Please Join us this Thursday the 2nd of June at 6:30 pm at the Boys Home Equine Expo Center at Lake Waccamaw, NC! We will be hosting our first Wild Horse Demo and Clinic. Sueño will be there showing you all what she has learned in her first two weeks here at HCHF. Please contact us to pre-register for $10 at 910-471-2658 or high.cotton.horse.farm@gmail.com or pay $15 at the door ..... We hope to see you there!
Check out Lindsay's FB page for updates on her and Sueño.... you do not have to be a FB member to view! You can get to it by clicking the title to this post or Here is a link... http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lindsays-Faith-Mustang-for-Americas-Favorite-Trail-Horse/178750158831398#!/pages/Lindsays-Faith-Mustang-for-Americas-Favorite-Trail-Horse/178750158831398
Thanks so much and hope to see ya Thursday!!!
Monday, May 30, 2011
Friday, May 13, 2011
New Wild Mustangs and AFTH Reality Show!
Goodness, SO much to update you on! I have been keeping up Lindsay's America's Fav Trail Horse fb page so please do come visit it for recent posts! Below is a link
To try and give you an overview... Lindsay'Faith and I were selected as Finalist on the up coming Reality TV Show America's Favorite Trail Horse. We went to TX in May for a week of filming. Had a BLAST! It is put on by ACTHA and Lindsay Loves ACTHA Trail Obstacles. She was just a star! The show airs in the Fall on HR TV and Audience votes from home determines the winner! We will sure do our best to keep you posted and hope you can check it out and vote for YOUR Favorite! Lots of really neat horses!
We also picked up our TWO NEW MUSTANG MARES for the 2011 $200,000 Supreme Extreme Mustang Makeover! They are 5 yrs old and Wild and Un-Touched. I will have from today until mid-Sept to develop my partnership with them and then it's back to Texas for the competition!
There are LOTS of pictures of Lindsay during the AFTH filming as well as the new Mustangs on Lindsay's FB page... I will try and update here as well, but FB will likely have the most recent posts! Please come check it out!
Here is the link again...
Happy Trails!!!
To try and give you an overview... Lindsay'Faith and I were selected as Finalist on the up coming Reality TV Show America's Favorite Trail Horse. We went to TX in May for a week of filming. Had a BLAST! It is put on by ACTHA and Lindsay Loves ACTHA Trail Obstacles. She was just a star! The show airs in the Fall on HR TV and Audience votes from home determines the winner! We will sure do our best to keep you posted and hope you can check it out and vote for YOUR Favorite! Lots of really neat horses!
We also picked up our TWO NEW MUSTANG MARES for the 2011 $200,000 Supreme Extreme Mustang Makeover! They are 5 yrs old and Wild and Un-Touched. I will have from today until mid-Sept to develop my partnership with them and then it's back to Texas for the competition!
There are LOTS of pictures of Lindsay during the AFTH filming as well as the new Mustangs on Lindsay's FB page... I will try and update here as well, but FB will likely have the most recent posts! Please come check it out!
Here is the link again...
Happy Trails!!!
Friday, March 11, 2011
Part 16
I had become at ease with Mary's hands on my face. As long as she was in my right vision her presence felt safe and inviting. The other day she had brought a snake in the pen with her. I was petrified at first, just certain it would strike out at any moment. It never did though. She had dropped it on the ground over and over again. She had even tossed it around me in different directions. It never struck at me, it never hurt me. I was ok with her holding the snake, Mary seemed to have it well tamed. I was also ok with her touching me, my face and neck. However, I was not ok with both at the same time. She attempted to bring the snake with her as she approached me to stroke my face. I was having no part of that. If she wanted to put herself in danger by holding that snake that was her decision. I had accepted her tossing it around, but to bring it all the way to my side? No, I was having none of that.
Thankfully she put the snake away the next time she entered my pen. She approached me and began rubbing my face and neck as before. She even put a hand on either side of my neck simultaniously. It felt odd at first, when I felt her hands on both sides of me, but I didn't flee. I relaxed the longer she held them there. She ever so slowly worked her hand around my throat latch and behind my ears. She then brought them around my muzzle. I felt something brush over my nose, if felt different than her hands did, but I did not flee. I was aware of something happening, something different, but I held my ground. I let Mary continue to stand close to me and touch my face. She then spend a long time at my throat latch. I felt something tug slightly over my nose, but I continued to stand. She then stepped away and asked me to step off to the rail and begin to move around the pen. As I did I felt something odd. I had never felt it before. I tossed my head and it bounced lightly over the bridge of my nose. It did feel different, something was there, on my face that had not been before. It did not hurt though. Just felt a bit odd. She snapped her fingers and I wheeled in to turn and face her as I licked and chewed.
She approached me again. She had one hand behind her back as she walked up to me. I thought it seemed a bit odd, but it did not bother me enough to flee. I let her approach me. She rubbed her hands down my neck and shoulder and then my face and lastly down by my chin. I heard a quiet click and she softly stepped away.
As Mary stepped backwards towards the center of the pen I noticed something strange. The snake was now attached to me. It stretched out in a long line from my face directly to Mary's hand. I bowed my neck as I looked over at it with my right eye. Mary pushed her energy towards my hip and sent my feet moving forward. The snake remained attached to me as I moved around the pen. I could see it out of my right eye and it did frighten me. However, I knew what was happening, the way Mary was pushing me with her energy around the pen. We had done this before, this made sense and I liked it when things made sense. Even though the snake was attached to my face I took comfort in the fact that Mary was sending me around the pen like before. She would melt her body, looking to the ground and I would melt mine and slow my gaits. She would then step towards my hip, looking at it intently and I would lengthen my stride adding impulsion with each step. I focused on Mary, her body language. I focused on what I knew and what made sense and I ignored the snake that hung limp from my face.
As I began to fall into the rhythm of our movements. Shortening and lengthening my strides as I watched Mary's body and eyes guide me. It was relaxing, this was familiar. Familiar is good.
Then I felt something odd. I felt pressure. It was all over my face. Behind my ears and over my nose. Not low enough to cut my wind off, just pressure all over my head. I panicked and I ran. I ran away from the pressure. It is the natural thing for a horse to do, run away from pressure. So I ran. My legs gained speed and my stride quickened as I attempted to escape the pressure on my face. For a bit all I could think about was running away. I knew I had to flee. I had to get away.
Then I heard a soft sound in the distance. It seems so far away at first, as all my focus was on running and not the least on paying attention to my surroundings. But I gradually began to decipher it more clearly. It was that rhythmical tone, that sound that Mary would make when I was relaxed, when I licked and chewed in content. I turned my ear towards the noise to take it in. In the same moment I noticed Mary in the center of the pen. I guess she had been there all along, I don't know. I was much to busy focusing on getting the heck out of here to pay any attention to her. But she was still there. She was gazing down at the ground, melting her body as dropping her head low. I watched her and I continued to listen to the soft tones. Their rhythm was slowing. The tones were becoming lower and more drug out with each stride I took. I felt my feet begin to slow to match the cadence of the tone. I felt my body begin to melt to mirror Mary's and I felt myself begin to relax as I slowed my speed. The pressure on my face remained the same throughout. It did not increase when I speed up, but did not lesson either. It remained constant.
Then an amazing thing happened. Once I slowed my feet and my speed, the pressure stopped. All at once it was gone. I dropped my head low and licked and chewed in sweet relief. After I had settled a bit. Mary urged me forward again. Once I had picked up the speed, again I felt the pressure on my face. This time I was not as frightened as before. I still sped up and began to run away from the pressure at first, but I quickly noticed Mary sinking her body low and gazing down. I heard the soft tone, slowing it's rhythm. I slowed mine to match it and instantaneously the pressure released from my face! It was like magic. When I slowed my feet, instead of running faster the pressure stopped. It happened again and again. Each time I slowed my feet the pressure released.
Mary sent me off again, around the rail at a brisk trot. After circling the pen twice I felt the pressure on my face. This time I heard no soft tones and Mary did not melt her body as before. She just stood there, giving me no signal at all. All I felt was the pressure. I thought about before when I had slowed my feet in response to Mary's body language and gaze with her eyes and the soft tones of her voice. I thought about how when I had slowed in response to that, how the pressure on my face stopped. Instantly. As I circled around at my forward trot feeling the pressure squeeze my face, I slowed my feet. Much to my delight, the pressure stopped. Instantly it stopped. I relaxed and dropped my head as Mary began to babble those kind words in a soft, relaxed tone. I licked and chewed and relished in how I had made the pressure stop. On my own, I had made it stop.
Thankfully she put the snake away the next time she entered my pen. She approached me and began rubbing my face and neck as before. She even put a hand on either side of my neck simultaniously. It felt odd at first, when I felt her hands on both sides of me, but I didn't flee. I relaxed the longer she held them there. She ever so slowly worked her hand around my throat latch and behind my ears. She then brought them around my muzzle. I felt something brush over my nose, if felt different than her hands did, but I did not flee. I was aware of something happening, something different, but I held my ground. I let Mary continue to stand close to me and touch my face. She then spend a long time at my throat latch. I felt something tug slightly over my nose, but I continued to stand. She then stepped away and asked me to step off to the rail and begin to move around the pen. As I did I felt something odd. I had never felt it before. I tossed my head and it bounced lightly over the bridge of my nose. It did feel different, something was there, on my face that had not been before. It did not hurt though. Just felt a bit odd. She snapped her fingers and I wheeled in to turn and face her as I licked and chewed.
She approached me again. She had one hand behind her back as she walked up to me. I thought it seemed a bit odd, but it did not bother me enough to flee. I let her approach me. She rubbed her hands down my neck and shoulder and then my face and lastly down by my chin. I heard a quiet click and she softly stepped away.
As Mary stepped backwards towards the center of the pen I noticed something strange. The snake was now attached to me. It stretched out in a long line from my face directly to Mary's hand. I bowed my neck as I looked over at it with my right eye. Mary pushed her energy towards my hip and sent my feet moving forward. The snake remained attached to me as I moved around the pen. I could see it out of my right eye and it did frighten me. However, I knew what was happening, the way Mary was pushing me with her energy around the pen. We had done this before, this made sense and I liked it when things made sense. Even though the snake was attached to my face I took comfort in the fact that Mary was sending me around the pen like before. She would melt her body, looking to the ground and I would melt mine and slow my gaits. She would then step towards my hip, looking at it intently and I would lengthen my stride adding impulsion with each step. I focused on Mary, her body language. I focused on what I knew and what made sense and I ignored the snake that hung limp from my face.
As I began to fall into the rhythm of our movements. Shortening and lengthening my strides as I watched Mary's body and eyes guide me. It was relaxing, this was familiar. Familiar is good.
Then I felt something odd. I felt pressure. It was all over my face. Behind my ears and over my nose. Not low enough to cut my wind off, just pressure all over my head. I panicked and I ran. I ran away from the pressure. It is the natural thing for a horse to do, run away from pressure. So I ran. My legs gained speed and my stride quickened as I attempted to escape the pressure on my face. For a bit all I could think about was running away. I knew I had to flee. I had to get away.
Then I heard a soft sound in the distance. It seems so far away at first, as all my focus was on running and not the least on paying attention to my surroundings. But I gradually began to decipher it more clearly. It was that rhythmical tone, that sound that Mary would make when I was relaxed, when I licked and chewed in content. I turned my ear towards the noise to take it in. In the same moment I noticed Mary in the center of the pen. I guess she had been there all along, I don't know. I was much to busy focusing on getting the heck out of here to pay any attention to her. But she was still there. She was gazing down at the ground, melting her body as dropping her head low. I watched her and I continued to listen to the soft tones. Their rhythm was slowing. The tones were becoming lower and more drug out with each stride I took. I felt my feet begin to slow to match the cadence of the tone. I felt my body begin to melt to mirror Mary's and I felt myself begin to relax as I slowed my speed. The pressure on my face remained the same throughout. It did not increase when I speed up, but did not lesson either. It remained constant.
Then an amazing thing happened. Once I slowed my feet and my speed, the pressure stopped. All at once it was gone. I dropped my head low and licked and chewed in sweet relief. After I had settled a bit. Mary urged me forward again. Once I had picked up the speed, again I felt the pressure on my face. This time I was not as frightened as before. I still sped up and began to run away from the pressure at first, but I quickly noticed Mary sinking her body low and gazing down. I heard the soft tone, slowing it's rhythm. I slowed mine to match it and instantaneously the pressure released from my face! It was like magic. When I slowed my feet, instead of running faster the pressure stopped. It happened again and again. Each time I slowed my feet the pressure released.
Mary sent me off again, around the rail at a brisk trot. After circling the pen twice I felt the pressure on my face. This time I heard no soft tones and Mary did not melt her body as before. She just stood there, giving me no signal at all. All I felt was the pressure. I thought about before when I had slowed my feet in response to Mary's body language and gaze with her eyes and the soft tones of her voice. I thought about how when I had slowed in response to that, how the pressure on my face stopped. Instantly. As I circled around at my forward trot feeling the pressure squeeze my face, I slowed my feet. Much to my delight, the pressure stopped. Instantly it stopped. I relaxed and dropped my head as Mary began to babble those kind words in a soft, relaxed tone. I licked and chewed and relished in how I had made the pressure stop. On my own, I had made it stop.
Part 15
Mary continued to do things to seem to try and get me to approach her. She would send me off away from her and then ask me to spin around and face her yet again. Sometimes the forward motion that I would build as she sent me away would keep me driving forward as I faced her. I would step in closer to her almost be accident. Sometimes I would move in so quickly that I would get so close to her that I frightened myself once I stopped and I would step a few feet back to a more comfortable distance away. I still was content with our invisible line that connected us, but had no desire to make it any shorter than it already was. I was intent on facing her though, when she snapped her fingers I knew that meant I was to face her. I was certain of that.
She began walking all around the round pen, walking over things, even running. I never took my attention off her. I would whip my body around as quickly as I needed to in order to face her at all times. She would run around me so fast I would practically have to spin to keep up. Then she would step away and ask me to approach her. I would take a step or two, but no more. I was not comfortable walking all the way up to her, period. I was just not.
I did not mind her approaching me though. I had grown accustomed to her walking slowly to my right shoulder and putting her hands on me. I was ok with that. She would gradually move her hands over my body. Each time I became tense she would bring them back to that spot on the right of my neck. It was a relief when she moved her hands back there. I knew what to expect when they were there and I liked that. She even started touching my face a bit. First around my jaw and even under my throat latch to my left jaw. I was ok with this.
Then I panicked. I felt trapped, like I could not breath. My wind was being taken away from me. Mary have brushed her hand across my muzzle and it send me into a panic. I shot away from her, thinking of how I just had managed to save myself from certain death. I know I need air to breath. I was not able to be ignorant enough to allow her to block my wind. I am no fool.
As I shot away, contemplating my near death experience, I saw her step away as well. Once again, even in the flurry of my fear, it draw me back in. I had become quite used to that move. I knew when she moved away from me like that, I was to fill the space, to met her back in the middle. She was always kind and quite when I would do so. She was the same every time. I liked that.
As horses we can not breath through our mouths like two leggeds or cats or dogs do. We can only breath through our nose. Imagine if you felt your nose being pinched and your airway cut off. You would open your mouth and breath in I suppose, assuming you are a two legged that is. I imagine you are. Well, I can not do that, when my nostrils are covered and I can not breath in air, I have no way to breath at all. Naturally this panics me, it would any horse with the slighted desire to live. When I felt Mary's hands brush over my muzzle that is all I could think of. It felt as if something was going to block my wind. It was terrifying.When terrified I flee, as any sensible hose would.
We were back as before, standing side by side, her hand on my neck. She continued to pass her hand over my muzzle. Each time she would do it was quick. She slipped her hand across my muzzle then immediately moved her hand back to my neck. Each time I became a bit more at ease with her hand there. She never did try to cut my wind off, even though I was terrified she would. Rightfully so I do believe. No she would just quickly pass her hand over where I was most concerned, my muzzle and settle back to my neck. I finally became less worried over it and she began leaving her hand on my nose longer each time. Until, she just left it there, resting over my nose. We stood quietly like that listening to one another breath and feeling the quiet energy from one anothers body.
She began walking all around the round pen, walking over things, even running. I never took my attention off her. I would whip my body around as quickly as I needed to in order to face her at all times. She would run around me so fast I would practically have to spin to keep up. Then she would step away and ask me to approach her. I would take a step or two, but no more. I was not comfortable walking all the way up to her, period. I was just not.
I did not mind her approaching me though. I had grown accustomed to her walking slowly to my right shoulder and putting her hands on me. I was ok with that. She would gradually move her hands over my body. Each time I became tense she would bring them back to that spot on the right of my neck. It was a relief when she moved her hands back there. I knew what to expect when they were there and I liked that. She even started touching my face a bit. First around my jaw and even under my throat latch to my left jaw. I was ok with this.
Then I panicked. I felt trapped, like I could not breath. My wind was being taken away from me. Mary have brushed her hand across my muzzle and it send me into a panic. I shot away from her, thinking of how I just had managed to save myself from certain death. I know I need air to breath. I was not able to be ignorant enough to allow her to block my wind. I am no fool.
As I shot away, contemplating my near death experience, I saw her step away as well. Once again, even in the flurry of my fear, it draw me back in. I had become quite used to that move. I knew when she moved away from me like that, I was to fill the space, to met her back in the middle. She was always kind and quite when I would do so. She was the same every time. I liked that.
As horses we can not breath through our mouths like two leggeds or cats or dogs do. We can only breath through our nose. Imagine if you felt your nose being pinched and your airway cut off. You would open your mouth and breath in I suppose, assuming you are a two legged that is. I imagine you are. Well, I can not do that, when my nostrils are covered and I can not breath in air, I have no way to breath at all. Naturally this panics me, it would any horse with the slighted desire to live. When I felt Mary's hands brush over my muzzle that is all I could think of. It felt as if something was going to block my wind. It was terrifying.When terrified I flee, as any sensible hose would.
We were back as before, standing side by side, her hand on my neck. She continued to pass her hand over my muzzle. Each time she would do it was quick. She slipped her hand across my muzzle then immediately moved her hand back to my neck. Each time I became a bit more at ease with her hand there. She never did try to cut my wind off, even though I was terrified she would. Rightfully so I do believe. No she would just quickly pass her hand over where I was most concerned, my muzzle and settle back to my neck. I finally became less worried over it and she began leaving her hand on my nose longer each time. Until, she just left it there, resting over my nose. We stood quietly like that listening to one another breath and feeling the quiet energy from one anothers body.
Part 14
We spent many hours in that circular pen together. Mary would approach my right shoulder and after backing away a bit I would eventually stand and she would rest her hand on my side. She even reached under my neck and rubbed my left side a bit. It felt a little odd for her hand to be over there, but I didn't mind. As long as I didn't have to look at her with my left eye. She was much less attractive over there to me, down right ugly in fact. No, I did not like how she looked at all over there. It was amazing the transformation she made when she was in my right vision though. She was much more appealing, she appeared soft and kind over there. I much preferred that to the scary unsightly two legged I saw on my left!
She would step away from me a lot too, encouraging me to step towards her to fill the space and maintain the same distance between us. I would step towards her when she stepped away, but I went no further than that. She seemed to want me to continue approaching her. She bowed her head low and submissive, but I would not budge. I understood the need to fill the space between us when she stepped away. It felt natural to move towards her when her energy moved away from me. My energy just followed hers. But to continue to move in closer, once she had stopped, no that did not seem necessary. So I just stood and watched.
She did all sorts of things to try and interest me. I thought to myself how in my younger years as a foal, how curious I would have been. My child-like curiosity would have overtaken my common sense for sure. I would have explored her. I would have not been able to help myself from approaching her. But I am every bit of 6 years old and in each and every one of those years I have grown wiser. I outgrew that childish ignorance and constant desire to explore.
I was young, only an adolescent myself when I became pregnant. That happened often in the wild. As soon as a filly reached puberty the herd stallion would breed her. It did not matter to him that she was still growing, still a baby herself. So even though I was young and still very much a child I was driven by my maternal instincts to care for my own daughter and I grew up quickly. Having a child, a foal of my own, it changed me. I had to put her best interest and safety above all else. I had to set an example for her, to protect her, to care for her. She may very well be grown up and living a life of her own now, but that changes nothing about the individual that I have become, because of her presence in my life. Had I remained the curious youngster I once was, what good would I have been as a protector of my foal? No, I had to grow up fast and I had forgotten none of that. Mustangs never forget.
Mary continued to seem to try and spark some curiosity in me. She hung things on the rail for me to explore, but I never explored them. I looked, but did not touch. Once she even laid down, sprawled out on her back in the center of my pen. She lay there, motion-less as I watched her. I was confused, honestly I was a bit concerned. I had begun to like her, in my right eye that is. Her laying motionless on the ground like that seemed wrong. I did not want to, but I mustered up the courage to approach her. I walked ever so slowly towards her, stopping a good three feet away. I stretched my neck out as far as it would go. I just barely could reach. Stretching my neck out long and low I felt my muzzle make contact with her skin. I blew hard through my nostrils taking in her smell. Within seconds I snatched my head back and shot away. She was breathing, I could tell. She was ok. She was just going to have to get up on her own accord. It sure didn't seem natural for her to lay like that, but there was nothing I could do so I just watched her lay there from the outer edge of the pen. She laid for a while longer then slowly crawled back up to her feet. I'm not sure what her point was in all of that. Whatever it was it made little sense to me. If she thought I was going to go investigate her on my own accord, she had another thing coming. I had learned much to much in the wild to fall for a trick like that.
She would step away from me a lot too, encouraging me to step towards her to fill the space and maintain the same distance between us. I would step towards her when she stepped away, but I went no further than that. She seemed to want me to continue approaching her. She bowed her head low and submissive, but I would not budge. I understood the need to fill the space between us when she stepped away. It felt natural to move towards her when her energy moved away from me. My energy just followed hers. But to continue to move in closer, once she had stopped, no that did not seem necessary. So I just stood and watched.
She did all sorts of things to try and interest me. I thought to myself how in my younger years as a foal, how curious I would have been. My child-like curiosity would have overtaken my common sense for sure. I would have explored her. I would have not been able to help myself from approaching her. But I am every bit of 6 years old and in each and every one of those years I have grown wiser. I outgrew that childish ignorance and constant desire to explore.
I was young, only an adolescent myself when I became pregnant. That happened often in the wild. As soon as a filly reached puberty the herd stallion would breed her. It did not matter to him that she was still growing, still a baby herself. So even though I was young and still very much a child I was driven by my maternal instincts to care for my own daughter and I grew up quickly. Having a child, a foal of my own, it changed me. I had to put her best interest and safety above all else. I had to set an example for her, to protect her, to care for her. She may very well be grown up and living a life of her own now, but that changes nothing about the individual that I have become, because of her presence in my life. Had I remained the curious youngster I once was, what good would I have been as a protector of my foal? No, I had to grow up fast and I had forgotten none of that. Mustangs never forget.
Mary continued to seem to try and spark some curiosity in me. She hung things on the rail for me to explore, but I never explored them. I looked, but did not touch. Once she even laid down, sprawled out on her back in the center of my pen. She lay there, motion-less as I watched her. I was confused, honestly I was a bit concerned. I had begun to like her, in my right eye that is. Her laying motionless on the ground like that seemed wrong. I did not want to, but I mustered up the courage to approach her. I walked ever so slowly towards her, stopping a good three feet away. I stretched my neck out as far as it would go. I just barely could reach. Stretching my neck out long and low I felt my muzzle make contact with her skin. I blew hard through my nostrils taking in her smell. Within seconds I snatched my head back and shot away. She was breathing, I could tell. She was ok. She was just going to have to get up on her own accord. It sure didn't seem natural for her to lay like that, but there was nothing I could do so I just watched her lay there from the outer edge of the pen. She laid for a while longer then slowly crawled back up to her feet. I'm not sure what her point was in all of that. Whatever it was it made little sense to me. If she thought I was going to go investigate her on my own accord, she had another thing coming. I had learned much to much in the wild to fall for a trick like that.
Part 13
I had stood in this pen for a few days now. Mary would come in at least twice a day, sometimes three. I mostly rested eating my hay with my herd-mate Samantha P. She would ask me to face her and follow her as she walked around. She would approach me and I would back away until I reached the paneled fence, then I would hold my ground. I could have shot away, but I didn't. I let her touch me. But only where I was comfortable. I still much preferred her on my right side.
Once she even pulled my mane over my neck and began to play with it. She said it was all tangled up and needed to be brushed. The sensation I felt as she touch my mane felt different than when her hand rested on my skin. I could see that her hands were close to my skin, only inches away as she played with my mane. It bothered me for her hands to be so close, yet not rest on my side. I was unsure of what she might do next when her hands just floated in the air beside my neck. I much preferred to feel them lay on my skin than to see them dance around in the corner of my eye as if the could shot off in any direction without notice. I backed away from her when she first tried this. It pulled at my skin and tickled me. I just could not relax with her hands hovering there beside me. After I had backed away again and again Mary began resting her hand on my neck as she played with my mane. I liked this better. I was still unsure about the sensations I felt as she tugged slightly at my mane hair, but I was much more at ease with her hand resting on my side as she did so.
She played with my hair for the longest time. Said I had wind knots as she would tug gently at each individual strand. I wasn't sure what wind knots were. They didn't bother me. Apparently they did her, another one of those strange two legged things I suppose. As long as her hand rested on my neck I didn't mind her playing with my hair. The longer we stood like that, the more relaxed I became. The soft tugging on my mane actually began to feel good. I was really beginning to feel comfort in her hand, just laying quietly against my skin. I began to close my eyes and rested my leg.
As I was about to drift of to sleep in the warm sun with Mary playing in my hair something terrifying happened. In an instant I saw something beside my face move quickly. It was about 2 feet long and about the circumference of a foals leg. I wasted no time and darted quickly away, fleeing the impeding danger. I left Mary standing still in the dust. She had a few of my mane hairs tangled in her fingers and she chuckled at me. "Really?" she said. "I'm sorry, I was just scratching my ear..." Mary had reached up with her arm to scratch her ear apparently, well to me it was terrifying. I did not waste any time trying to figure out what was happening. All I knew is something moved very quickly in the corner of my eye, close to my body and I knew how to keep myself safe from danger. When danger presents itself, you flee. You do not think, then flee. That takes to long. By the time you do all that thinking you have already become the meal of a mountain lion. No you do Not think. You Flee!
This shook me up quite a bit and honestly, I wasn't so crazy about letting Mary approach me again. I know she said she was only "Scratching her ear" but that meant nothing to me. In my mind she did something scary, something I was not prepared for and it made me second guess my new found trust in her. I watched her nervously to see what would happen next.
She began doing what we had done that first time she entered the pen. She sent me forward around the rail, she stepped in front of my shoulder to change direction, she stepped away and asked me to face her again as she snapped her fingers. I began to relax, I did not forget what had happened, no I still remember. It terrifies me to think of that moment in time. But I took great comfort in this moving around the round pen. This facing one another. I had become quite comfortable with this. Every time I stood and faced Mary good things happened to me. She would hum those rhythmic sounds. We would rest together. I felt safe in this position and I felt myself melting back into that safe place I had come to seek.
Mary did approach me again, I must admit, I was nervous. I just could not let go of how her arm so quickly moved beside my face like that and sent me fleeing into a panic. She remained very quite. She moved calm and slow. Slower even than before. As she reached out to touch me I felt the tension rise inside, but as soon as her hand made contact on my neck I took a sigh of relief. Her hand resting there gave me a similar sensation to what I felt facing her in the middle of the pen. I drew comfort from it. She gently pulled some of my mane over to the right of my neck. She began working her fingers through it again, being careful to keep a steady hand resting on my skin. She did not try to scratch her ear again and I was thankful for that.
Once she even pulled my mane over my neck and began to play with it. She said it was all tangled up and needed to be brushed. The sensation I felt as she touch my mane felt different than when her hand rested on my skin. I could see that her hands were close to my skin, only inches away as she played with my mane. It bothered me for her hands to be so close, yet not rest on my side. I was unsure of what she might do next when her hands just floated in the air beside my neck. I much preferred to feel them lay on my skin than to see them dance around in the corner of my eye as if the could shot off in any direction without notice. I backed away from her when she first tried this. It pulled at my skin and tickled me. I just could not relax with her hands hovering there beside me. After I had backed away again and again Mary began resting her hand on my neck as she played with my mane. I liked this better. I was still unsure about the sensations I felt as she tugged slightly at my mane hair, but I was much more at ease with her hand resting on my side as she did so.
She played with my hair for the longest time. Said I had wind knots as she would tug gently at each individual strand. I wasn't sure what wind knots were. They didn't bother me. Apparently they did her, another one of those strange two legged things I suppose. As long as her hand rested on my neck I didn't mind her playing with my hair. The longer we stood like that, the more relaxed I became. The soft tugging on my mane actually began to feel good. I was really beginning to feel comfort in her hand, just laying quietly against my skin. I began to close my eyes and rested my leg.
As I was about to drift of to sleep in the warm sun with Mary playing in my hair something terrifying happened. In an instant I saw something beside my face move quickly. It was about 2 feet long and about the circumference of a foals leg. I wasted no time and darted quickly away, fleeing the impeding danger. I left Mary standing still in the dust. She had a few of my mane hairs tangled in her fingers and she chuckled at me. "Really?" she said. "I'm sorry, I was just scratching my ear..." Mary had reached up with her arm to scratch her ear apparently, well to me it was terrifying. I did not waste any time trying to figure out what was happening. All I knew is something moved very quickly in the corner of my eye, close to my body and I knew how to keep myself safe from danger. When danger presents itself, you flee. You do not think, then flee. That takes to long. By the time you do all that thinking you have already become the meal of a mountain lion. No you do Not think. You Flee!
This shook me up quite a bit and honestly, I wasn't so crazy about letting Mary approach me again. I know she said she was only "Scratching her ear" but that meant nothing to me. In my mind she did something scary, something I was not prepared for and it made me second guess my new found trust in her. I watched her nervously to see what would happen next.
She began doing what we had done that first time she entered the pen. She sent me forward around the rail, she stepped in front of my shoulder to change direction, she stepped away and asked me to face her again as she snapped her fingers. I began to relax, I did not forget what had happened, no I still remember. It terrifies me to think of that moment in time. But I took great comfort in this moving around the round pen. This facing one another. I had become quite comfortable with this. Every time I stood and faced Mary good things happened to me. She would hum those rhythmic sounds. We would rest together. I felt safe in this position and I felt myself melting back into that safe place I had come to seek.
Mary did approach me again, I must admit, I was nervous. I just could not let go of how her arm so quickly moved beside my face like that and sent me fleeing into a panic. She remained very quite. She moved calm and slow. Slower even than before. As she reached out to touch me I felt the tension rise inside, but as soon as her hand made contact on my neck I took a sigh of relief. Her hand resting there gave me a similar sensation to what I felt facing her in the middle of the pen. I drew comfort from it. She gently pulled some of my mane over to the right of my neck. She began working her fingers through it again, being careful to keep a steady hand resting on my skin. She did not try to scratch her ear again and I was thankful for that.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Part 12
The critter that was round with no neck apparently liked me. "Samantha P" was what Mary said her name was. She would come to my pen every day. She went right to my water tub each time and splashed it all around until it made a puddle in the black dirt. Then she would roll. She would roll and scratch for the longest time sometimes laying there in the mud for hours. She would waddle over to my pile of hay and eat with me. I actually was beginning to like the funny looking thing. I never tried to scare her away, I didn't mind her sharing my hay with me. She never seemed to get in a hurry and was quite confident in herself. I respected that.
Mary added a bucket to my pen today. She put soaked alfalfa hay in it and topped it with some sort of brown crumbles. I liked the hay, even though it was mushy and wet. I remembered eating alfalfa out in Colorado at the holding facility. My herd mates and I had alfalfa free choice at all times. It was like a never ending buffet compared to roaming for miles to find forage in my Wyoming days. The taste of the alfalfa was familiar to me, I liked it. The brown crumbles on the other hand, well I hadn't a clue what they were. They smelled strong, a sweet smell, very different from anything I had eaten before. I figured I better air on the side of caution and eat around them. I carefully picked the Alfalfa out and left the brown crumbles in the bucket. Before long my new friend smelled the sweet odor and approached my bucket. She wedged her snout inside and somehow managed to lift her front feet up off the ground in order to reach the crumbles inside. She snorted and grunted as she ate every last morsel.
I relaxed for most of the day with my new friend until late afternoon when I spotted Mary approaching the pen. My eyes grew large as I saw her draw near. Much to my dismay she was carrying with her a long snake. It was huge. She had it coiled up in her hand and it's tail was dragging the ground. I lifted my head erect and held my body ridged as I watched her draw even closer. She entered the pen stopping in the center and snapped her fingers asking for my attention. I focused on her and the snake dead on, facing them but not about to approach. I heard her mumble those rhythmic tones, but it did not relax me. I was much to concerned over the snake to let anything disrupt my focus. I could feel my heart race as I wondered when it would strike.
Mary stood still in the center of the pen and opened her hands. Letting the snake drop to the sand floor. It made a thumping sound as it landed and I sky rocketed up in the air and took of to flee from the obvious danger. The circular rail guided my flee into a curve once again and I found myself unable to escape. Mary quickly snapped her fingers and I spun around to lock eyes on them once again. My heart raced, it felt as if it could jump from my chest as I watched her kneel to pick the snake back up. It was limp as she lifted it and it hung at her side. Again she dropped it to the ground, again I jumped and attempted to flee, but no such luck. I was trapped in this pen with this crazy two legged and a snake that was apparently her accomplice.
Time and again she dropped the snake to the ground and time and again I jumped high and attempted to flee. Each time she snapped her fingers asking me to come back and face her and each time I did. As this went on I began to realize that nothing happened when the snake landed on the ground. It never did try to strike at me, it just landed with a thump and lay still until Mary brought it back to life by picking it up. It was as if Mary controlled the snake and every move it made. She continued to lift it and drop it again, after a while I stopped jetting away. I would feel my body jump in place, but I held my ground. After a while longer the jumps became flinches and then they settled to nothing. I just stood still and watched her pick the snake up and drop in on the ground...over and over and over again. I figured it must be dead or if not Mary certainly had control over it. Any snake I knew would have struck out long before now. I decided to rest my leg as she continued to pick up the snake just to drop it once more.
Mary added a bucket to my pen today. She put soaked alfalfa hay in it and topped it with some sort of brown crumbles. I liked the hay, even though it was mushy and wet. I remembered eating alfalfa out in Colorado at the holding facility. My herd mates and I had alfalfa free choice at all times. It was like a never ending buffet compared to roaming for miles to find forage in my Wyoming days. The taste of the alfalfa was familiar to me, I liked it. The brown crumbles on the other hand, well I hadn't a clue what they were. They smelled strong, a sweet smell, very different from anything I had eaten before. I figured I better air on the side of caution and eat around them. I carefully picked the Alfalfa out and left the brown crumbles in the bucket. Before long my new friend smelled the sweet odor and approached my bucket. She wedged her snout inside and somehow managed to lift her front feet up off the ground in order to reach the crumbles inside. She snorted and grunted as she ate every last morsel.
I relaxed for most of the day with my new friend until late afternoon when I spotted Mary approaching the pen. My eyes grew large as I saw her draw near. Much to my dismay she was carrying with her a long snake. It was huge. She had it coiled up in her hand and it's tail was dragging the ground. I lifted my head erect and held my body ridged as I watched her draw even closer. She entered the pen stopping in the center and snapped her fingers asking for my attention. I focused on her and the snake dead on, facing them but not about to approach. I heard her mumble those rhythmic tones, but it did not relax me. I was much to concerned over the snake to let anything disrupt my focus. I could feel my heart race as I wondered when it would strike.
Mary stood still in the center of the pen and opened her hands. Letting the snake drop to the sand floor. It made a thumping sound as it landed and I sky rocketed up in the air and took of to flee from the obvious danger. The circular rail guided my flee into a curve once again and I found myself unable to escape. Mary quickly snapped her fingers and I spun around to lock eyes on them once again. My heart raced, it felt as if it could jump from my chest as I watched her kneel to pick the snake back up. It was limp as she lifted it and it hung at her side. Again she dropped it to the ground, again I jumped and attempted to flee, but no such luck. I was trapped in this pen with this crazy two legged and a snake that was apparently her accomplice.
Time and again she dropped the snake to the ground and time and again I jumped high and attempted to flee. Each time she snapped her fingers asking me to come back and face her and each time I did. As this went on I began to realize that nothing happened when the snake landed on the ground. It never did try to strike at me, it just landed with a thump and lay still until Mary brought it back to life by picking it up. It was as if Mary controlled the snake and every move it made. She continued to lift it and drop it again, after a while I stopped jetting away. I would feel my body jump in place, but I held my ground. After a while longer the jumps became flinches and then they settled to nothing. I just stood still and watched her pick the snake up and drop in on the ground...over and over and over again. I figured it must be dead or if not Mary certainly had control over it. Any snake I knew would have struck out long before now. I decided to rest my leg as she continued to pick up the snake just to drop it once more.
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