Introducing Flint

 As mentioned in my last post, I was on the look out for a new horse after deciding to retire Shorty who had served me well. I settled on one site called, "Silver Shadows Rehoming & Education" which is an Aussie family business that takes on ex-harness racing horses and retrains them before finding them a new home. There were 2 horses I was very interested in and I decided to take the plunge and contact SSR&E and let them know of my interest. I let Chantelle know about my experience, what I was looking for in my next horse and what 'conditions' the horse would be faced with. She suggested Jim and I filled out all the forms required, renaming him Jem. (sounds similar to Jim) When a friend commented that the name Jem sounded feminine, I looked up male names that were derived from gemstones and I came up with the name Flint:

This rugged-sounding name is of English origin, stemming from Old English, where it denoted a person who was "born near an outcrop of flint." It suggests strength, courage, and durability, but it also points to Flint being your rock throughout life.

Flint was the perfect name for my new horse and when he arrived on March 9th, I raced up to see him as soon as I could after work. My first impression was "Wow!" I couldn't believe that such a beautiful horse that I had only seen in photos, was now standing in the paddock, waiting for me. I took this photo before I had even taken off the transport tag. He was so tall! I stood against him and then went and stood next to Shorty who is supposed to be slightly taller than Flint.

I gave Flint some time to settle in and meet his new paddock buddies and he made friends with Blue who is also an ex harness racing horse.

A couple of the horses (including Shorty) saw him as a threat and/or an intruder so we set him aside with Jasper in a separate paddock to make sure Flint was able to graze and settle in a safe paddock. 

When he is settled, I will need to work on him giving space as he tends to crowd me when he is being fed or if I am leading him to his food. I am so excited about the adventures that await Flint and I!

Shorty Retired

Towards the end of February, I was approached by Lynne and her sister and they spoke words to me that were honest and true, yet mixed with sadness. They talked about Shorty's condition and suggested I needed to start looking for a new horse. Observations were made:

• One ride Lynne and I went on, Shorty was plodding and when I said something to Lynne who was riding up ahead, she was surprised. (2nd point - she was up ahead because Shorty was finding it hard to keep up.)
• On a short trot (no longer than a minute) Shorty stopped and started walking and I had to urge him to speed up back into the trot.
• He began tripping on simple walks which was unusual for him.

When they brought it up, I was not surprised as I had started thinking the same thing towards the end of last year and had been looking (window-shopping) across Aussie websites. Although Shorty was only 20 years old, he had been doing harness racing from when he was 2.5 years old in July 2005 until he was Dec. 2011. Harness racing for such a long period of time had taken its toll on him and I agreed he needed to retire. I also knew that he had taken me as far as he could and I needed to find another horse who could give me more years of riding.

Before I retired him to greener pastures (no work) I took him for a ride on Labour Day. (March 13th) Lynne and Heather were busy so I went out to the bush with Robyn riding Duke, We ambled through the bush as though we had all the time in the world. Shorty tripped about 3 times and the 3rd time was a relatively major trip for him which confirmed my need to retire him.

Robyn tried to line Shorty and I up for a photo and I used the app to record where we went. It was a pretty ride and I was thankful for the opportunity and blessing it was to ride with Robyn. 

Shorty was very instrumental in helping me regain my confidence in riding again. He has always been a 'gentleman' and kept me safe. One time when thunder rolled unexpectedly, he regained his composure at my reassuring touch and when he saw a black snake, he responded to my lead. In the past I had trusted him but I learned that trust is a 2-way thing and Shorty also trusted me.

After the ride, I stood beside Shorty and Robyn took a photo of Shorty and I. We have plenty of photos together but on this one time, he rested his head on my shoulder and I felt he was saying, "I'm so tired." and I knew I had made the right decision to retire him. 

Re-Establishing the Bond

 Shorty is a pretty easy-going horse and not much ruffles him. When I go to the paddock to get him before a ride, he usually stands there, sometimes lowers his head so I can slip the halter over his head and walks alongside me to where I tie him up to saddle him up and go for a ride.

Over the past month, I've ridden him 2 or 3 times a week and it's been great! Last week, I rode him on Tuesday and Wednesday and then on Thursday, I went out to try a new pair of boots on him. I went to get him while the hoof trimmer and Lynne worked with the other horses and Shorty did not come easily. With Sue and Lynne calling out tips, it took about 5-10 minutes and we covered a lot of ground before I finally had him and brought him over to try the boots on.

Their advice:

• When he runs off and then stops to eat, keep him moving otherwise he is being rewarded for running away.
• Come from in front, not from behind.
• Stand still when he is looking at you.
• When he has had enough of moving, he will give in.

Sure enough, that's what happened. I gave him a handful of chaff since he doesn't like treats such as carrots, apples, bread, specially made horse treats... Often I just pick fresh grass not far from where he is grazing and he is happy. Both Lynne and Sue did not think I should have rewarded him once I caught him.

Later after Sue had gone, we saw a botfly (ugly, annoying flies that horses hate) bothering a couple of the horses, including Shorty. I got out the insect repellent rug (mesh) and Lynne and I went to his paddock. Again, Shorty did not come easily and we both took different angles until finally Shorty stood still and I put his mesh covering on.

The next morning, it was time for another ride so we went to get the horses and Shorty moved away from me. When he eventually let me put his halter on, he came and stood patiently while I brushed him, then put the saddle and bridle/bit on. We had a good ride as mentioned in the post about his boots but afterwards I wondered how I was going to re-establish the bond I had with him. I did not want him to run away when I entered his paddock and did not want him to be aloof from me.

Over the weekend I read up on some horse-bonding and connecting type activities. I looked at strategies trainers use to get their horse to do what they want and how to 'lead' a horse. There was nothing new but I formulated a plan and went out to see Shorty this afternoon.

At first when I entered the paddock he was in, he trotted away from me and I kept calling him and walking towards him. After some time, he upped the ante and moved off into the other paddock where the other horses were standing under a shady tree. He went to join them and I went over there and called him out. They all moved aside to let him pass and out he trotted/cantered back to the other paddock, circling and moving away and I employed the tactic of keeping him moving. Finally, he stood still and with my hand outstretched, I spoke gently to him and he waited for me and let me put the halter on him while he took the chaff.

I stood and patted his neck and side while talking to him. He walked with me to where I tied him up and I brushed him and combed out his mane and tail. I then kept talking to him, rubbing his neck and his chest but his favourite spot is between his ears. He stood so still, his bottom lip trembling. Lynne came out and we sat and chatted while Shorty stood there. Every now and again I would stand up and rub his neck and between his ears.

After a bit, it was time to take him back to his paddock and Lynne suggested I get some hay for him. She offered to hold the lead rope while I went into the shed but even though she held the rope, Shorty followed me. I took the rope from her and went to the shed to get him a mouthful of hay. When he finished his mouthful, he trotted happily away to join the others. A bit later on I thought I'd go and see him again and he stood there and waited. I gave him a pat and he grazed happily alongside me.

I really enjoyed re-establishing the bond with Shorty. It was worth the time it took.

There's also a lesson in that for our relationships with each other. Sometimes we are focused on the doing and the working, getting through the week etc. It's important to take the time to just be and enjoy each other's company.

Best friends again!

New Boots for Shorty

When I turned up this morning ready to take Shorty for a ride in the bush before it got too hot, Shorty was sitting down with the other horses all standing around. I rarely see Shorty do that (only once before) so I took a photo. Today was the day we had planned to take Shorty and Sarge for a walk in the bush, wearing their new boots. We had tried the new boots on yesterday and all fitted well. The hoof trimmer had shown me how to put them on and get them off. 

To put the boots on:

1. Clean hoofs with hoof pick - around the edge and the frog.
2. Put the boots on straight.
3. Check it is even and on straight.
4. Put the strap around - on the 2nd hole.
5. Use the pick to attach the front.

To take the boots off:

1. Take the tack (saddle, bridles etc) off first.
2. Unclip the straps
3. Take the boot off sideways.

The bush we walked through this morning was uphill, downhill, through the thick bush, a bit of clearing (where we took the photo). Sarge did not like tree stumps (there were plenty) but all he did was hesitate. We walked over a bridge- first time for the horses (and for me) and there was a creek flowing under it. We looked out for wombat holes and we saw a wallaby. As Lynne and Sarge walked between 2 trees, Lynne called out to me to either go around (if it was too narrow for Shorty to fit through) or if we did, she reminded me to turn my toes in, which was very helpful advice!

Shorty walked carefully, picking his feet up carefully to walk over fallen trees, branches, bracken and leaves. We walked up the hill, parallel to a fallen tree, until we could see what we would be stepping over into. Lynne told me she knew of a lady once that would jump over logs before seeing what was on the other side. Her point was to make sure you could see where you and your horse are going. As we stepped over one log, we did a hard right and the horses had to step over another one almost immediately. Sarge did it well but Shorty stopped. (this was about 40 minutes into the ride.) I encouraged him verbally and gave him a gentle prod and he moved forward. On the way back when we had to do the same thing, he did it without hesitation.

There was some pretty scenery as we walked along the road. We could see farms, cows, green hills and a bit of cloud at the top of one mountain. We considered letting the horses go for a trot but they were showing signs of tiredness so we decided to keep exploring through the bush. When we approached a steep downhill part of the road, we cut through the bush again. I'm not sure that was a better option - it was still downhill, the trees were close and there was another wombat hole. We made it safely back to the road home.

Back at home, boots and tack off, I brushed Shorty in the opposite way to help the air get through as he had sweated a bit. I noticed that one of the straps had come off a boot and Lynne had noticed that on one of her horse's boots. She commented it showed how 'tough' the bush had been and we were thankful the boots had not come off. After brushing Shorty, he was still a bit warm in the chest, so I led him to the water and allowed him to get 5 swallows of water before putting his fly mask back on and taking him back to the paddock with the other horses. The first thing he did when he got back, was roll and then roll a second time. 

It was a great ride - our 3rd for the week so I'm giving Shorty a couple days off. He's a good horse.

Learning To Trust

Shorty was standing at the fence waiting for me. As I slipped the halter over his head, he nickered and turned so he could walk alongside me, occasionally ducking his head down to snatch a few morsels of tasty grass along the way. I took the brush out and ran it along his sides, watching the dirt fall off. He stood patiently and while I waited for my friend to return with her horse, I decided to comb his mane out. 

His mane was a bit knotty, after all, rolling in the dirt is one of Shorty's favourite pastimes, especially after I've just groomed him. While I took another handful of mane in my hand, he turned and looked at me. I returned the gaze and stood quietly enjoying the moment. In my imagination, it felt like he was saying that I could trust him and that he would not let me down. I gave him another pat and turned back to combing out his mane.

Shorty, at just over 16 hands high, is not very short at all so when I picked up the bit and bridle, he lowered his head so that I could get it on more easily. I fastened the bridle and checked the girth. Shorty knows to hold his breath so that it feels like it is snug and as my left arm is sore - bursitis, impingement of subsomethingaratha etc, I need to use a girth-eze which makes it a lot easier to do up. Even then, it is only after I have mounted, that Lynne checks it again and moves it up another notch to make it fit properly. He's a smart horse!

I moved Shorty away from the mounting block and we waited for Lynne and Trooper to begin our ride. After a quick prayer for safety and a good ride, we headed down the driveway. Shorty followed and stayed to the centre, which meant my head avoided the branches. Trooper began pacing so Lynne pulled him up a couple of times to remind him to walk and Shorty waited each time. On the road, a P-plater hooned past, his engine roared and Shorty fidgeted. Once the car was out of sight, we crossed the road and headed down into the bush, weaving in and out of trees and scrub. The ground was soft in places as there has been a bit of rain lately and at one stage Trooper stopped. Lynne urged him forward and he stood on a wombat hole so we turned and went another way.

It was a pleasant ride and I realised that not only wasn't I feeling nervous, I was really enjoying myself. It's been about 7 months since I fell off a horse that shied badly and it's been just over 5 months since Shorty entered into my life. I smelled the clean air and breathed in deeply. I watched a bird fly overhead and butterflies flitted about. A couple of weeks ago we had seen a herd of kangaroos but we didn't see any today and we haven't seen the albino wallaby for months. 

We talked while we rode and at a clearing I asked Lynne to take a photo of Shorty and I. Shorty stood still and when Lynne passed my phone back to me, she backed up and faced me so I could take a photo of her and Trooper. We headed back home and the horses maintained their stride. Back in the paddock, I was still sitting on the top of (the world) Shorty, when I heard the buzzing of a botfly!!!

Shorty hates botflies! One time Lynne saw Shorty racing up and down the paddock in a frenzy and he worked up a sweat. She noticed that he was losing weight, connected the dots and realised that the botflies really bothered him. It's been a bad season for botflies so when I told her there was a botfly, she cautioned me to stay on Shorty because if he moved when I was getting off him, that could be a problem. Shorty stood still while Lynne swatted at the botfly and I was so proud of him. I got off safely, took off his saddle, bridle, brushed him down and led him back to the paddocks. 

Today was a successful ride. When we were out riding, I commented to Lynne that I felt relaxed and she said that Shorty and I had learned to trust each other. I reflected on that as I rode. When he had turned to look at me earlier while I brushed him, I felt he was saying I could trust him. 

It's taken time, patience and persistence to get to this point. In 'human relationships' it takes time, patience and persistence to build that trust too. Sometimes there will be soft ground that you find it hard to get up out of, there will be "noises" that distract you and you might come across an unexpected obstacle. As you move forward, breathe in the fresh air, notice the blessings and as you step together along the journey and continue to grow the trust between you both. 

When Will I Be Famous?

 "You're the best!" he said flippantly as he ran out the door, grabbing his lunch and keys and blissfully unaware of the unrest he had caused by his request. She had given in to him yet again but what more could she do, she believed it was for his best. The phone rang and she slowly picked it up, checked the caller ID and put on her fake, smiling tone. "You have won a new car!" begun the cheerful caller who then broke down into laughter and asked if she was having a good day and had she heard from their brother lately. The sisters chatted away, crying, laughing, groaning and sharing about the happenings of their ordinary lives. Suddenly one begged her sister to turn on the TV straight away because an old school friend was on the news. They watched it and at the end, Jilly asked, "Who would have thunk it? Who woulda thought she would go on to be famous?"

Politicians, footballers, athletes, newsreaders, actors and performers grace our TV screens as often as we have them on. The other day I was out walking and wondered, "Were they born to be famous? When they were in school, did their teachers and/or parents know they would be destined to be so important?"

The leaders of countries all over the world are facing 'unprecedented times' of a global pandemic. They are making (and changing) rules and restrictions as the virus takes on other variant forms and explodes in their communities. They are all looking older and perhaps more haggard than what they would have been, had it been a smoother 2 years. Where do they get their advice from? What principles and values do they draw strength and wisdom from in order to make decisions and get through this time. Before they became an important politician leading their country, when they were only 10 years old, what preparation did they receive, to equip them for what was to come?

We've read stories of how many now-famous people were told when they were younger that they would never amount to much, that they weren't that good and that they need to reconsider their choice of career or lifestyle.

As Andy and I walked around the block last night, I asked him about the people we had known who had become famous. What was it about them that landed them on their feet? One colleague/friend he had played sport with, went on to be on an Olympics team and another despite being very competitive and good at sport, had just led an 'ordinary life'. The former colleague/friend, Andy had known to be humble and kind and not pushing people out to be ambitious. He didn't gloat about being the best and he treated others with respect.

I feel like I have always wanted to be good at so many things but have become "Jack of all trades, master of none". I love writing, singing, reading, teaching, swimming, playing squash and netball, riding horses and not in that order. I wish I could do all of those things so much better but I don't have the time, money or the ambition. I have been considered as 'good' at things yet sometimes overlooked for promotions because I didn't push myself forward. I know I could do better than the other person so why didn't I stand up for myself?

The song going through my head is, "When will I, will I be famous?" and the next line is, "I can't answer that". Does everyone strive for excellence? I can't help but wonder about those people who mercilessly push others aside in order to further their ambitions. It hurts those of us who are trodden underneath but they still achieve their moment in fame and fortune. By writing this, I am making myself vulnerable and as I write, I am also trying to remind myself of the greater good. I'm wearing a shirt that says, "Enjoy the little things in life" and I get it but.... 

When all is said and done, the only certainty is we will die. There was a poem that included the lines, "Only one life, 'twill soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last."

My mum passed away when she was only a few years older than what I am now. There is rarely a day that goes by when I don't think of her and I know that she influenced and encouraged many people in her life. It's been more than 20 years  since she passed away and yet, she still has an impact on lives today. She was not famous or rich as the world measures, but she made a difference and made her life count.

I need to be the best me I can be, love the people God has blessed me with - friends and family- and continue to strive for excellence. I need to take on challenges that grow me and remember that "faith, hope and love remain - but the greatest of these is love." Whether I grow up to be famous or not, it's what is really important that counts.

1 Corinthians 13:1-8, 13

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

As Much As It Depends on You

 A couple months ago I had the chance to get another horse called Shorty, who, at 16 hands 1 high, is anything but short! He is a Standardbred gelding, just turned 19 and is proving to be quite a gentleman. I have him agisted at a friend's farm and even she has complimented him on him being so good. When I saddle him up, he lowers his head so that I can put his bridle on and he stands still when I am getting on him. Of course I use a mounting block because I am not 10 years younger and it takes a bit more effort. The first time I rode him out of the farm, we walked across the road and down through the bush. He carefully picked his way over the rocks and dirt, mindful of me riding him and slowed his walk to keep alongside the other horse and its rider.

On the day we picked Shorty up, we drove to the next place to pick up a horse called DJ. We took Shorty off the float and put him in a small yard to wait and in the next yard was Harry. Harry was the dominant horse of the stud so Shorty went over to say hello. He went up close to him and touched noses with him over the fence. In a moment, Harry squealed at him and Shorty walked away back to the furthermost side of his yard, away from Harry. He took a drink from the dish, came over to me and I reassured him and patted him before he walked away.

A second time Shorty approached Harry, nudged noses again and this time Harry not only squealed but he also gave a threatening snort and kick - not to make contact but just to let Shorty know who the boss was. Again, Shorty walked away. After some thinking time, he came over to Harry, nudged noses for the third time, then as Harry went to retort, Shorty moved away, turned his back and gave a little kick out at him. He was letting Harry know that he wasn't going to be threatened by him. 

When we got home, Shorty was put into his own paddock but after some grazing time, he went over to the other horses who had all been watching him, wondering who the new horse was. He went over to each of them and touched noses with them all and then walked away and went back to his grazing while they watched and wondered who he was. 

Move forward a couple months later and he has completely settled in and is looking great! Lynne has put him with the other older horse and the 2 of them can graze as much as they like. The other horses aren't quite as fortunate as they need to keep to a regular diet so they don't get fat. When Sinbad is having his hard feed, Shorty is on his own and he looks longingly over at all the other horses, wishing he could join in.

A couple weeks ago, Lynne picked up a couple of rescue mares who needed fattening up. She kept them in a smaller area while they settled in and then put up another electric fence to give them a bigger space to graze and run in. Their fence line was right next to the paddock Shorty and Sinbad were in and while Sinbad grazed, Shorty went over to greet them both. He nuzzled noses with them and watched them as they went back to their grazing. 

The older mare decided she'd flirt with Shorty and remind him of what he once was before he became a gelding. He responded, bared his teeth and leaned forward. She flicked her head and coquettishly walked away, pretending to ignore him and he was not impressed by her teasing. He went over closer to her and when she moved in, batting her eyelashes and tossing her head, he slightly reared at her, before walking away. He was pretty worked up so we went and rescued him and I walked him around the yard to give him time to cool down, before saddling him up and taking him for a ride. 

By the time we returned from our short ride, he was sweating as it was a hot and humid day. I unsaddled him, and took him to a paddock further away from the old mare. After he had grazed for a moment, he pawed the ground, lowered himself and had a good roll around. The old mare looked over in his direction but he paid her no attention. 

So the lesson learned from Shorty is: Initiate friendship and be kind to strangers. Don't let a person treat you with disrespect and stand up for yourself.

Lesson from the Bible, Romans 12:17, 18 "Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone."