Horses are easy for me to read, since they're so expressive with their bodies it doesn't take too long to see what's going on. A swish of the tail, a raised hoof = he's bothered... swishing ears, raised head and easy trot toward a panel = she's curious about something. But with people, particularly siblings who can have so much going on under the surface it's a little trickier.
Maliki, my paint gelding, is very food and play (in that order sometimes!) oriented. So I've been bringing apples with me to the pasture in the morning with me. I'll put them on the barrels, a stump, a feeding bucket, cones. Then once I get him out I'll send him to those things and watch his face change from, "Oh brother, here she comes again." to, "Oh boy! Where's the next cookie? What do you want me to do next?" It's very rewarding to have him asking me questions and communicating with me. Yesterdays play session was great because our relationship was getting so much better. He wanted to hang out because I was interesting.
Eclipse, my grulla (dark buckskin) filly, is EXTREMELY play oriented. She'll scope things out, trample blankets, tarps and buckets, try to nibble on you and just want to be next to you. Which is very different from when I got her a year an a half ago. Scared little yearling, terrified of people, trailers, anything that moved. We could hardly move her around because everything would set her off.
Sui, dad's buckskin mare, is a delicate little flower of a horse. She wants to stand behind you, just lightly touching you. She has very little self-confidence, but with other horses she's a bit dominate. Once you understand horse's personality, or rather "horsenality" it's easy to know what they need and want.
Now here's the rub, how to understand my siblings to better get along with them. Any ideas?
About Me
- Kowgirl
- 100% Cowgirl, You tell me I can't and I'll show you just how good I can.
1 comment:
Sounds like you've spent alot of time and patience figuring out your horses. Perhaps treating your syblings like your horses is a good start. Write a book called "Everything I Learned about Syblings I Learned from a Horse"
1. Spend time with them.
2. Learn what they like and dislike.
3. Play with them.
4. Communicate with them on their level, not yours.
5. Lead by gentle persuassion.
6. Encourage them.
7. If they're having a bad day, don't force it, come back later and try again. But come back later.
8. God created them, ask Him.
I'll bet at first it wasn't easy, but now they love being with you. Your genuine love for them shows.. they feel it and want to be with you whenever you come. Apply the same rules and I'll bet your syblings will eventually sense your genuine love for them also and want to be around you.
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