Reply To: balky horse

[Will Stephens]

Update:
Carl, I made a quick pronged stick and had it at the ready. I harnessed her, picked up the reins with intent, and promptly drop the stick as she responded immediately to my energy level. As an inexperienced teamster I was questioning how hard to push. She is very strong willed. If she doesn’t want to do something she will not do it. This caused me to be so concerned about creating a situation where should would start choosing not to go more frequently.
Why did she decided to go that day with no trouble? I think it really comes down to my attitude. I wasn’t out there just to diddle around. We had a job coming up that we needed to get ready for and I was of the mind that we needed to get the job done so we just had to go do it.
She has been great since. We just spent the entire day giving hayrides at the fair and they did a great job.
When we first got there she did not want to go and again a simple re-focusing of my energy and she went to work for the next 6 horse (with breaks). We raised about $400.00 for the fair and came home tired and renewed.
I learned a few other things too. How to recognize when she needs a break is a big one. I had trouble all day getting her brother to pull his share of the weight so she was working really hard all day. She will go until she can’t anymore and I realize how important of a job it is for me to see that before it happens and keep her fresh in body and mind. I also realized that as a team they have a hard time starting on a larger load. This showed itself starting a full wagon up a hill. As their teamster, it is up to me to develop this ability in them from a mental/confidence point of view. Of course really I was just seeing for the first time what Neil tried to tell me after he had then for a time last summer.
The summary is this: the more we do, the more we learn, the more we can do, the more I appreciate the lessons people are sharing with me.
Pukka is a strong willed mare and is proving to keep me very honest and rewarding me when I am with her own great work ethic.

Thanks guys.

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