On the horizon

I wrote this yesterday morning before I brought Bobo home...

I'm about to head out to pick up a pony I just bought from a rescue organization. He's sweet until he's not sweet. Reportedly has not been successfully turned out with anyone other than his favorite mares du jour. 15 yo shetland/arab cross with supposedly lots of trail experience. But ZERO ground manners around other horses, and some missing ground manners around humans. I met him a couple of weeks ago when I helped trim at the rescue, and he seems simply to not stop and think that anyone might have a thought other than himself. But not too hard to redirect. However that was in a barn with no other horses around.

As I lay sleepless last night thinking ahead to today and tomorrow and the next few days/weeks/whatever, I remembered my experience with Rusty when he wanted to kill Belle, Harry Whitney's mare who had been in the round pen with my 5 year old mare -- Rusty's gal pal -- the infamous Glorious Sofia. Harry coached me to the other side of a potentially very dangerous situation. Dangerous to Belle, and likely to me and Harry just because we were in the vicinity. So I think I have something to draw on. Indeed that event in TN was a little rough around the edges on my part, but successful. I suspect I have a little more finesse to offer this pony. For one thing, he's smaller than Rusty and I won't be afraid. Ain't that a foolish thing to say! In any case I have a better understanding of timing, of blocking a thought without anger, and deeper connection to that 'faith' piece that Harry speaks of -- having faith that the horse can make the change. I saw it in small ways with the pony while handling him while he was being trimmed.