Animal Communicators

Do true animal communicators really exist? Who really knows for sure, but I'll tell you what I think.

Let me state, first off, that I am a skeptic. I enjoy logic, proof, and objective facts. However, there are some things in this world (many things, really) that we cannot yet explain. Unfortunately, humanity tends to dismiss what we don't understand as either not possible, stupid, or something to be feared and shunned. I believe animal communication falls under all three dismissive categories.

I believe that 99% of people who claim to be animal communicators are money-grubbing frauds who prey upon the desperate and weak minded. They are highly skilled at cold reading and interpreting body language, and hence are highly convincing without possessing any other special skill. Their goal is to make money for themselves, which is hardly noble. The louder someone is about their talent, the less of it they probably have.

However, I believe there are a select few who CAN truly "talk" to animals. They are rare, and don't tend to broadcast their abilities far and wide. I have heard numerous stories, both first and second hand, of readings done that were amazingly accurate with very little information provided. Just a name, recent photo, and that's it. No other form of interaction, and as some were done over the phone, no opportunity to read body language either. How does one explain that? In essence, we can't, and therefore we dismiss it.

We have been taught from childhood that we cannot talk to animals. It's just impossible, so don't even try. Well, I don't think that's true. I think that most people have the ability, we've just shut it off. We have to relearn through training those instincts that we've forgotten. Obviously, I'm not talking about having a pleasant chat with woodland critters a la Disney movie. I'm talking about know what the animal is feeling and roughly what they're thinking just by being near them.

I think that animals likely share their thoughts freely with those who can "contact" them. As a rule, animals are not deceptive and have nothing to hide. They do not feel shame, guilt, or fear the reactions of their peers. Unless they feel threatened, I see little reason for them NOT to open up to a suitably skilled human. I think this is why it works in the first place, animals are far more receptive than people are.

Here's how I think true animal communication works. I think horses and other animals "speak" in images, and that their thoughts are more complex than most people give them credit for. Dr. Temple Grandin introduced me to this concept, and after reading her stuff I'm inclined to agree. It makes sense, doesn't it? We have a spoken language and think in words, animals have a physical (visual) language and think in images.

If (and this is a big if) the animal communicator can "get into" the horse's thoughts, I think she'd find a series of images and the feelings associated with those images. Then she translates these images and feelings into words we can understand. They say a picture is worth 1000 words, and I think this is where the communicator gets "paragraphs" of information. The horse didn't tell them all that, they saw it and now must convey the meaning to us in words.

For example, from a thread on FiSH: The communicator said the horse liked the Aussie saddle. The horse owner said the saddle wasn't an Aussie, it just looked like one. The saddle was in fact a treeless hybrid. However, the horse wouldn't know the difference or terminology; he wouldn't say "treeless". He would have a mental image of the saddle, and the animal communicator would be going off her own experience to identify the item of tack. The horse owner said the saddle looked like an Aussie, and if you'd just been shown a picture of it you might be deceived. If the communicator was shown a mental picture of the saddle, she might make the same mistake.

There's another reason I believe animal communicators exist: I'm one of them. It's not a finely tuned sense, but it's definitely there. I get flashes of insight into an animal's emotional state just by looking at them. It's not a conclusion I arrive at logically, it's just a feeling. I call it a gut instinct to avoid looking like a crazy person.

For example, my friend got a horse in for training. Horse was very ill-mannered, rude, and belligerent. My friend's initial assessment was "He's being a bastard". I watched her work him, and I immediately thought, "He's scared and confused. He doesn't know what's being asked of him." Sure enough, through a logical process of deduction and questioning his owner, my friend determined that he'd never really been broke. Just like Cherry, he'd been backed and ridden in the mountains, but never taught to obey cues or even what those cues were. She re-started him from scratch and his attitude (though he was still rather belligerent) improved as did his training.

I don't know how I knew what was going on with that horse. I'd certainly never met him nor his owner before, and from all outward appearances, he looked like a rank asshole. Well, he was a bit of an asshole horse, that wasn't the problem. He didn't know what his rider's cues meant, and this lack of knowledge scared him. He acted out by bucking, biting, and taking off, but the root of the problem was his lack of training. He was scared and confused, and I felt that. Maybe my experience with Cherry led me to that conclusion, but there was no thought process, the feeling just came to me.

The same sort of thing happened with my cat. My bf likes to pick up the kitty, and she doesn't like to be picked up. That's obvious. However, she was really freaking out on him when he'd go to put her down. Biting, flailing, vocalizing, the picture of an angry cat. It had been going on for a little while, and then one day I looked over at him and without even thinking said, "She's scared you're going to drop her. Support her body with both hands and put her down slowly." Previously we'd thought she was just fighting to get down even faster when she flipped out. But for some reason, when I saw her with her little fangs buried in his sleeve, she looked at me, I knew she was afraid. She wanted to get down, but she wanted to feel secure and be put down slowly. Now, he's much more careful to support her body, and he puts her down gently. Kitty is much happier and the freak-outs are much less frequent.

Similar things have happened over the years. It doesn't happen all the time, and doesn't happen with every animal, but I get "vibes" from them on a pretty regular basis. Those are just the incidents that stick out in my mind. I am certainly not on the level of communing with an animal at will or extracting particular information from them. It seems that if they reach out, I can pick up on it, but I can't initiate contact. Yet. ;)

At some point, when I can afford it, I'd love to get my animals "read". I flatter myself that I know my animals well, and it would be interesting to compare what the communicator tells me to my own knowledge. Actually, I don't think my cat would have much to say. She's a simple, rather mentally retarded creature (I get that vibe from her) who does not have complex thoughts. Cherry, on the other hand, would probably be a hoot and have much to say. Her brain is quite active, she has very strong opinions, and no issues with expressing those opinions.


So, do YOU believe that true animal communicators exist? I do, but they are few and far between.

Saddle fit

I just read a rather hysterical article on saddle fit. The upshot of it was that nobody's saddle fits their horse and we're all driving our horses into an early grave through our extreme ignorance. The only way to get a properly fitting saddle is to pay a learned professional lots of money to fit one for you, perhaps even custom build it to your horse. The author then went on to list "symptoms" of an ill fitting saddle as well as reasons people give when they say their saddle fits.

I don't really know what to think about all this. Do many people ride in poorly fitting saddles? Yes. Will my horse drop dead under me if I do so? Probably not. This author was a professional saddle fitter (of course), and I suspect, like all those married to their work, she's a bit on the fanatical side. Her field is the ONLY field, and EVERYTHING is somehow related to what she does.

Well, everyone feels like that. I know I do. Speak to an animal geneticist and he'll say that the genes are the most important thing for growing good beef. Speak to a nutritionist (me!) and they'll say the genes are all well and good, but you have to feed the thing properly and that makes all the difference. So here we have a saddle fitter who has taken the extreme view that all saddles except the ones she has fitted are harmful to horses. Oh well, on to the main points.

The article claimed that one should have one's saddle reflocked twice a year. What?! O_o Who has that kind of money? Apparently the saddle should be reflocked to accommodate the horse's changing back. Okay, I can get behind the premise if not the practice. Horse's backs do change, and if they change substantially, a saddle that formerly was fine will no longer fit. However, I don't know about this twice a year business. A good saddle tree (a good one, mind you) in a properly flocked saddle should fit a variety of similar horses and continue to fit through minor back changes.

The point was raised that a well made saddle is nearly always better than a cheap one. I agree with this. A saddle is no place to scrimp on quality, especially since it has a big effect on your horse and your riding. A girl I know got a cheap saddle online, and it's a piece of crap. It doesn't fit the horse at all (it looks like it was made for a skinny elephant), and it doesn't fit her either. The back end popps up and slaps down on her horse's back with every stride. Not a pleasant ride for anybody involved.

The author claims that a poorly fitting saddle is the cause of nearly all problems with the horse, both in the saddle and on the ground. Weeeell, I don't think it goes quite that far. Of course a painful saddle will cause riding problems. That seems fairly obvious. Likely the worse the fit, the greater the problems. But I'm not so sure that ground manners are so intricately tied to saddle fit. I think that's stepping over the line into seeing everything with your own tinted glasses.

The next part of the article was quite interesting. The author claimed that horses who are in pain due to poorly fitting tack will clench their jaw when they are ridden. Clenching the jaw leads to pronounced musculature in the temple and forehead, and also to what we call a tention headache. The muscles tend to be painful to the touch. You know what, I don't think she's too far off there. I've always wondered why some horses had big, lumpy forehead muscles, and this would explain it. The pain might be coming from any number of things, not just the saddle, but the lumpy forehead always seems to be accompanied by a worried expression. I saw a picture the other day of an otherwise beautiful horse who had a knotted forehead and an anxious look in his eye. It just seemed like all was not right with him, and after reading about the jaw clenching response, it makes sense to me. For the record, I felt Cherry's forehead, and the muscles were neither pronounced nor senstitive, so I think we're doing pretty well there.

Then the author listed what she called lame excuses that folks use to say their saddle fits. Most of them I could get behind, such as: my trainer said so, the tack store guy said so, it looks like it fits, and someone on the internet told me so. That makes sense to me. The other reason did not. "My horse's back doesn't hurt."

Um, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that the POINT? I mean, a well fitting saddle will not cause your horse pain and soreness, so wouldn't the absense of pain and soreness be an indication of fit? The author did not elaborate, so I don't know if she meant that the horse doesn't look like he's in pain or we actually evaluated him and determined that he is not in pain. Obviously, just looking at him isn't good enough, a thorough inspection of the back is necessary. But if you have inspected and found no back pain, I would take that to mean your saddle fits.

As for my own tack, my dressage saddle fits my horse well. It has never made her sore and her back muscles only improved through hours of riding in it (as opposed to atrophy). Add to that a complete lack of jaw clenching muscles, I'd say we're doing pretty well. As for my Aussie saddle, I don't know for sure. Visually, it's a tad wide, so I use a thick felt pad with it. Other than that, it does not appear to cause my horse pain, and she moves just fine with it. I haven't had a chance to do an extended ride with it and REALLY find out. That's the only way to tell, in my opinion. Ride in it for a few hours a couple days in a row. Any fit problems will pop right up if you're paying attention.

Do we all need profressional saddle fitting? I don't think so. For a hard to fit horse, they can be wonderful, but for the average-backed horse using good quality, appropriate, well made tack, I don't think it's a necessity. The more we fuss and fret over our horses, the more problems we find. I think that saddle fit is very important, but we can go overboard and freak out over it quite easily.

Bareback Pads

I've been doing some "in your dreams" shopping. You know, looking at stuff you'd like to buy if or when you have money.





Right now I've been looking at bareback pads. Don't get me wrong, I really like my Natural Ride bareback pad... but I want MORE! I'd like to build my collection, and I'm amusing myself by thinking what I'd like to add to it.

What I'm looking for:

• Tacky seat: something that will "stick" to my butt and help keep me in place
• Real billets and girth: needs to stay in place
  
• Well padded
• Well made: I want it to last
  
• D-rings for breast collar attachment
• No neoprene on the underside: horse appears to be allergic
  

I realize that any pad with these options will run upwards of $150, probably closer to $250. I'm not looking for some cheap thing I can throw on my horse. I have one of those already, and I don't like it.

I view my Natural Ride pad as a "western" type pad. It has latigos and a cinch, and the handle is kind of like a horn. The rawlide fork is ridged (like a western saddle), and very "there", if you know what I mean. You're always aware of it's presence and it kind of holds you in (at least in front). I wish it had a tacky seat, though. That's one big thing it's missing.

What I'd now like to acquire is an "English" bareback pad. One with dressage billets and no stiff parts. I'd like something secure, but doesn't interfere with my position at all. The NR kind of limits my forward options as the rawlide fork is quite unyielding.

So far, I've found two pads that look like they would suit my purpose. Well, three pads, but I'm leaning away from one of them. They all cost about the same, so my decision would not be based on price. I'm willing to pay up to $250 for something good (when I have the funds to do so, of course). Anything more than that seems excessive for a bareback pad.




Option 1: El Companero bareback pad
(image from El Companero website)

This is the one I'm hesitant about. It looks funny.

I've heard good things about them, and not just from their website. It appears that the suede leather is incredibly "sticky", a big plus in my book. I'm tired of sliding when I lose my seat for an instant.

The cinch is a regular western latigo rigging, and they say you should use a western saddle pad underneath it. They do come in normal colors, and if I bought it I'd get a black one.

Apparently you can attach a breast collar, but it looks like it's the western style. Cherry does not like the Y-collars very much, so I don't see her liking this set up with a breast collar too much. That puts me off this pad a bit, as I really want good d-rings.

The thing that really puts me off of this pad is the look. It looks "native" and rather strange. I already get enough weird looks, I don't need to be using any more crazy looking tack than I already have. The full hide seems a bit much, I only need something under my seat and thighs. It doesn't need to cover the whole horse. Cherry is not very big, so I can see the hide on this pad covering quite a bit of her rump.



Option #2: Skito Bum Buddy bareback pad
(image from Skito)

I really like the looks of this pad. It's got a tacky pigskin seat, dressage billets, d-rings for both breast collar and crupper, and skito foam inserts. The foam inserts create a channel for the spine, something I really like.

They come in a ton of colors, one of which is teal! This, however, creates a problem. Teal doesn't go with every horse, and all teal does not go together. I'm not sure I want a main item of tack to be brilliant teal. If my teal accesories didn't match, I'd have to get them in black. It makes much more sense to get the pad in black, which of course would match all my teal and black accesories.

Moving on to more important aspects, this pad really appeals to me. It appears to be well made, it's contoured to the horse's back (a rare trait!), and the underside is good quality fleece. Skito has an excellent reputation with the endurance crowd, and I look to their preferences to find out what's comfy and hard wearing and what isn't.

A couple things about this pad bother me, and I'd have to try it out to see. One is the fact that the billets appear to tip back from the pad. I don't know if this is merely a photo issue or not, but there is a distinct "back" look to the billet placement. Cherry's girth spot is very close to her elbows, and I don't want the natural girth placement to be fighting with the billet alignment.

Another thing that might bother me is the foam inserts. They create a channel over the horse's spine, but I'm afraid they might create a channel under my ass too. I don't want to feel like one butt cheek is resting on one pad while the other cheek is resting on a separate pad. My butt is large, and needs full support to be comfortable. I don't know if the foam inserts would provide that.

They claim that this is the first "theraputic" bareback pad, and that this is actually good for the horse's back. From what I've heard of Skito, I'm inclined to believe that. Though I think the main reason for this claim is the spine channel. There's debate whether or not the bareback horse benefits from a spine cleance channel or not. Some say the rider's weight is on the spine and this ultimately hurts the horse, others say the rider's own ass cheeks provide adequate clearance. You sit on your butt, not your tail bone, and the horse's spine runns in between the two sides of your butt. Personally, I'm not sure what to believe, I only know that some good padding can only be beneficial.



Option #3: Little Joe bareback pad
(image from Better Horse Tack website)

This pad has dressage billets, a "sticky" suede top layer, d-rings, several layers of padding, and comes with a free saddle pad. It comes in a variety of colors, including the lovely brown in the photo as well as black. It does have big d-rings for stirrup attachment, but I wouldn't be using stirrups.

They claim that it is safe to use with stirrups, though the lack of anything solid or ridged on the pad makes me skeptical. I'm a heavier rider, so for me to safely use stirrups, the tack needs to be totally secure on the horse's back with no chance of slipping to one side or the other, as well as a decent area to distribute the weight I put in the stirrups. I do kind of like the idea that if/when I do lose a bit of weight and get my riding legs back, using stirrups would be an option. It seems that others use the pad as sort of a saddle and really, really love it.

In fact, the reviews of this pad are almost wholly positive. Nobody seems to hate it, and the worst opinion I've found so far is "meh, I like it but I can get something I like too for cheaper". Everybody else raves about it and says something on the order of "I LOVE IT!" and "I ride in this all the time, I hardly ever use my saddle anymore". This is encouraging, needless to say.

The customer service seems to be good. I got a reply from my inquiry email (no measurements could be found on the website) almost right away. They say they replace billets and make repairs on the pad for a small fee. The pad is also guarenteed for life, and each one is handmade by the person who sells them. You can get custom options becuase they are made to order. I like this idea very much.

Of course, there are a few things about this pad that might bother me. It seems that some people have issues with the stirrup d-rings poking their legs. I don't know if the ring is rubbing them or simply "there", which bothers some people. I could just order one with no stirrup d-ring. Though I wouldn't use stirrups right now, I'd want the option in the future.

The other thing that might not work is the lack of spine clearance. Reading about the Skito pad put this in my mind. I don't do hard riding at the moment, but I'm trying to slowly work Cherry and me back to longer rides. Eventually I'd like to get back on the trail, and I don't want something that will make my horse sore.

One option to remedy the spine issue is to buy a Skito pad to put under the Little Joe. This means an extra $150, though, and I'm loath to spend that much. However, it will be awhile before my riding intenstiy would require such an addition. Right now the (free!) pad the LJ comes with would likely suit us just fine. Skito makes a pad specifically for the LJ, so this might be a future option. And I could get the pad in teal! Oh dear, I better not start down this train of thought.

.......

Those are the options I'm considering, though I won't be getting anything for awhile. The holidays rather depleted my bank account, what with buying presents and taking time off. I'm saving my savings for emergencies (human and animal), so I must resist the temptation of dipping into them.

There's also another reason I want another good, awesome bareback pad instead of a saddle. My horse is old, and I honestly have no idea how much longer she's going to be ridable. Cherry is going strong, but it's hard to say how many months or years she has left as a regualr riding horse.

I want to spend my money on something I KNOW will fit other horses, not just Cherry. I want something I can use on anything and everything. My NR pad has a "fit range", and anything narrower or wider than that will not be comfortable. I want something universal, that will be comfrotable and usable for any horse I decide to get on.

Bareback and Bitless

The above statement describes pretty much every ride I have. I always ride bitless, and more often than not I ride bareback.

I personally believe that bitless riding is better. Better for the horse, better for the rider, and just the more enlightened way to ride. I don't believe that sticking a cold, unyielding piece of metal in a horse's mouth is the best way to communicate. Obviously, there are many bitless options, and not all are gentle or terribly effective. I'm a minimalist though, and I think that you should go with the "lowest" option that works for your horse. I'd be a "most horses should go in a snaffle" person if I was into bits.

Whatever the gentlest option is that is effective for your horse is what you should go with. I follow my own advice too. Most of the time I ride in a simple sidepull or a Dr. Cook's bridle. Occasionally I'll ride in a mechanical hack, but that's really more for me to work on NOT using my hands at all (more seat and leg) than for my horse's benefit. She goes just fine in it, but the leverage is just not necessary for her. Horses are sensitive creatures, and it really doesn't take much to get a message through to them. If they are listening, of course.

As for bareback riding, I love it. I count using a bareback pad as bareback riding, by the way. I'm not a "bareback purist". I know I'd prefer a little padding on my back if someone was sitting on me. If the pad has stirrups though, yeeeah, I'm on the fence about it. In my mind, you might as well get a saddle, as most of the pads with stirrups are just plain dangerous.

I'm a very lazy person, and thus bareback riding appeals to me. Less tack to deal with, less hassle, and less thoughts of "I saddled up, now I HAVE to have a real ride". Somehow I feel lame if I just plod around if I've gone to all the trouble of saddling my horse. It's as if I have to make the effort of fully tacking up worth it. It's silly though, becuase who fucking cares? I don't have a trainer, I don't have goals besides "don't fall off", and it's just me and my old horse. I doubt she gives a damn whether we work that day or not. In fact, I'm sure she'd prefer to just amble around for a little while and be done.

The trick with riding bareback though, is that it's actually MORE effort than riding with a saddle once you get on. It's far easier to skip the whole tacking up part, but once you're on your horse's back, bareback is more difficult. I like that, it tricks me into getting more exercise and riding more effectively. If Cherry decides to act up, it's much more effort to convince her that no, she does have to listen to me and no, she can't do as she pleases. That really gives the leg, core, and arm muscles a lot more of a workout than doing the same thing in a saddle, and I don't even notice until I've got her attention back and I've relaxed again.

Cherry appears to prefer the Natural Ride bareback pad (I refuse to call it a saddle, it's not) to any other set up. I do too, actually. I can feel her movement, I feel secure, but there's still a nice amount of padding between my butt and her back. My saddle, though lovely and properly fitted, feels stiff and ridgid. There's so much less nuanced communication with all the wood and leather in the way. I also have knee and ankle issues, so keeping my feet in stirrups for a long period of time is painful. I'm working on it slowly, but bareback is more comfortable to me right now.

I personally believe that full-on bareback on a regular basis is a bit too much to ask of her right now. I'm rather a heavy person, and though I'm a balanced rider, I think having some padding there is a good thing. Having a bareback pad makes me more secure, which is always good. I feel bad if I flop, even for a moment, so having the extra stability of a pad is beneficial. Besides, I like how the extra cushioning feels to my butt, so why not? Riding "naked" once a week is good for my balance and overall riding, but I don't want to do more than that at the moment.

Some might say that I am too heavy for my horse to carry as she is rather small and I am rather... not. However, I don't believe that this is the case. Cherry has a sturdy build with a nice short back, and is decently well muscled. I've been monitoring her back for signs of pain, and haven't found anything abnormal. Cherry has always been "cold backed" and will dip her back away from pressure no matter what. What I look for is other signs of discomfort such as pinned ears, angry faces, tail swishing, and diliberately moving away from me.

I try to mount carefully and gently so I don't just plop down onto her back. Today I didn't get her lined up quite right to the mounting block, and got on a bit ungracefully. She made this kind of grunting noise, like "you're such a fat ass, Mom", but then walked off just fine with no further complaints. Since Cherry is a horse who acts like she's broken a limb when in fact there's just a small scrape, I feel pretty confident that I'm not hurting her. There would be far more theatrics than that if she was truly unhappy with me riding her. So I continue to ride her and don't worry too much about it. The more you fuss and fret over your horse, the more likely you are to find a problem.

Deja vu

I am at the barn, alone as usual. For some reason I seem to be here at unpopular times. It’s a cool January day, muddy and grey, and the wind is blowing. I don’t really want to be here, it’s colder than I thought it was and the wind cuts through my clothes.

I open my tack locker and take out my halter, thinking I’ll just quickly groom my horse and hightail it back home. I certainly don’t want to ride today. She’s excited to see me, as usual. I brush her fluffy winter coat, thinking about how marvelously soft it is.

I’m feeling warmer now, perhaps I will lunge my horse today. Undecided, I pick the knots out of her short tail. I walk back to my tack locker, and on a whim I pull out my saddle. Why not? I can have a short ride in the indoor arena where I’m safe from the wind.

I saddle my horse, lead her into the arena, and mount. The saddle feels stiff and cold, I have not used it in awhile. The arena lights cast an orange glow as we walk on the rail. My horse moves slowly, and I fidget in the saddle trying to find a comfortable seat.

The arena footing is uneven, and my horse alters her stride over the rough patches. The barn owner has promised over and over that the footing will be improved, but I know that it won’t be. The cost is too high for the small amount of money she has left over after paying the bills.

I gather up my reins slightly and nudge my horse into a trot. I look at my reins and the leather bridle on my horse’s head. I bought that bridle when I bought my horse. I’ve always liked it. Smooth, soft leather in just the right shade of brown. It was used when I got it, but perfectly broken in and supple.

My horse is sluggish. She does not like the uneven footing and lack of riding effort on my part. Her head hangs low as she jogs around the ring. It is too small in here, too cramped. There is no room to move. Perhaps the wind has died down a little and we can ride outside.

I open the gate from horseback. It is easy, and my horse knows the drill. Halt, side-pass, turn on the forehand, halt, side-pass, halt. A cool breeze is blowing, but I am warm in my dark zip-up sweatshirt. We head outside.

I feel happier now. The air in the indoor arena was dusty and still, and the walls were much too close together. We amble out into the fading afternoon light. The clouds make it seem much later than it actually is.

I push my horse into a trot, posting with the rhythm. I am seized with a desire to trot faster, and I put my leg on my horse’s ribs and click to her. She speeds up and we sail along. The footing is much better out here, there is no need to worry about a stumble.

We take a short walk break. I’m feeling hot now in my sweatshirt, so I pause to remove it. My horse doesn’t bat an eye as I whip off my top layer of clothing and throw it onto the fence. I’ll pick it up later.

I push my horse forward and we’re off again. She scoots forward, tossing her head, anticipating the canter cue. I make her trot a little longer before I ask for the canter. I want it to be my idea, not hers.

I sit the trot and ask her to pick up the canter. She hops into it, excited to be moving out. She canters slowly at first, then gradually picks up speed. We do a few flying changes, partly to distract her, but mostly because they are fun.

I don’t want to stop cantering. It’s my favorite gait, and it also scares me a little. I feel my horse’s hooves pounding the ground beneath us. She is steady and solid, each stride as balanced and powerful as the last.

As the ground disappears under us and the scenery flashes past, I feel free. I lift my chin and open my chest, grinning from the sheer joy of riding my horse. This is how it is meant to be, I feel at one with my horse. My horse’s steady stride is my own heartbeat, and at this moment my heart is open to all the beauty of the world.

I quietly ask for a walk, and my horse calmly shifts gears. I let the reins out to the buckle and she gratefully drops her nose to the ground. I am decidedly hot now, and I welcome the cool wind as it blows through me, carrying the heat away.

When my horse’s breathing returns to normal, I stop by the fence to grab my sweatshirt and we walk back to the barn. I dismount, and my horse vigorously rubs her head on her leg. I take the leather bridle off her face and hang it in my locker. I undo the girth and pull off the saddle.

Leading my horse back to the indoor ring, I give her a chance to roll. She eagerly plops down in the sand and rolls. Occasionally she lies still for a moment, then rolls again. I suspect she is attempting to roll all the way over. It’s something she has only managed a few times. Eventually she gets up, shakes, and ambles back to the gate, ready to be taken out and brushed.

I brush off the loose sand and curry the sweat marks. She makes grumpy faces at me as I brush her chest and gives me the evil eye behind my back. This is normal, and I ignore her. Right before I take her home I feed her a couple treats. This is her favorite part of the day. She stands up straight, perks her ears, and generally does her best to look alert, cute, and dying for a treat. This trick works well on small children.

As I lead her home, I think about how wonderful my horse is and how lucky I am to have her. I check her water, make sure the gate is latched and head back to put the halter away. It’s getting dark now, and I want to get home before the evening gets too cold. I get in my car and turn the key, getting one last glimpse of my horse as I drive out of the barn.

…………………….

Today I felt some major déjà vu. I don’t know if it was the weather, the solitude or just a feeling in the air, but I felt like I was back at Grizzly Peak Stables in California. Many things were the same: the horse, the bridle, the winter weather, and the progression of events. It was a bit eerie, but rather fun at the same time.

Many things are different now, though. I am burdened with worries and weight that I did not have in those days, and Cherry has mellowed considerably with age and training. I used to fear the canter because it was difficult to stop, now my mind dwells on the time when Cherry fell to her knees at the canter and I nearly went flying over her head. The leather bridle is indeed the same, but instead of a bit the check pieces are fastened to a rope side-pull.

I also like to think my riding is different now. I am not in the same physical shape, but my riding has become more subtle, more refined. I finally understand what my dressage lessons were all about. I get the concepts and can implement them on my own, though I do miss the instruction. I could do so much more with it now.

I wouldn’t go back and be a teenager again for all the world. Though I was young, skinny and indestructible, I was also uncertain, insecure and far too hard on my horse. I took my anger out on her, and though I knew it was wrong I could not stop myself. I didn’t understand the finesse of using my seat and legs, I thought I could just force my horse into compliance, and got frustrated when that tactic did not work. My world was threatened by the nagging thought that I did not know everything. Now, I know and embrace my own limitations. I can always expand my horizons and not knowing what to do does not bring my confidence crashing down. I love my parents but I do prefer to live alone, and I know that I can and will take care of myself.

Sometimes I wonder what Cherry thinks. Does she too enjoy the growing sense of self and security that age brings? She certainly appears to be calmer and more content now, but I do not know the exact reason. Age is beginning to take its toll on her and her joints are starting to stiffen. I keep an eye on her for signs of pain, but so far I have found nothing. One day I know I will have to retire her, but I hope that day is long in the future and we have many more days like today between then and now.

Are You A Good Slave Owner?

I reconnected with an acquaintance the other day who just happened to become a P3TA supporter since our last conversation. I hate these people. Now don't get me wrong, I certainly don't support clubbing baby seals or skinning animals alive. However, I eat meat and my motto on animal products is "If I don't eat it than I won't wear it". Hence I wear leather and sheepskin, I'm not opposed to feathers, but do not wear any type of fur. I find this a reasonable, ethical policy and fairly easy to explain.

As you may know, P3TA's views on animal rights do not end with violently opposing the use of animal meat, hide or by products of any kind. They also consider owning any animal as a pet is "enslavement" of said animal. O_o

Unfortunately, my acquaintance had swallowed this extreme view hook, line and sinker. *Sigh* She knew that I owned a horse, and casually asked if I still did. "Of course!" I replied naively. "Cherry's still with me." To which she admonished me with, "Did you know that horse is your slave?!" She apparently thought that my cat was enslaved as well. *snork*

The conversation ended soon after, and I suspect she contacted me with the express purpose of converting me to the Animal Rights Domestic Terrorism Association (as I like to call them). Obviously, she failed.

However, it got me thinking. I suppose Cherry is my slave, in a way. I own her in the eyes of the law, I make all the decisions of where she lives, what job she does, and what and when she gets to eat. And you know what? I'm fine with that. She's a horse, not a human being.

Going off the assumption that my cat and Cherry are slaves, and thus I am a slave owner, I asked myself, "Am I a good slave owner?"

I think I would have to answer "yes". Both are fed a high quality, nutritionally balanced diet, have access to clean water, receive good medical care (better than I do, in fact), and live quite comfortably. The cat spends her days staring out the window at birds and napping on soft, fluffy blankets. There is always food available, toys to play with and a nice bathroom to crap in. Her only job is to keep bugs out of the house, and this is more of something she volunteers for when she feels like it than an actual job. Doesn't sound much like slavery, does it?

Oh wait, she should be free to roam the countryside and be a cat! How dare I keep her confined in a prison! I should let her be free! Yeah, free to either starve to death in the cold, be squashed flat by a car, or eaten by coyotes. No thank you to that, and I think she'd agree.

As for Cherry, she should be able to run free like the Wild Mustangs! I should turn her loose so she can run like the wind, proud and noble! You know what, even if I did turn her loose, she'd probably end up coming right back home around dinner time. Not much grass out there in the middle of winter. Let's see, starve in the cold and get eaten by wolves, or live in comfort where food is delivered daily and illness and injury (that would hasten being eaten by wolves) are tended to quickly and safely. Hmmmm, hard choice there.

Of course, domestication comes with a price. You have to work for it. That doesn't just apply to animals. We like to live in houses with running water and refrigerators, but we've got to work for them. We do jobs we don't necessarily enjoy to be able to have the things we want. Same goes for horses. We keep them, feed them and care for them, and in return we expect them to work for us.

Of course, some people are terrible animal (slave!) owners. Their horses WOULD be better off fending for themselves in the wild. This is not acceptable. If you own another living creature, you must care for it. That's how the arrangement works. It's a two way street, and if you're not going to hold up your end of the deal (food, shelter, medical care) then you have no right to own that animal.

So, are YOU a good slave owner?

Just wanted to share this awesome photo collage that MoMoMare made for me! Pretty spiffy, no? The text says "Cherokee Sunrise", which is Cherry's actual, registered name.

Yes, the little spotted thing is registered, believe it or not! She's registered in the Ara-Appaloosa registry. Admit it, you're impressed. A real live Arappaloosa! Yeah, I know, it's not as campy as the Blue Eyed Horse registry, but it's not exactly the AQHA either.

So what is the little spotted thing's breeding anyway?

According to her papers, she's 1/2 Arab and less than 1/4 Appaloosa. You read that right. Less than 1/4 Appaloosa. Apparently, the genes for spots, rat tail, mohawk mane, visible sclera, and a big fat attitude are strong.

What's that you say? 1/2 + 1/4 only equals 3/4? What's that last 1/4?

Oh, right. That.

Well, to be perfectly frank, I have no idea. Considering the distinguished and noble lineage on her pedigree only goes back to her parents, there's no way to tell for sure. My best guess is QH, simply because that is a very common breed, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if her mom was an Appy-QH. Based on names alone, I think her sire was the Arab, and her mom was the spotted thing. All in all, I think the (however misguided at the time) breeding turned out pretty well.

I wish crossbred horses always turned out as awesome as Cherry. Yes, I'm totally biased, but here's my reasoning all the same.

From the Arab she has:

• Totally cute, slightly dishy face
• Flagged tail
• High endurance. When she's fit, it's impossible to tire her. I should know, I've tried and failed
• Soundness
• Longevity. This is still being tested, but she's made it to age 19 with only a little arthritis, so I have every hope I'll be retiring her from work at the ripe old age of 30.
  
• Big feet. They're not huge, but they're a good size for her body. I hate tiny feet!

From the Appy:

• Spots! I luvz teh spotz.
• Personality. Look at that face and tell me she's boring. I dare you.
  
• Intellegnce. Makes for a great trail horse, but not for the best ring horse. That's okay, I don't suffer fools well, and neither does she.
• Loyalty. There's nothing like bonding with a stubborn Appaloosa mare. She's practically killed herself for me, and lord knows I don't deserve it.
• Hard feet. She only needs shoes if we're riding on rocks. Other than that barefoot all the way!
  
• Soundness. All her lamenesses have been from accidents and injury. Praise be!
• Sense. Cherry's never been one for theatircal spooking or losing her head under pressure. She'll get pissed off before she'll get stupid. She's got us out of many a tight spot on the trail, where a less sensible horse would likely have killed us both.

Not bad, really. Overall her conformation is pretty good. A few flaws here and there, but nothing to scream about.

Her biggest negative feature is her attitude. When I bought her, her attitude towards me was, "Fuck you!" That sure was fun to work with. Not. Once we worked it out though, it's been great. Underneath the grumpiness, she has a great mind. Some Appies don't, and that's a sad result of breeding for Teh Spotz and nothing else. An Appy SHOULD have a good mind, even if it takes more effort to bring it out. If they don't trust you and think you're an idiot, lord help you. If you do earn their respect and trust, you won't find a more willing partner.

Sometimes the silly Arab brain will come out, usually on very windy days. Then it's all tail waving, eyes wide open, arched neck, and dragon snorting. Very pretty, mind you, but not too much fun to work with.

Anyway, I love Appaloosas and I love Arab crosses, probably becuase my own Arab-Appy cross turned out so well. Othe Arab-Appy crosses I've met have been good horses as well, so I don't think it's just me!