I read a book a while back that said the main indicator of success in any venture is perseverance. People can have jaw-dropping talent or innovative ideas, but only a few of them have the persistence needed to hone the talent or develop the idea into a business. The book called it “grit.” It got… Continue reading Do you have grit?
My draft horse, Olaf, has become extremely attached to my half blind mule, Ellie. More accurately, she is attached to him, and he is more than happy to comply. Ellie still has one perfectly good eye but, since going blind in the other, she’s let Olaf become her security blanket in life. They are sweet… Continue reading Night Walk with Olaf
After the Christmas parade debacle, Miss Mule was mad at me for a solid 3 months. She wouldn’t get anywhere near a trailer without an absurd amount of effort on my part, she didn’t want to be ridden, and she was generally salty. You may ask how I know that she didn’t want to be… Continue reading Lessons from a Mule #10- Persistence pays off.
I’ve had Olaf for two months now. In that two months he’s seen the dentist, vet and farrier, and I’ve stuffed him full of food. I would estimate he’s gained 100 lbs, and he’s got another 200 to go. He was a nightmare for the farrier, but I’ve worked with Olaf just about every single… Continue reading Update on Olaf the Gentle Giant
I am a big believer in manners, for both people and horses. I recently acquired Olaf, a Belgian draft horse that is in need of some TLC. He had his first farrier visit a week and a half after I brought him home. To my horror, he was AWFUL. I can’t be blamed entirely because… Continue reading Why You Should Train Your Horse so the Farrier Doesn’t Have To
Even though my mule, Ellie, is fantastic to ride, she’s not been very interested in being friends with me like my horses are. When I first got her, I couldn’t get anywhere near her in the pasture, especially if I was holding a halter. I couldn’t just walk up to her and pet her like… Continue reading Lessons from a Mule #9- Liberty Work
This year my off-track thoroughbred turns 16. I’ve had him since he was five. I remember thinking that 16 was a senior horse, but now that I have a 16-year-old horse I realize that is completely incorrect. There is nothing elderly about my thoroughbred. Yes, he has arthritis; but he had it when he was… Continue reading In Praise of Senior Horses
Whenever I run into a training problem with my equines, it always bums me out. It’s like when your kid does something really stupid and you wonder what you could have done better as a parent to prevent it. But always on the other side of any training issue I realize that I learned something… Continue reading Trailer Loading the Slow, Gentle Way
I think my biggest mistake in working with my horses is that I take things too personally. I make lots of mistakes, and I’m forever learning better ways to work with my equines, but the biggie for me is that I get my feelings hurt when they don’t behave. I take it as a personal… Continue reading Lessons from a Mule #7- The Mule is Not a Dog.
