Sometimes I Just Can't Shut Up

When I first started to write the Mugwump Chronicles I was one fried banana.
I was angry with the entire horse industry. Every single aspect, including myself, was just pissing me off.
I didn't know where I fit in, I just knew what I saw.
The horse market was crashing.
I had no patience for rich people or bleeding hearts.
I was tired of stupid and feeling very judgmental.
There were lots of targets.

It was almost five years ago when I started sorting things out by writing this blog.
I was influenced and inspired by Cathy Atkinson and FHOTD.
Man, she said it like she felt it.
So I did too.

Then, a surprising thing began to happen. The more I wrote, the more I looked, listened and learned. In order to write what I felt was fair, I wanted to make sure I knew the facts behind every opinion I presented. I needed to understand the emotions and reasoning behind acts of cruelty, kindness, training methods and horse ownership.

I became quite the researcher. Then I began looking at my own motivations, which are why you get the horse stories. They are the events that shaped me, as a person and a horse trainer. By telling the stories I began to understand who I am today.

Then, my outlook began to change.

Maybe, just maybe, I understood the longing and drive behind rabid rescuers, and overly emotional owners.
Still can't stand people who mix up their own needs with the animals, but I get it.

I might have seen the good things a horse whisperer can accomplish. Even a need for them.
Still think the majority of them are old time Snake Oil Salesmen.

I could see why and how professionals got caught up in abusive practices, or training methods many think are abusive, but are actually getting things get done in a safe and timely manner.
Still know I can't use or condone many of these practices anymore.

I quit judging people with horses by their ability or knowledge. Instead, I began to see and recognize their desire to do right by their horse and an eagerness to learn.
Still lose patience with people who refuse to learn because of a personal need to be right.

 I quit holding people involved with horses to my standard of horsemanship.
Although if you want to know what it is, I'm happy to share.

That last one could be the biggest change of all.
I no longer lose my mind when I see a horse out in pasture with a halter on.
Those stupid fabric saddles? I won't ride in one, but if that's what you like, so be it.
Pasture feet, whatever.
A little thin, a little fat, no longer something I felt the need to weigh in on.
Horse hasn't seen a vet in 10 years? Lucky you.
Helmet on, helmet off, up to you. Unless you're a little kid, riding under my supervision.
How your horse is housed, groomed, equipped, not my business.

You want know why?
Because if the horse didn't look he'd been starved and/or tortured, or have a halter growing into his face, he was way ahead of the game.
If he wasn't on a truck to Mexico, being used to train bait dogs, left to slowly die in a hoarder or breeders back pasture, then he was one lucky bastard.
If he had people who loved him, no matter how ignorant they were, he had more going for him than most of the horses out there.
If nobody died today, there was always tomorrow, maybe they'd learn how to avoid it in the future.
At least the horse had one more day with somebody trying.

I seriously began to see how damaging the atmosphere of the horse world can be. Unwelcoming, critical, unwilling to share vital information without an air of superiority, nurturing the myth of good horse training being magic, jealous and just plain mean. Yep, that's horse people.
Making fun of a horse persons riding ability or lack of knowledge? Not on my blog or in my presence. Ever.
Make fun of somebody who is cruel and abusive and should know better? Always.

I decided to quit playing that game. Because it doesn't help the horses.

Anyway, there's a non-lecturey point to this. I found a CL ad. It made one of my points exactly. I wanted to share it, felt the need to explain it, and ended up seeing I need to revisit a lot of this. Some of it will be down right contradictory to what I've written before. Why? Because I've learned so much in the last five years, who I am as a trainer, and how I see people in the horse community. I'm still working on being Horsaii, guess I will be for the rest of my life, and I want anybody who's trying for the same to feel safe and welcome on the Mugwump Chronicles.

Here's the CL ad I found.

"Coconut is a lovely gelding who is broke to ride, beginner to intermediate rider. Does well with a hackamore. He is well loved, kid friendly, no buck, no bite, and no kick! Does well on trails. Gets along well with donkeys and other horses, prefers not to be alone. Sweet, sweet boy, great with the farrier, loads well, easy to catch! He is 16 years old and 15 hands, beautiful eyes! We are switching to working mules and cannot feed pleasure horses and mules. $600 OBO Must be good home willing and able to care for him!" 

Here's the game.
It's called the "Let's Not Be A-Holes" game.

I marked the reasons I WON"T make fun of this young man in blue.
The things I have a problem with are marked in red.
I could fix every red arrow in this photo in two lessons. That would be $90 to keep him off of Trollville.
On the flip side, if this young man never changes a thing, he will be fine and so will Coconut.
I'll explain the blue.
If you understand my red arrows, then you have to keep quiet.
Shuush! I mean it now!
If you don't know why I marked certain arrows, ask why. Knowledge is good, and getting it from us is pretty painless. Then and only then, I will post my answer in the comments and everybody can join in with info...ONLY.

Blue Arrows Photo 1.
1. Coconut looks mildly annoyed, but kind eyed, and very patient.
2.  His ears are back, listening, ready to comply if his rider actually wants something.
3. The boy  is cute. He likes his horse, his smile is real and I like his hat.
4. Coconut has good weight and muscle tone, especially in his butt, which is hard to keep looking good on an aged horse.
5. The horse is clean. His coat is healthy.

Blue Arrows. Photo 2
1. Coconut likes him.
2. He likes Coconut.

Blue arrows Photo 3.

1. The boy is still, really, really cute.

2. Coconut still feels safe, kind and friendly about the boy. He really likes him.

3. Free feed the old guys in the winter! Yes!

4. Yet another, friendly, happy, healthy horse.

P.S. If you have a problem with the grammar, spelling or writing style of ANYONE who writes on this blog, then please, go here http://www.grammarbitches.blogspot.com/ and have fun. Really. I mean it. I wish you the best. Siyonara. Adios. Au revoir.