: height thirty, back from the barn to take care of stall detention poney, spaghetti and wine reading Anna’s blog of the week! Yeh! Speaking of carrots and horses, I am all with you Anna. People at my barn felt sorry for my cute poney, still on box detention and were feeding him loads of carrots to the point were he was getting dangerous for anyone passing by and just wanting to pet him, He was just making such a cute face… No carrots? And here comes the alligator snapping at you. I had to forbid people to give him treats. As time go by, his behavior has improved but it will take some time, unfortunately. People dont realise that in the end, the horse is the one that pay the price for there wanting to be nice. Have a good evening Anna and thanks a million for the richness of your writing, as always!
T.C.
Patience, knowledge and time are great healers-Thanks for another wonderful story!
Yes, all quiet things I notice. .. thank you.
Great story. Sorry for the pony. I hope I never do that to an animal, but I suppose I could. I have been trying to learn how to be with horses and I’m still not that good at it. Sometimes a little discouraging, although I will never give up. But you would think an intelligent person who has read tons, gone to clinics, had lessons-I should be an awesome horsewoman if time and effort mean anything. Riding for 40 years. But I am not. I take care of six of them and they all seem relatively happy. I will be proud of that instead of my riding/training ability.
Interesting to read your comment. I read Anna’s blog and know I do not have the kind of connection/intuitive understanding she seems to have. Like you, it is not for lack of trying or desire. You have six happy horses, though, and I think you may do better than you know. I am down to two, one of whom I’ve had since birth and she is nearing 31. We have a connection of sorts, but it not the deep, thorough one it is obvious that Anna seems to have with all her charges. Maybe it is a gift we aren’t all given – but I hope to keep trying, myself, and it sounds to me you will, as well. Good luck to both of us.
Cat, if this story of Breezy felt connected, I did a bad job of writing it. He never fully trusted me and this meager progress took an entire year. One of the challenges of having a 30 yr old horse is complacency, and like Beth, I wonder it there is more there silently than is obvious. Finally, when I was younger I knew people who seemed to have some sort of horse magic. I don’t know about gifts, but there is nothing I have worked harder to learn. I’ve been so lucky to have horses who were patient with me, and as a trainer, I get to work with more horses than I could have as an amateur, so I’ve had more opportunity. The relationship is there, but they are so much more subtle than us, we don’t always read it. Thankyou for commenting.
I don’t know, Beth. If your horses seem happy, you might be underestimating yourself. And of you feel that you are still learning, well, me too. A reminder…their senses are so much keener than ours, that they communicate smaller than us. If I were to watch you and your herd, I wonder if I would see your interactions differently than you do… My guess is there is more passing between all of you than you know. Thanks for commenting.
WONDERFUL STORY; AMAZING WHAT WE HUMANS CAN DO , WITH BEST OF INTENTIONS, AND STILL CREATE FEAR. THANKS, DAISY
That’s really the hard part. Thanks, Daisy