When horses are lead by her stall she has started chomping her teeth at them! It mortifies me. It's so embarrassing to watch Autumn terrorize my friends and their horses as they rush past her.
This behavior doesn't just plague us in the barn. Out in pasture she slams those iron, pissy ears back against her head while she snaps her tail at other horses as she walks past them, burrying them six feet under with her look of death. She chases down any horse that is "below" her in the pecking order. She has turned into what she once feared...the bully! I can't believe my kid is the resident browbeater.
Not only is she picking on the other horses but she has also been assaulting me with "the look". It feels like daggers are being plunged into my chest if she feels like it's time for me to give her a cookie. Things have been getting bad enough with her black mood that I have been sort of dreading her. Oh Autumn! What is going on?
This morning, as I cleaned stalls while Autumn ate in angst, I began to think back to when I first noticed this black cloud creeping over her. It was in June. I started taking on a lot of extra horse sitting jobs at the ranch before and after my job at veterinary hospital. Morning work has begun around 5am and stretched out to around 7 or 8 pm without much time spent with Autumn. She has watched me sprint from horse to horse, turning them out, grooming, feeding, watering them and leaving her care last and rushed with me exhausted. There has not been time to practice any groundwork or new tricks. We have not gone on any rides because of her injury. To top it off my brain had said goodbye to ground control nine months ago when I started treatment for my Lyme's Disease. When I have had time with her my thoughts are off with the starman in the sky. A lot of things have changed in the past few months for us. I kind of feel that if I had big pointed ears sticking out of my head I'd be pinning them back at everyone too. Too much work, too exhausted, too spacey, too rushed, too spread out.
I finished my chores this morning and got Autumn out of her stall. I tied her lead rope into a set of reins on her halter, led her up to the big mounting stump and slid on her back. She turned her head to me with a soft happy look and content ears. I asked her to walk, to stop, to back, to turn here and there. I thanked her and pet her after each thing I asked and she just began to beam. She was doing everything perfect. I didn't need to use the reins. She moved with my eyes and shifts in my weight. The more I praised her the better she did. I rode her to the end of the short driveway and we stopped to watch the sun rise over the ridge. There we stood, the warm light washing the darkness into our shadows. Her breathing meditated through my anxiety allowing us to be together in a moment that felt timeless.
I'd like to thank Pam (aka Snowdrops) whom after reading our last blog When A Horse Leads You To Water made this great picture!
Thank you for reading! Happy Veteran's Day to all of our soldiers and veterans out there! Don't forget our soldiers overseas during the holidays and all the sacrifices they have had to make for us. There are a lot of great ways to help them on such sites as www.anysoldier.com or www.woundedwarriorproject.org .
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Copyright (c) 2012 Jacksonhillhorseygirl.com November 14, 2012
Sometimes life becomes simply too crowded... the best intentions melt away with the sheer need to get through the days.
ReplyDeleteAutumn is your "heartcheck ". The reminder you needed to stop and watch the sunrise and unpin her ears. Well Done Autumn !
Hugsssss
Pam
And, as a less what I'll humorously call "foo foo" thinker.... I have to add that I think you are anthropomorphizing a bit.
ReplyDeleteShe's getting pushy because she doesn't have clear leadership telling her that her current attitude is not acceptable. Not having clear leadership makes a horse unhappy and insecure about their safety and the world in general. Put those boundaries back in place. Your baby is becoming a BRAT!
Christine/Gentle Giants
GREAT STORY, ONE WE ALL CAN LEARN FROM. MM
ReplyDeleteAnother great essay - and this time you have hit upon a common thread concerning the sometimes fractured relationship between loved ones when one of them is super busy! Doesn't matter if it is a girlfriend, a boyfriend, a husband, a horse, a dog, or a cat - they ALL can sense when their partner/parent/caregiver/feeder person (as Gordon always calls ME when talking about our 3 cats and their relationship to me), is otherwise engaged! When I am occupied and am ignoring our cats (when they want to be fed, when they just want attention), they get into all kinds of trouble so that I sto what I am doing and pay attention to them! When a mother is on the phone, kids always get into trouble. We all want the attention of those who we love and need.
ReplyDeleteAutumn is just doing what any "child" would do - acting out to get your attention!Just don't ignore Casey!
Safe travels,
xo Linda
Margaret- Have a wonderful time with your family. I continue to be moved by your blogs. Thank you for sharing them. I also had Lymes so I know how hard it can be (but it does get better!)...we are lucky to have the horses to see us through.... see you soon. Cindy L.
ReplyDeleteYou enjoy the holiday, Maggie.
ReplyDeleteMy husband has had problems from Lymes and/or other bacteria transmitted by ticks, and we know many people who are struggling with it in one way or another. We sure hope that the type you have, and however it is affecting you, is something that responds to your treatment quickly and permanently.
Take care,
Gay
It sounds like you figured out the problem. Children are like that too when thay have too much power. Take time for yourself and Autumn and you will both feel better. Karen
ReplyDelete