It's Magic!

Today a new horse came to The Center for training. His name is Magic. He's a 7 year old registered Paint that has some TB blood thrown in there. He's a big boned fellow and reminds me of the older style Paints, not the stocky halter type that look more like bulldogs than horses.

Magic is very lucky to have the owner that he does. He's had some past experiences that weren't pleasant. No one knows for sure what happened in his earliest years, but you can tell he's been handled roughly. His current owner has treated him with love and respect and she came to a point recently where she knew he needed more than she could offer him.

Magic and his owner attended my most recent natural horsemanship clinic. He arrived anxious and sweaty and high headed. He left more relaxed and she went home with a few tools, and I got a better glimpse into what we were working with. When he arrived today we got right to "work". It hardly feels like work. Work meaning that I spent the next hour evaluating him. He's a horse that lacks confidence, although he's curious. He's fearful, but will trust. He is reactive without thinking it through, but he also began asking me questions. In a short hours time, Magic and I made some connections.

He's not as complicated as I first imagined. It's just that Magic has a lot going on in between his ears when he's in a learning environment. My friend asked me today if he was a horse that just needed good leadership. I had to think about that. Too much leadership with this horse will send him over the edge. He would perceive me more as a predator than a leader. Today, I had to be a passive leader. Hardly a leader really. Just maybe more of a tour guide!

I thought he made some really positive changes in the time I was with him. I found his "hot spots" as I call them. Things and places that cause him anxiety. Those areas will be addressed as we develop our relationship. First off though...the three R's: relaxation, release and respond. No progress can be made if there isn't relaxation. I can teach him how to relax, how to release the tension he holds and how to respond positively. Once that's all in place everything else comes quickly and fairly easy for the horses.

I look forward to the next few weeks with Magic. The most rewarding part to me is seeing the changes take place and helping horses like him feel more comfortable in their own skin. And each horse has something to teach me, too. I've said before that they often teach me more than I teach them.