Blog

I bellydanced on the Santa Fe Plaza today for a show called Mono Mundo. It was fun to be out with a group of dancers, celebrating art and beauty.

Today, Zum stood perfectly still for saddling and he lowered his head for bridling. I am feeling very fortunate. I am achieving my goals, slowly but surely.

Zum loves to ride ridges. Since all my accidents with Zum in the past were on flat trails, I also feel most comfortable going up and down hills when I ride Zum.

Huszar is a calm, gentle and happy horse on the trails. He lets people who have never ridden a horse ride him easily. I appreciate Huszar immensely. When I appreciate something, I express my gratitude generously and openly!

Between horses, mutual nibbling is a gesture of belonging and friendly relations. Zum loves it when I softly brush his nose and face!

To establish social contact, horses smell each other’s breath. For a horse, a fond embrace is coming close together and standing nose to nose. This is my favorite stance with Zum.

Zum is most happy being ridden out on the trails. When Zum is happy, he is relaxed and agreeable. What makes Zum suddenly become temperamental and high-strung? I am going to figure out how I can keep Zum happy at all times.

I learned that if the rider and the groom of a horse are two different people, the bond of attachment will be weaker with the horse and rider. The person who grooms the horse is the one with the closest bond with the horse. My lengthy grooming sessions with Zum will ensure a tight emotional bond between us.

I rode Kamar on the trail for two hours and he jumped over an irrigation ditch and climbed a rock embankment. Kamar is an amazing senior horse!

After I saddle Zum, I cinch up his saddle firmly. Then I reward him. He has overcome something that is frightening to him. I want Zum to think of me as a close friend. I want Zum to think of human companionship as a positive experience.