In a message dated 3/30/2004 7:13:07 AM Mountain Standard Time, guest-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
But the debate NEVER ends.
The debate never does end.
"Defeating" the horse is not the same as "Winning" the horse.
I have "defeated" my share of horses, and they become rather tractible and often even appear to like what they do. The world is populated with them, in all sorts of jobs out there.
I have "won" my share of horses...for at the moment when they understand my "passive insistence" they give themselves to me, willingly.
Once the relationship is defined and understood, by the horse AND the rider, the tasks become doable and quite enjoyable.
There are many ways to communicate in the world of humans and horses, and each of us gravitates to the language with which we are most familiar and comfortable.
For the lucky horses in the world, it's "conversational", for others it is bull horns with well-placed thumps.
Punishing the behavior is never the same as punishing the horse who doesn't truly understand.
I love dogs and cats and birds, too.
But I really love horses and, finally, people, too.
Have a good day Ray and Chico. I'm glad Chico is not in an Alpo can.
