Truthful Tuesday

 

Today's confession, is that I'm really grateful to Al's people who got him started at a youngster. You may wonder why since we've been going through some real stuff the past many months. But that's not a reflection on his early training. If anything, it's probably a reflection on me and my short comings. Or despite how hard I tried to listen to my horse, I missed something. But whatever the reason, our current issues isn't what I want to talk about today. 

The reason I'm grateful for Al's start is that despite all the bumps in our recent road, I've been able to work with him because he's so well trained on the ground. He's incredibly respectful of the human working with him. (Which is generally me these days.) When he's scared and I'm leading him, occasionally he jumps, but it's always away from me. And he never hits the end of the rope or the reins, or whatever I'm holding him with. When we are walking and I stop, he stops. He doesn't ever step past my feet, and normally he stops behind me. On the lunge line he rarely pulls, and though he sometimes needs a reminder to stay out on the circle, once reminded he stays in his boundaries. He knows voice commands, though I will admit that sometimes the response is delayed. What can I say, no one is perfect. Plus he learned his voice commands in Czech not English. He's allowed to translate for a stride or two. 

So for those reasons, I'm very grateful for Al's previous trainers. I'm also grateful for him. Learning those behaviors obviously comes from good training, but it also helps to have a horse that wants to give the right answers. I really, truly believe this horse wants to do the right thing. It's just hard for him sometimes. But like... me too. Ha!