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November 2, 2019: My Horse, My Teacher

I had to get up early this morning because I had an all-day EMT class that began at 9 a.m. Before leaving home, I remembered to go online and check and see how the three mares did at agility.

I was very surprised and pleased with the outcome. Raudi got a score of 97, Hrimmi got a score of 99, and Tyra got a score of 100. (See video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOs80CJNuec)They placed 1, 2, 3, and are now very high up in the league rankings.

I’m of course most pleased with Tyra’s performance. I am constantly reminded of the fact that her name means Spark or

Alys and Tyra just before making her high points video
Alys and Tyra before making her halloween video.

Glimmer. Her dam was Tinna, which means “coal,” and her sire was Tindur, which means “kindling.” How cool is this? Tyra is very well named – she’s a fireball – a bright red horse with an energetic personality. She is also is very enthusiastic about most things, including agility.

She was our fourth horse. We were okay with the three, but when I met her down in Washington, I knew that she’d be our fourth. It was her personality. I remember standing with her in the barn door of Kathy Lockerbie’s place, the building being adjacent to the pasture. Her herd-mates were at the distance. She stood quietly with me, then I unclipped her lead. She then bolted in the direction of her buddies. A lesser horse would not have been so patient.

Tyra came up the highway with Pete and was unphased by being alone. It did take a while for her and Raudi to resolve their differences. Raudi thought she had some things to teach Tyra – and apparently, she was a good student because the two are now very companionable.

I often take Tyra for walks. She races around loose on the trails, sometimes stopping to graze. She then attempts to find me. I think that she purposely is scaring herself. I am always amazed by the fact that when I ride her, given that she is so energetic, that she is so calm under saddle.

Our combined score was really impressive, given that we made the videos in between rainstorms. This month, Tinni and the goats also decided to put in cameo appearances in Tyra’s video. I’m now wondering if the horses will do better if I bring in the other animals when we do the taping. It’s all an experiment, so I will give it a go.

I was reading in Suzanne Clothier’s book “If Bones would Rain from the Sky,” about the connection between impatience and having goals. Clothier says that the two are connected. I have seen this in my agility endeavors. But more and more, I am finding ways to make the educational experience fun for all three. I’m using hand signals and targets, and also making the sessions very short. And I continue to cease play on a good note.

Tyra is soon going to be famous. Last year I wrote an article for Equus magazine about winter training, with a focus on all the obstacles we encountered on a single walk.

The on-ground training – I enjoy it as much as I enjoy riding. And I think the horses do too.

Next: 304. 11/3/19: Baggage

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