What Makes A Special Horse

I have regular blogs that I like to visit and see so much posted about what they want their horses to do, what they are afraid of doing, excuses made for bad behavior and also posts of horses that are happy in their job and make their owners very happy. I've had Stylin since 2002 when I purchased her as a 6 year old unbroken broodmare. I had a friend start her for me and since then she and I have put in a LOT of miles together. I've made mistakes, but she was forgiving and we learned in spite of my errors.

I used to compare my mare to others...but now I enjoy and appreciate her for what she is and what our partnership has become. She doesn't have a specialty, but when I started listing the reasons she's such a good horse, I found that she is pretty darn special.

Over the past 10 years together she has learned to:

• cross a creek
• swim in a lake
• climb a hill at the pace I ask
• stand still for a hug
• lie down on command
• stand tied patiently to a trailer, tree, hitching post, etc.
• hi tie quietly for camping ( to my trailer or between trees)
• lead or follow on the trail
• step over logs, fallen trees without leaping
• walk, trot, canter when asked on the lead requested
• allow me to clip, braid and foofoo on her
• load up and trailer for 20 minutes or 7 hours
• be part of a drill team
• pony her youngster on the trail
• allow me to crack a whip from her back
• go down the trail by herself, with a couple of riders or 400 riders
• be ridden with just a halter and lead rope, bosal or bit
• be stalled in a strange barn
• ride alongside a busy road
• not spook at motorcycles, trucks, deer, flushed birds
• ride in a covered arena with loudspeakers and music
• push cows
• travel happily whether barefoot, shod or in whatever boots I've put on her

There are so many more things that make her special to me. We kept riding through our issues, I faced my fears and she learned to trust me.

It didn't happen overnight but boy is it special now.