[3WishesDun]

This thread will never be out of date.
Information like this is timeless.

[I LUV BESS]

i love it!

[its.me.heather]

Thank you so much for taking the time to write such an amazing post.

I learned so much from that short read, I wish I could borrow YOU for a month! :-)

I've owned horses my whole life.... not once have I heard someone tell me the idea that horses only hang with one rank above or below. This is going to help me change my training with my 2 year old.. I think I attempted to gain a few ranks above her the other day when she wasn't on top of listening and things just went bad... so I DID attempt to gain control, and went about it loudly as I was so frusterated. I see now where I went wrong and I am suiting up to go out right now and try again..

Thanks so much.... you really should write a book.. that was such an amazing post.


Heather

[ridegrrl]

HGS Members...

For everyone that has commented on my original post... I appreciate it. I really did have fun writing that thread, way back then. Unfortunately I haven't had two minutes back to back to spend on putting together a worthy sequel to this, let alone a larger project like a book. This is also the reason for my MIA status around here... but one of these days I'll sit down and start writing.

As for these Basic Truths... I can't take credit for the lessons themselves anyway. Ultimately, the horses around us are the ones doing the educating. The more horses I watch and ride and work with, the more I see and feel and experience. And I'm still learning.

Threads like this are just a way of passing along what I observe, as I go. More or less a collection of thoughts and ideas, and putting them into words gives me a chance to mull them over, analyze them, and try to describe the principles in a way that's clear.

The end result is that my ideas and observations get rounded out, and I'm finding ways to package and deliver the concepts with feedback, so I gain from the exercise... and hopefully, you, the gracious audience and your horses, benefit in some way also. Thanks for being a great sounding board.

~Kimberly Westgate (aka "ridegrrl")


P.S.: I have an idea or two I'm playing with... so here's your warning folks... a second installment just may follow in the near future.

[wyldterv]

KIMBERLY!!!!!!!!! Great to see you online! Tell that Pop of yours we've been wondering about him lately Hope the moving went well and that the horses are healed up from the run in with a fence AND... Looking forward to installment #2

[Feliche]

BRAVO!! BRAVO!! That wan an absolutely WONDERFUL post I loved it! It was so clear and made sense. But erm That IS how I taught Feliche to respond to my flying lead change cue. Lol. Great post Thanks.

[Sonny-Dee-Girl]

I think it is fantastic when a horse-person can share knowledge without being condescending. Too many people come at you with arrogance. I am guilty, I admit. I love the way your post is put together. Simple and concise with a hint of humor. People get so attached to the way they learned horses. There are always new ways and new techniques, but what you wrote about herd mentality and group dynamics is as close as you can get to absolute truth, although I think an affectionate relationship with your horse doesn't hurt his or her pliability. I can't wait for your next post.

[Reyven]

This may be an old thread, but I think it is wonderful! What great knowledge, and also a reminder for some of us who forget

[luv_2_gallop]

Wow great thread! Learned a lot!

[ridegrrl]

Originally Posted by Sonny-Dee-Girl

I think it is fantastic when a horse-person can share knowledge without being condescending. Too many people come at you with arrogance. I am guilty, I admit. I love the way your post is put together. Simple and concise with a hint of humor. People get so attached to the way they learned horses. There are always new ways and new techniques, but what you wrote about herd mentality and group dynamics is as close as you can get to absolute truth, although I think an affectionate relationship with your horse doesn't hurt his or her pliability. I can't wait for your next post.

Thank you. You read it the way I wanted it to come across. That's rewarding.