Rescuing Rusty

There was a time when I played around trying to teach things like a School Halt, collection, even Spanish walk. I tried to teach them by putting the moves together and asking the horse to perform them like a trick.

Then I learned how to show the horse how to move themselves properly. They taught themselves really, they including Rusty, now it’s only Sunshine. Sunshine taught himself. I clicked and rewarded every time I found him leaping into the air, doing pull ups on that magical sky hook. I encouraged that wither lift and flinging his legs around.

Now he offers school halts on his own. His Spanish walk is becoming more lovely and more willingly offered all the time. He works so hard to pull himself up on that sky hook that his front end nearly floats away regularly.

I remember years ago thinking about how collection was supposed to be back to front and trying desperately to figure out how that worked. Looking back I was on the right track, just hadn’t let go of headset yet. If only I’d had facebook back then. People complain about the content, but you see what you look for. It’s a great place to learn about horses.

I’m in no way saying we have anything figured out. I’m more confused trying to figure out what it is we’re doing now that ever. But wow he is gorgeous. He moves amazingly. He is happy and willing. He is doing things I never would have dreamed of a year ago. I only with Rusty was still here doing these things with him.

We’ll get things figured out, a little more at least. We sure are enjoying it as we go.

It was a hot, bright afternoon.

(This is my version of a dark and stormy night, only much scarier)

The flies were swarming.

I brought Sunshine in for a quick work. He was very willing all things considered. We danced together, or did our best as he stopped regularly to swat flies away with a swing of his nose.

As I asked him to step sideways I looked there in front of my nose, on the base of his neck. Right in front of my face sat not a normal fly but a big green eyed horse fly. Not the smaller deer fly, not one of the giant, evil black bull flies. I’ve sat a bucking horse before and glanced around to see that the whole fiasco was being caused by a giant bull fly biting my horse. I swatted it and the bucking stopped. That’s not usually what we think of when we say that pain is often the cause of bad behavior.

This middle of the road sized but still nasty horse fly was perched on my horses neck preparing to attack. Leaping into protective gear I swung and smashed the horrid creature before it could hurt my darling pony. It came away crushed between my fingers. I turned in triumph to show my pony what I had saved him from.

Sunshine in the mean time had been suddenly and unjustly attacked. His person for no apparent reason had gone from quietly asking hi to yield to beating him nearly to a pulp while he stood by innocently. Head thrown high he shied violently to the side.

“No Sunshine! No. I’m not beating you.” I tried to explain. I was saving you. Saving. Don’t you understand the difference?

Green bug eyes peered blindly up from my fingers as I showed him my war trophy. I saved you from this monster.

Eyeing me askance he was not convinced. First I beat him then I wave my arms about in his face. I had clearly lost my mind. Dropping the defeated insect I tried to make it up to my horse. I petted him and offered cookies. Then we got back to work. He shied every time I lifted an arm. That’s what I get for saving him from certain doom.

I got a wonderful update on Sunshine today. He is doing nicely at ranch camp. Or at least he didn’t dump the saddle because there was a hind cinch on it 🙄

This is why he is off at camp. He needs someone who is better at getting him out and moving. This is what I have not been accomplishing with him.

He looks great. I know the rider does a great job at this. Soft, quiet, and gentle with his horses. I can’t wait to see what all they get out and do together.