From Maine to Oregon
A series of articles on one woman's evolution, education, and adventures with horses
In October
of 2008, with encouragement of a good friend, I decided to attend a Martin
Black clinic at Footloose Farm in Brownfield, Maine.
My friend, Candy, suggested this clinic
would be good for me and my mare, Indy. Candy felt that if anyone could help
us it would be Martin Black.
You
see, Indy is a high-anxiety, nervous, edgy, highly-opinionated, strong willed,
determined, throw-a-hissy-fit, rearing, duck and spin, pack of sheer energy
kind-a-horse.
I
decided to attend the clinic. Indeed, I committed to jumping with both feet – not only
did I sign Indy up for the Martin Black experience, I signed up my colt, Shinan, too.
The first
day of the clinic was a mess; or rather I was a mess. During the morning
session, I watched as my colt bucked for what seemed like an eternity as she
struggled to sort out the foreign object on her back, yes, that would be the
saddle.
Martin
worked several colts together in the round corral – working them in and out of
their own comfort zones, having little regard for those of us watching, or
maybe I should say those of us that were supposed to be mounting these colts
within the next few minutes.
My
nerves were twitching.
I thought,
I am supposed to ride
that
without a bridal? No b
it? Just a halter and go with
her?
You’ve got to be kidding,
right?
Wrong.
There was no kidding, that is what we
were going to be doing.
Little did
I know, or understand, that Martin was preparing these colts for their first
ride, for a good experience for both colt and rider.
The
afternoon session would have to be less dramatic, I thought.
Wrong again.
Indy pulled out all the stops!
She spent a significant amount of time showing her best
“I-don’t-want-to-and-you-can’t-make-me" temper tantrums.
How
embarrassing.
I
didn’t want anyone to know how long I had been “working” with her.
I decided to laugh it off, and comment
that maybe I should’ve had Indy in the colt-starting session.
Martin
began asking me to do different exercises with Indy.
With each new exercise there was a new issue. Talk about
discouraging!
At the first day's end of this four-day clinic, I was beginning to think that I had gotten
myself in way over my head.
What
was I thinking?
I
hadn’t been able to do any of the exercises without an argument from my
horse.
She was as determined not
to do them as I was determined that she would do them.
Feeling
frustrated, tired, and overwhelmed I retreated for the day.
As the
clinic unfolded I became very aware of myself.
Aware of my hands, my legs, my body in relation to my
horse’s mouth, hooves and movement.
Then
the questions began…..
“Well,
how do you know?”
“When
do you ask?”
“How
do you
feel that
?”
The
more questions I began asking, the more I discovered that I was reacting to my
horse’s behavior.
I needed to take
more time and feel her and stop a behavior before I had to react to it.
A
s you
can guess, my horse’s issues were my issues.
Yes, me. All me.
In
coming to this clinic, I had two options; I could either learn from Martin, or
I could get discouraged and say this just isn’t for me.
I chose to be open.
Martin began asking us questions and making
suggestions….
“What
caused your horse to become like this?”
“How
did you get to this point?”
“What
are you doing to change the behavior?”
“Instead of trying to find a solution to
the ‘problem’, let’s figure out how you got here.”
“If you don’t like what is happening;
Change something – anything.”
PHOTOS: (top to bottom) Shinan, gets used to her saddle; Martin Black works with Indy; Kim rides Indy.
To be continued...
CLICK HERE FOR PART TWO