One thing I've been thinking about today is how much we riders tend to when purchasing a horse - wanting that horse to become who we want it to be. Have the life we think is perfect and that many times backfires on us since many imported horses comes from very different type of culture and environment. Some better and some worse. I have imported many horses from Spain during my now 13 years together with Iberian horses. And not one of them where similar to the other in the way they approached their new life. But one thing all of them needed in one way or another was time, structure and patience.
One of the horses I purchased from Spain around 12 years ago was a big black "monster". A stallion with so much hate, aggression and no respect for humans or personal space. He attacked me more than once, bit me pretty much every day or kicked me, or broke all the bonds, bridles or chains holding him in place. And when you rode him he actually reared so he could aim at you and fall down backwards. To say the least he was a "nightmare". I remember one day when I came to the stable and he stood with his face pressed against the metal bars, staring at me and froth came out of his mouth. I knew then and there if I had opened that gate he would have killed me.
I saw this horse in Spain, he was owned by a very old couple who loved him dearly and gave him candy all the time! He lived indoors in a little garage together with his other horse friend. He was ridden mostly just in festivals or when trick trained. I remember the first time I rode him. They had a "serreta" on (a metal nose band with spikes). I asked them to take it off since I would have nothing to do with that. They took it off and pieces of flesh followed and blood ran down his face and nostrils. They told me I was crazy to ride this horse without it since he was a little bit dangerous but up I went. I probably should have made another choice considering that we mostly stood on the hind legs the entire ride but I had to have that black stallion to give him a new life without pain and blood. Gosh he taught me a lot but the most important thing he taught me (this might sound strange) was how to actually be terrified of a horse - Not knowing if I had to shoot him on the spot one day for not being killed myself. As you probably could figure out we got kicked out of three stables until I finally found a place that would give us the thing he needed most. Time. Time to settle in this new life, time to find a new approach to life, time to understand that aggression and hate had no place here anymore. And day by day he changed. We changed. He even got so stable and friendly and amazing that he followed me on two different type of medieval events. With big crowds and events happening all around but he was safe now. But only by being terrified and determined I knew I had to find a way to reach out to him. Making him want to become my friend and not kill me. He taught me many lessons and the greatest one of all - we can't make the horses fit into our own boxes of expectations and dreams - we have to stand "naked" in front of them and ask them who are you and what do you need and want to become happy?
All of them has answered "time".
I was actually going to write about Molina and not Lucero but my mind wandered. Molina is also a horse that needs a lot of time. I wrote about him a bit more in a post further down. I have finally come to that spot that Mio wants to work with me and doesn't panic or shy away. He is still tense sometimes but miles from where he was. We have been lunging a bit with the saddle and bridle on just to take the edge of the pressure of "progression" with him. People now a day tend to think "producing is being successful" and this cause a very stressed mentality and I think that is why many people force their work and why social media is used so frequently by many. Not only with horses but with life. And I wonder why everything needs to be documented for the world to see? When I work with my horses I love the solitude of just being there with them. "meditating" in my training- being here and now with my horses and not with my followers. I also love to share my work but in doses of photo shoots I can share but my daily work is my sanctuary. I see the progression we do - but mostly I feel it. And that is for me the most important thing of all!
I want to share this with you. I turn to this youtube clip when I feel like I stress away with not being productive or good enough. It really makes you realize how important time is and how important it is to sometimes not be productive.
One of the horses I purchased from Spain around 12 years ago was a big black "monster". A stallion with so much hate, aggression and no respect for humans or personal space. He attacked me more than once, bit me pretty much every day or kicked me, or broke all the bonds, bridles or chains holding him in place. And when you rode him he actually reared so he could aim at you and fall down backwards. To say the least he was a "nightmare". I remember one day when I came to the stable and he stood with his face pressed against the metal bars, staring at me and froth came out of his mouth. I knew then and there if I had opened that gate he would have killed me.
I saw this horse in Spain, he was owned by a very old couple who loved him dearly and gave him candy all the time! He lived indoors in a little garage together with his other horse friend. He was ridden mostly just in festivals or when trick trained. I remember the first time I rode him. They had a "serreta" on (a metal nose band with spikes). I asked them to take it off since I would have nothing to do with that. They took it off and pieces of flesh followed and blood ran down his face and nostrils. They told me I was crazy to ride this horse without it since he was a little bit dangerous but up I went. I probably should have made another choice considering that we mostly stood on the hind legs the entire ride but I had to have that black stallion to give him a new life without pain and blood. Gosh he taught me a lot but the most important thing he taught me (this might sound strange) was how to actually be terrified of a horse - Not knowing if I had to shoot him on the spot one day for not being killed myself. As you probably could figure out we got kicked out of three stables until I finally found a place that would give us the thing he needed most. Time. Time to settle in this new life, time to find a new approach to life, time to understand that aggression and hate had no place here anymore. And day by day he changed. We changed. He even got so stable and friendly and amazing that he followed me on two different type of medieval events. With big crowds and events happening all around but he was safe now. But only by being terrified and determined I knew I had to find a way to reach out to him. Making him want to become my friend and not kill me. He taught me many lessons and the greatest one of all - we can't make the horses fit into our own boxes of expectations and dreams - we have to stand "naked" in front of them and ask them who are you and what do you need and want to become happy?
All of them has answered "time".
I was actually going to write about Molina and not Lucero but my mind wandered. Molina is also a horse that needs a lot of time. I wrote about him a bit more in a post further down. I have finally come to that spot that Mio wants to work with me and doesn't panic or shy away. He is still tense sometimes but miles from where he was. We have been lunging a bit with the saddle and bridle on just to take the edge of the pressure of "progression" with him. People now a day tend to think "producing is being successful" and this cause a very stressed mentality and I think that is why many people force their work and why social media is used so frequently by many. Not only with horses but with life. And I wonder why everything needs to be documented for the world to see? When I work with my horses I love the solitude of just being there with them. "meditating" in my training- being here and now with my horses and not with my followers. I also love to share my work but in doses of photo shoots I can share but my daily work is my sanctuary. I see the progression we do - but mostly I feel it. And that is for me the most important thing of all!
I want to share this with you. I turn to this youtube clip when I feel like I stress away with not being productive or good enough. It really makes you realize how important time is and how important it is to sometimes not be productive.
