You can guess who the teenager part of this post is about, Hope. Our two year old continues growing into her own. Testing boundaries with other horses, and humans. As every young horse does. Among other horsey communication methods, Ms. Hope flattens her ears to show dissatisfaction.
For example, she prefers being led on the right side. Right side is easier access into the stall, and it just feels...well, right. When leading two horses inside, the horse on the left typically is asked to stand and wait while the other horse is put into the stall and un-haltered. Waiting, the horror of it all!
It didn't take long to progress past the side preference, altho Hope still tries to position herself on the right side of the gate. Typically the first horse haltered is closest to the gate handle. She continues testing Harmony for that "me first" gate position. Even if sometimes the first haltered horse goes inside last. Mixing it up is key.
Hope is entitled to her ear opinion, as long as she doesn't act on it toward humans. Which brings me to my next teenager testing example. Being particular about humans being in her stall. Especially when humans are carrying a fork and making off with her poopy piles. How dare we refresh her stall?!! She is not food aggressive at all and has always left her food in favor of attention. The complete opposite of Koda. He loves food best.
I don't care much for excessive ear pinning. I know mares that ride/show with ears pinned. Not super flat. Perhaps just listening, but flat enough that it appears to be dislike. I have no idea if this is typically a mare thing or not, but ear pinned horses looked pissed off to me. Even when they are not. Obviously there are different levels of ear pinning/signals.
About a month ago, Hope more or less charged 'er came at me in her stall. She didn't do anything else and stopped before reaching me. I was not amused. Where did our sweet girl go? Feeling your safety threatened is never okay. For any reason. I chose not to (re)act on it. The look on that "I am sorry" girl's face peering between stall bars was priceless. All the other horses got refreshed stalls and loved on.
Yes, I tattled on Hope to her trainer. All our horses are okay with us in their stalls at any time, including when eating grain. In time Hope will be too, she just needs to learn. It feels wrong to say I am happy Hope doesn't just pin her ears in her stall at me. I tend to think fill in the blank horse reaction is my inadvertent fault. Needless to say, we have been spending a lot of time in Hopes stall. While she eats grain, hay and yes even stealing her coveted (?) poop piles. Talking to her and giving scritchey scratches first, seems to help ease her dislike of human interruption in her domain 'er stall during intermittent room service. Hope is coming around.
Raising a teenager is easy. Said no one ever.
~~~~~
I received a special gift!! The gift of knowledge, with a bonus way to reflect. As some of you know I was the lucky Sacred Spaces book give-a-way winner, from Linda at Beautiful Mustang blog. She also sent me a surprise beautiful journal to accompany the book!
"There are silent, yet powerful, ingredients...invisible things equestrians do that make their interactions with horses seem effortless. These abilities already exist inside of each one of us, so we merely need to understand how to use them. But we also need to be willing to open our eyes and hearts..."
I am waiting until after the holiday's to sit with this book, and intend to journal my thoughts/observations. I want to give it my full attention. I am really looking forward to 2026. It is going to be a great year!
Thank you Linda!!! For all the inspiring reflection you share on your well written blog, and these treasured gifts to learn from and grow with. Our horses also say thank you. Especially Hope.
9 comments:
Aw, you’re welcome. I am excited to hear your own reflections after reading it. I will be reading it again in the New Year, too. I find myself forgetting, then reminding myself half way through a session with Tumbleweed. I’ll get absent minded and not have any energetic intention or visualization about what it should look and feel like. When I incorporate just that little bit, it changes everything almost immediately. Is it my body changing with the intentions? Probably so. That’s a beautiful quote from it!
Teenage horses are a real thing. Being in the stall with a young horse is just tricky. I don’t fully trust Epona yet. I do try to go in and pet on her, just so she’s used me being around her. If she seems okay, I proceed to cleaning the stall.
There used to be a blogger I (we) followed, who wrote about her mare kicking her while she was cleaning her stall one day, and that made a lasting impression on me. Though I’ve not been kicked yet. I am like you about the ear pinning.
Teenagers aren’t easy, regardless of the species, it appears. The Carol Burnett photo is priceless. Have a wonderful week.
Call me old school, but I don't tolerate ear pinning or space domination in a horse. Because it can get me hurt!
I had a job where I had to clean over 30 stalls every morning at a reining barn, and there were a wide variety of horse personalities there. 3 of them were stallions. I used my energy and intention to let them know that I wasn't there to challenge them and they darn sure better not try. I don't pussy foot around dominant horses, once they think they can push you around they will keep doing it until you lay down the law, and that is better done right from the get go. Not getting myself hurt is the most important part.
I like that you take the time to acknowledge her first before proceeding with your chores. Lots of horses are protective of their grain and I leave them alone to eat in that case. I do know of people who train their horses to stand in a corner while their stalls are being cleaned. I think with Hope it's just her trying to figure out her place in the hierarchy of human/horse/stall relations. But just like a teenager, don't take any crap from her! (pun intended)
Haa Shirley, your closing pun made me chuckle! I do think Hope surprised not just me but herself and in time will learn better stall manners.
My instant reactive thought would not have been pretty. Perhaps it could have solved the problem, or likely created more. I chose not to react, which is of course a reaction in and of itself.
I've seen a broom handle broken over a horses bad choice (kicking in aisle) decades ago. That falls under rough handling in my book. A lasting effect, but likely only when that person is around. There are better ways.
Just for the record, we remove horses from stalls when picking the whole thing. Unexpected presents after the fact are removed before we leave the barn. It makes chores easier the following day.
I pretty much looked at Hope like that the whole time lol. Did she get my message? I have no idea.
I am going to read Sacred Spaces slowly, a portion at a time. Horses are so masterful at reading intentions. My mind wanders all the time. Brad frequently comments "I saw something sparkly" lol.
I have never been kicked (knock on wood) and would like to keep it that way. It is odd how Hope only seems to care about her stall in the evening. Maybe just tired. Who knows.
Ugh! I forget how my reply's do not post underneath comments...second one is in response to Marie's comment and my third response is for Linda's comment :))
Hah! 28 years ago my beautiful little Sunshine ran up to me in the pasture after I was done grooming her and reared up and touched my shoulder with her hooves. She did not hurt me, but I turned and growled and yelled at her and pushed my hands at her in the open air.
She backed up and stood stock still. I guess I had to rethink things and let her know when my space was to include her.
It worked.
She was a teen too and certainly had to learn her manners just like mom did to her when they were in pasture together.
It is so fun hearing about Hope.
A very long time ago we had a two year old Arabian…she would run full out at me, skid to a stop and put her neck on my shoulder and wait for a hug. It used to freak my husband out. Teenagers!
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