In the end it often comes down to – if the rider doesn’t think its s big deal- often the horse doesn’t either

Getting on Cash the very first time

He was so big and I’m super short. Add in a bareback pad and there’s no way.

I didn’t own a mounting block so I used the back of my truck.

He’s a horse that had a rough time at the track and at one point a really rough trainer

He was a horse that came full of anxiety. I knew quite a bit, but not near as much as I do now.

He was given lots of time to settle in. I changed his name from Cash the Kicker to Cash the Giraffe. He had landed the transport guy in the hospital w a bunch of broken ribs from a double barrel kick. The guy felt he could push the horse in. He was wrong

Cash took a good kick at me on day 2 of being here. Almost knocked my block off. He kicked hard directly at my head. I’ll fill you in on that fun in another post

But getting back to riding- I was able to swing a leg over and as my weight was on his back, I could instantly feel all of his energy come flashing to the surface. Like a volcano getting ready to erupt

Now I’m not a great rider. But what I am is a calm rider. I’m confident because when I’m ready to ride a new horse I feel pretty confident it’s going to go well I feel – right or wrong- that I’ve prepared them properly.

So in this case- it didn’t feel like a rear or buck coming. It felt like he was going to take off. This i had not anticipated Walk off? Possibly? Run off was not on my radar

So like people describe a car crash seemingly taking place in slow motion- this is what it was like. Things happened quickly but it SEEMED to take forever

As he balled up ready to spring into racehorse action, like out of the starting gate I said to him- not in words-

Look. I see you standing around all the time. ALL the time. I know you can do it.

And you know what? He deflated like a ballon and suddenly was back to just standing there calmly.

Later my roomate – who it turns out was watching from the house said- I sure thought he was going to take off on you.

So what gives? Did he really hear me? Understand my intention and thoughts? Did he simply change his mind? We really never can say for sure but I like to think he understood me. And if you’ve ever met him, he does have a crazy busy mind. He’s really a super smart horse and one of the funniest horses I’ve ever met.

And none of this is easy to teach people they would look at you flummoxed You might hear, pull on the reins, dont pull on the reins. Circle him. Bend him. Back him up

Now to be clear- Ive not done this before or since. Only w this horse.
I’ve not had a horse actually do this before

I might have even rolled my eyes.

I would not teach a student to try and have a half second conversation w a horse that’s about to run off w them and hope it works – but for some reason that’s what the answer was. It’s what I felt it was anyway

It’s a story that I tell sometimes though. Not because I hope people will start trying this exactly. But showing theres not always one way. And the way forward might be something really out of the box.

Pictures of Cash who found a home this year!