Anna Blake's Blog (131)

Why We Need Horse Friends.

“You know, no one will ever care about your horse the way that you do.” My friend said it in a testy voice. I’d gotten my first horse since leaving home and she’d heard about nothing but him for the last month. Her support was wearing thin. She missed her friend…

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Added by Anna Blake on May 17, 2013 at 8:26am — 4 Comments

Walter Kills (bags) at Lure Coursing.

Dominating athleticism… Razor sharp senses… Intense animal magnetism… Walter!

It’s been three months since Walter came here from…

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Added by Anna Blake on May 10, 2013 at 8:09am — No Comments

A Very Thin Line.

A client and I went to see a horse this week. He belonged to her in the past, but I have known him through 5 owners, each time given up reluctantly. This horse is 10 years old. Our Boy is a sensitive, athletic horse, smart and honest. In other words, a wonderful…

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Added by Anna Blake on May 3, 2013 at 8:31am — 3 Comments

The As-If Rule.

“That horse has been beat!” is her opinion. Sometimes you can look at a horse and just tell. He’s showing every sign, and he has been passed from owner to owner. Abuse is always possible, but working with him, I don’t think he’s literally been beaten. Who’s right?

The horse is. It’s my As-If Rule. His history doesn’t matter that much. If he acts as-if he has been…

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Added by Anna Blake on April 26, 2013 at 8:00am — No Comments

Relationship Status: It’s Complicated.

I’ve been thinking about the words we use to label our relationship with the animals in our lives. It isn’t politically correct to say we own a horse; instead, we are its caretaker. That dog doesn’t belong to you, you’re its guardian. Swell.

Referring to an animal as a family member is the norm; it’s common to hear someone in the barn refer to themselves as Big Red’s Mom, or say that Bandit is their fur-child. No shortage of Fur-Daddies either. I understand the intention and if the…

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Added by Anna Blake on April 19, 2013 at 8:31am — 2 Comments

Mutual Respect and Trust, at Any Size.

I love working with ponies and minis. I know it isn’t politically correct for a dressage queen. I don’t think they’re especially cute and they are certainly not safer at this size. Trust me, I know ponies aren’t toys. I remember getting…

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Added by Anna Blake on April 12, 2013 at 8:17am — No Comments

NEW BARN RULES

I was at a barn recently, talking to the manager about a client who would be hauling her mule in. A rider standing by wanted warning ahead, her horse (or someone riding her horse) didn’t like mules. A couple of weeks later that same rider told me that my music spooked her…

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Added by Anna Blake on April 5, 2013 at 7:48am — 7 Comments

Lead Mare/ Musical Chair

I’m lucky to have a herd of horses under my care. Some people call it horse poor, but I feel rich. I’m lucky to be able to keep them as a family/herd, three of them literally related, in a large pen where they can interact freely. My herd is all ages and sexes, with a wide and extreme range of…

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Added by Anna Blake on March 29, 2013 at 8:20am — 1 Comment

Sharing Horses with Little Sisters.

Ah, Spring! When a young girl’s thoughts turn to… horses. Just like old girl’s thoughts, and just like every other day of the year. Horse-crazy girls are a consistent…

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Added by Anna Blake on March 22, 2013 at 8:37am — No Comments

Why We Love Them.

I had a philosophy teacher who believed that vulnerability was our greatest strength. I debated her; my shell was pretty thick back then and I had a lot to defend. When I was worn out…

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Added by Anna Blake on March 15, 2013 at 8:22am — No Comments

Balancing Priorities

Talk is cheap in the horse world, like most places. We talk about what our horses mean to us and the goals we have. Goals can be ambitious or humble but we all have a direction we are heading, even if the goal is deceptively simple- just being happy in the saddle.

That part…

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Added by Anna Blake on March 8, 2013 at 8:55am — No Comments

A Flying Change… of Season.

We’ve had a long spell of nasty weather. Snow is one thing and wind is another, but a combination of the two is crazy-making. There is real-time erosion that happens; you can see it in the snow drifts and blown sand. It drives horses nuts and it wears away at me, too.

Horses hate…

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Added by Anna Blake on March 1, 2013 at 8:00am — 1 Comment

Walter, Walter, Walter

Walter is starting to settle in with us. Now I get to go to the bathroom by myself… about once every three days. It’s the kind of thing you expect from a herding dog, but being a rescue as well, Walter likes to go the extra mile.

I’ve had a couple of…

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Added by Anna Blake on February 22, 2013 at 8:24am — 1 Comment

They Love It, Even if You Do a Lousy Job.

Last week I complained about bi-polar February riding weather. I suggested ground-play as a positive alternative to riding some days. (Horses tell me that ground-play is…

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Added by Anna Blake on February 15, 2013 at 8:25am — No Comments

Let That Pony Run!

February is an unstable time of the year. It isn’t spring and it isn’t winter. There are a few 50 degree days that trick us into spring fever before the heaviest snows even come. Still, the horses are shedding, days are longer and it’s hard to not want outside again full-time. There’s no…

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Added by Anna Blake on February 8, 2013 at 8:26am — No Comments

Rescue Me.

If you follow this blog, you know I have been in a pretty lousy mood lately. I’ve been pondering mortality. The loss of a hard working dog and a sweet old horse has got me feeling particularly cold and dark this winter.

I’m usually pretty good at picking myself up, but this time it’s a lot to lift. I started doing that thing that sad people do late at night on…

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Added by Anna Blake on February 1, 2013 at 8:39am — No Comments

The Old Age Fiscal Cliff.

Could there be a more beautiful animal than a horse? Even old ones who nap on their noses like this pair? Maybe my training has brainwashed my eye to see horse proportions as the gold standard but when I think other animals are beautiful, it’s usually because they remind me of a…

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Added by Anna Blake on January 25, 2013 at 8:48am — 3 Comments

Surviving Old Age: Part One.

Can we talk about surviving old age? It isn’t mine I’m worried about. It’ll catch up without any help from me.

I am more concerned with the herd here at Infinity…

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Added by Anna Blake on January 18, 2013 at 8:11am — 1 Comment

What Does Success Look Like?

I was walking a client out of the arena and doing the end-of-lesson list. I talked about the high points of the ride and things that made a positive difference. She has a wonderful young horse who trusts her and they get better every lesson. She…

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Added by Anna Blake on January 11, 2013 at 8:32am — 1 Comment

New Year’s Day, minus the Happy.

It was New Year’s Eve, and I was listening to a sad radio memorial about the musicians who passed this year. I do the same thing on my farm at year-end; I take a census and count my losses.