Many of your responded to yesterday’s post about waiting and readiness.  Here are some more thoughts.  And some horse wisdom.

I haven’t seen Nelson for a couple weeks because of a bad cold.  Thursday was uncommonly warm – balmy even – for November in New York, so we were relaxed together, basking.  I could feel that he was happy to see me.

He did not want me to approach him with a rope or halter, but there was something different about his spook today.  It felt like he was having me on, as if he were saying, “Look!  Do you remember what a big stallion I really am?  Do you remember this?” as he arched his neck and showed me all that power.  But there was something of the showman, a performance in it.  He wasn’t really scared, just playing, extending the game and our time together.

A couple months ago, when Nelson would earnestly spook, I discovered an attunement.  I intentionally synced my steps with him.  In a quiet, settled way, I moved with him, step for step.  Almost immediately, he joined the dance, and within moments we could stop, move, and turn together.  I wasn’t asking for anything, or pushing him.  Just saying, let’s do this instead. That dance dissolved the fear.

The other part of this story is that when I want to put the hater on Nelson, I don’t go directly there. Each step has its own timing, its own right moment:  pick up the rope, approach him, let him touch it, touch him with it, put the rope over his back, move to his “dark side” and then finally, put the halter on.  Until he can stand calm and quiet, I keep breaking things down, asking a smaller question, giving him time to answer.  I am not in a hurry.

That is the part about waiting for the right moment.  The moment that has a “yes” or a “now.” That requires asking the question and then waiting to feel the response. Sometimes it is instantaneous.  Other times, there is a longer wait.  Nelson has taught me this more clearly than anyone.  So have my daughters.

Are you listening?

Surprise!  FRESH! is up.  Check it out.