tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post466208410340282034..comments2024-03-26T05:15:39.663-07:00Comments on Equestrian Ink: A Quiet MindJami Davenporthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259390150273030284noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-25113503629923160042010-12-30T13:25:05.944-08:002010-12-30T13:25:05.944-08:00Hi Laura,
Kippen's behaviour is not typical f...Hi Laura,<br /><br />Kippen's behaviour is not typical for a Highland Pony. They are very quiet and gentle as a rule. Kippen is quiet but came to me with problems when he was an unbroken 3.5 year old colt (stallion). If you asked him to do something that he wanted to do, he was all sweetness and nice, if he didn't want to do it, he'd behave aggressively and if that didn't work, he'd take off. His method is very successful. He pivots on his hindlegs and uses his considerable weight to rip the lead rope from your hands. Normally I break my own horses in but faced with this really aggressive horse and no suitable facilities, I decided to send him to a trainer. While he was there, I received a frantic call. "Your horse got away from me and is stirring up all the stallions." Later I would receive another frantic call from where he was boarded. Both respected horse people and both routinely handled stallions. He was later castrated as a four year old but stayed aggressive enough for some people to suspect that he was proud cut until about ten years of age. Since then he has mellowed out a lot. I love him dearly. His strong opinions, love of life, intelligence and utter determination. Even at eighteen, he still needs to be dealt with by an experienced and capable adult horseperson. His biggest fan was a former international show jumper who has since passed on. This person was impressed by my horse skills, and said that I work with the horse that I have and not the horse that I want it to be. That a lot of people would have tried to bash Kippen's behaviour out of him but that I just worked with it. He's a horse who would jump off a cliff for me. As one of his fans said "There's only one Kippen". So true!!!!kippen64https://www.blogger.com/profile/09349803809195454781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-75616864519337763122010-12-30T12:04:50.646-08:002010-12-30T12:04:50.646-08:00Fudge was most definitely quiet minded and I am su...Fudge was most definitely quiet minded and I am sure it is part of why I loved her so much (my vet loved her for it too.) Penny is at her root a quiet horse, but she's also very sensitive, no doubt due to being abused as a baby. I wouldn't even define her as gentle, since she reacts all out of proportion if there's something being done to her she doesn't like. She's reared when I've tried to trim her bridle path, but the worst thing we dealt with at her first horse trial was getting the darn number on her bridle. Fortunately, she's sensitive on the ground, never under saddle, so she's completely trustworthy as a mount, even out on the trail by herself. Sure, we'll probably always look a little less than perfectly turned out at shows, but since all I have to do over fences is stay on and steer I'll forgive her that :D<br /><br />Anyone interested in reading what we're up to on a semi-regular basis: http://pambennett.livejournal.com/Topazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03166628263326286450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-69085188183432384602010-12-30T08:21:42.792-08:002010-12-30T08:21:42.792-08:00kippen64--Though I never thought of it this way, &...kippen64--Though I never thought of it this way, "a brainy thug who doesn't suffer fools" (love your choice of words) might also have applied to Sunny when I got him. Sunny is a very smart horse and definitely tried to bully me (he had been previously ridden by some beginners). I'm not so easily bullied, and Sunny has dropped these mannerisms since I've owned him. However, he remains a very smart horse who would be happy to dominate you if you'd let him. And I believe he has some pony blood--he looks like it. Do you suppose this is a pony trait? Our other pony, Toby, was like this. Smart, not fearful, you had to prove you could be the boss. I really like this kind of horse (pony).<br /><br />Joy--Willie and you have always sounded like a great partnership.<br /><br />Nikker--Maybe I like calm horses because they "calm" me. I am naturally a very vigilant person--and this creates anxiety. Certainly in me, perhaps in my horses, too.<br /><br />Francesca--Loved your post today about Kwintus. I'll comment there.Laura Crumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15200878892304748308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-53359515712838858312010-12-30T07:58:15.080-08:002010-12-30T07:58:15.080-08:00Laura, I do love these pensive posts of yours!
Hm...Laura, I do love these pensive posts of yours!<br /><br />Hmmm...I'd say Kwint has a quiet mind with a cheeky streek. Or maybe we just spoiled him rotten by giving him treats, so now he's obsessed with our pockets, which makes those quiet hand-grazing moments a little less serene.<br /><br />But I'll take a quiet-minded horse with a cheeky streak over a fidget-face anyday!Francesca Prescotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18201599087106798500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-69173804112358644662010-12-30T06:33:45.572-08:002010-12-30T06:33:45.572-08:00Laura,
Switch afraid to suspect. (O:
If it has m...Laura, <br />Switch afraid to suspect. (O: <br />If it has mane,tail, and whinnies I'm attracted to it, but I seem to be 3-7 steps ahead of myself most days and startle easily... So I'm "afraid" they will reflect me and my state of mind! (o:Nikkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07121188185593072355noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-18995236747316675142010-12-29T20:31:46.876-08:002010-12-29T20:31:46.876-08:00I have one of the "alert" ones. Willie ...I have one of the "alert" ones. Willie is very smart. And very reactive. But compared to my OTTB mare, he's way more mellow. <br /><br />I believe this is his nature, his personality. He WILL spook. Always. But he's smart about it. We have our moments when it's relaxing, even if he throws a spook in there. <br /><br />I totally understand what you're saying about your Sonny & Henry. I've known horses like them. And I really like them.<br /><br />I guess I'll have my red spazz boy for the rest of his life and maybe someday I'll get my relaxing reliable guy too. It could happen!Joyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00977898784588176802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-37539272481959394122010-12-29T16:37:00.887-08:002010-12-29T16:37:00.887-08:00I feel kind of weird admitting to this, but I enjo...I feel kind of weird admitting to this, but I enjoy the fact that my beloved Kippen is a brainy thug who doesn't suffer fools. He is very quiet but definitely a thug. He's also better at people training than most people are at horse training. He is ruled by his stomach, loves new things and is as brave as a lion is reputed to be. He has a huge fan club and is very well known. You'd think that because he's a large pony that his fans would be children. Not so, all his fans are adults.kippen64https://www.blogger.com/profile/09349803809195454781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-60410809697592863852010-12-29T14:41:55.405-08:002010-12-29T14:41:55.405-08:00kel--Funny thing is that both Sunny and Henry are ...kel--Funny thing is that both Sunny and Henry are very alert horses. They notice everything. They both walk down the trail with their ears pricked, looking around. When I first tried Henry for my son, I was somewhat worried about this. Henry seemed too alert to be a quiet, gentle kid's horse. But somehow this alertness does not translate into fear.<br /><br /> Yesterday, hand grazing Sunny, he spotted a tarp newly hung over the garden fence. The wind blew it. He gave it a long careful look. And then he put his head down and grazed. I didn't even bother to take Plumber over to that part of the yard. I knew exactly how he'd feel about the tarp rustling in the wind.<br /><br />So Sunny and Henry both notice what is going on and tell me--they just don't overeact to it. Plumber, on the other hand, will spook at nothing. He's not telling me what's going on--he's just anxious.<br /><br />And yes, I, too, worry that I made him like this. I'd rather believe its his basic nature, but I don't really know.Laura Crumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15200878892304748308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-62722558617914202762010-12-29T13:59:52.782-08:002010-12-29T13:59:52.782-08:00I have noticed the same thing with my little herd....I have noticed the same thing with my little herd. I think that it has something to do with the place that they fill in herd life. I have a little bay mare that when she eats she takes a bite and her head pops up and she looks and walks around & around, ears forward - like she is looking out for something, she does the same thing when you hand graze her. And yes she is a fidgity, antsy mare. She is constantly thinking, moving, and looking around. Drives me nuts. The dominate mare will stand and munch away without as much as a care in the world. But if the bay sees something or nickers or spooks they all - without even looking will take off. The bay mare's filly is exactly the same way as she is. Her half brother is very quiet, easy to be around, and easy to hand graze or clip or whatever. Nothing like mother or daughter. <br />I want to believe that it is just how they are. How they were born and how they are going to be. Becasue if not that means it is me and then I will spend the rest of my life trying to figure out how to fix it! <br /><br />Maybe Sonny thinks it is your job to tell him when something is going on and Plumber thinks it is his job to tell you when something is going on.horsegeneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08614136458074519322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-67392125482602415392010-12-29T12:37:25.987-08:002010-12-29T12:37:25.987-08:00Kate--I've read several of your posts about Pi...Kate--I've read several of your posts about Pie and he sounds like such a nice young horse. I know you searched a long time to find him--looks like it all payed off. Don't you love that calm attitude in a horse? I sure do.Laura Crumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15200878892304748308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-71138812345478216352010-12-29T09:12:49.235-08:002010-12-29T09:12:49.235-08:00I've very much come to appreciate the quiet or...I've very much come to appreciate the quiet or calm-minded horse recently. I've never had but one before - Promise - although Snow that I had as a teen was also quiet-minded. I've always had a penchant for hot, fiery horses, and most of mine have been that way - Lily was, Dawn certainly is (although I didn't pick her for me I've now ended up with her), and Noble, although always obedient, was very nervy. Maisie was high-strung in a prima-donna-ish way.<br /><br />Pie is quiet-minded. I can lead him right by crazy, running, bucking horses and he just looks and keeps on walking. Someone on a ladder up above his head in the loft - he just takes a look and that's it. He's not dull at all, and can spook, but he calms right down and really is a sensible guy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-18271563146981473742010-12-29T08:52:03.094-08:002010-12-29T08:52:03.094-08:00Nikker--Oh, and I totally don't mean to imply ...Nikker--Oh, and I totally don't mean to imply that more sensitive, reactive horses are in any way "bad". I think its all a matter of what appeals to a given horseman. I just noticed that the quiet minded horses appeal to me at this stage in my life with horses. When I was younger, if someone had raised this point to me, I'm very sure I would have chosen the more sensitive, reactive sort of horse and found my quiet minded buddies a bit boring.Laura Crumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15200878892304748308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-76552329876927248182010-12-29T08:42:26.836-08:002010-12-29T08:42:26.836-08:00Great food for thought!
Your handgrazing made me...Great food for thought! <br />Your handgrazing made me feel all warm and fuzzy...its snowing here and handgrazing is months away...but when we get some grass, I'm going to break the girls out one by one and see if I can see in them what you saw in the boys! (o: I'm afraid mine are all fidgiters, I mean active minded but we'll see! (o:Nikkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07121188185593072355noreply@blogger.com