Is that horse bodywork convention coming up the month after next tempting you? Or maybe you are thinking of attending a tack fitting clinic? Or perhaps you are thinking of an animal communication workshop?

Well, you are on the right track. And here is the rider: beware!

Accept it or not, your horse knows when you have picked up some new thing that may better the standard of your horse’s life. Your pony is aware of exactly what it is that you have recently learned. Earlier, your pony could have been awfully tolerant of that ill-fitting saddle you kept torturing him with, but now, after the tack fitting clinic, he’s going to try to throw you off if you keep persisting with that saddle.

Your swaybacked mare, who used to trot up to you when you entered her pasture, will now kick up her heels and take off the other way, that is, if you’re not planning on doing bodywork right then.

And what price your show pony who dislikes his job but still excels at it? He is aware you attended an animal communication workshop and he’s aware you are paying little attention to his need for a change of career. He’s now waiting to teach you a lesson at the next horse show.

Is This All A Kind of Joke?

It is not, trust me. It is deplorable that so many horse owners have had to learn the hard way that their horses are telepathic. Your horse just knows what you know. As long as you were ignorant, he was willing to endure you, but the instant you learned something new that would improve his life, he is on to you, and he expects you to utilize your new information to his benefit. And that’s starting right now, without any further loss of time!

Be warned: just finding out about new aspects of helpful stuff like better horse health care, better pony feed and better horse management marks you out! Once you’ve traveled down that road, there is no coming back; it is a one-way street. Your horse will make damn sure of it! I have come across repeated examples of people that convey something to their animals and then failing to essentially do what they announced they would. They are facing the consequences: it could be the dog relieving himself on your carpet and telling you where you get off, or it could be your horse bucking you into orbit. If you neglect your animals, they are not going to excuse you.

I have had repeated occasion to have my lacks set straight by my horses. I recollect Marka, my first big-time jumper pony, used to be very easy-going and absolutely safe to ride when I first got him. We were ideal partners, winning all kinds of shows and championships around. I was sure Marka and I had the perfect chemistry. Actually , Marka was a cribber, and that often played havoc with his teeth, spine, and performance. I thought cribbing was bad, and tried everything I could to bring an end point to his cribbing. Nothing I attempted worked. That horse continued to crib, but he never had any bitterness that I kept trying to get him to stop.

Then I had a brainwave. I tried to reach out to him, to actually speak to him. I asked him just what could actually be done to stop him from cribbing. His answer was right on the spot: “Do I ask you to give up eating?” Reading closely, he was telling me that cribbing was as much part of him as his eyes, his ears and his legs.

Despite this, I did not give in on trying to get him to give up cribbing. It became plain straightaway that he was no longer indulgent. He started showing me his butt whenever I went to catch him, and continually damaged some part of his stall or some object there. His strongest sign of bitterness, though, was his new-found refusal to jump at the shows. He resisted all the attempts of my trainer and I to make him perform correctly. He refused to do so even on courses he used to have a liking for.

We went back for another session with the animal communicator. Marka was extremely unequivocal: “You want me to perform at the shows, let me crib.” Well, that was it “he had issued his ultimatum in a way that was unmistakable. We made a decision to let him crib without any more complaint, and was that a good thing. He started performing well again and more crucial, he started loving it again.

Marka is no longer with me. He now belongs to my previous coach. I’m told Marka has his own cribbing tree and he even has his very own gang of cribbing pals. It is rather a lovable gang of equine cribbers! They take turns cribbing. Marka sets the ball moving, then turns to one of his pals and announces, “You’re on dude, go ahead!” when the buddy is done with his cribbing, they both turn to a 3rd friend and let him know to get on with it. When every horse has had his turn, it’s back to Marka again. He is on one. Gigantic cribbing binge these days. He’s normally used to take novice kids and grown-ups through three foot courses. He has absolutely no problems with the world so long as it doesn’t interfere with his cribbing. His teeth may suck but it is worthwhile for him!

My experience with almost all of my horses “particularly my mustangs “has been pretty much the same. So long as you are an ignoramus, they’re reasonable and forgiving. As soon as you lose the bliss of ignorance, they stop forgetting and forgiving. They have memories that may challenge those of elephants. But they’re loyal to you if you’re understanding with them. Once you give them what they desire, they try to give you what you want: better rides, better performances.

I have tried to pass on an amicable caution thru this article to all pony lovers. Learn all the subtleties of correct pony medicare. Learn also to come to a compromise with your horse: they like a scratch-my-back-and-I’ll-scratch yours arrangement. Don’t pay the penalty for being inflexible.

Horses are Heather Toms passion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100s of articles with other horse lovers, like all things about cheap horse rugs