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Category Archives: empathy
Clicker Training a Head Shy Mare
On the first day I met her I started teaching her to touch a target. I didn’t have my regular horse Target stick so I used my dog’s chuckit as a substitute. Flo is an Arabian mare who was abused … Continue reading
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Tagged abuse, Arabian, behavior, clicker training, horse, horses, Trainer, training
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Target Training a Head Shy Arabian Mare
When my friend Agata asked me to work with her mare, Flo, she first simply said that the mare was, “shy”. It took me a little while to discern what the problem was because in the pasture Flo came right … Continue reading
Trailer Terror and How to Fix It — Spring the Morgan Mare
If you stop to think about how unnatural it is to ask a horse to step into a tin can so you can seal it up and bump and rattle 65 mph down the road, you might wonder how we … Continue reading
Down Syndrome – And The Chokehold of Guardianship
In what amounts to the most heartbreaking scene I have ever witnessed, Amanda tearfully complied. This 48 year old woman with Down syndrome had to endure the public humiliation of being treated like a child. But she did it with dignity. She got up, walked out of the restaurant with Ted and his wife, and meanwhile, I restrained myself from punching anyone in the throat. Continue reading
Therapy Horses – Passing the Torch
My Junior Horse Kerry 7th Gen felt the weight of responsibility come crashing down onto his withers during the first few days of July. Due to the sudden deaths of both my beloved Morgans, Clifford and Trudy, JR was not … Continue reading
Puppy Boot Camp – Klaus GSD – Day 1 – Jumping Up
Klaus is a German shepherd with a jumping habit that is not so cute anymore as he is now able to get to chest level. He started clicker training today and we will begin the process of getting rid of … Continue reading
Clifford’s Hug Fest
Clifford’s friend Judy is the nurse who started horse therapy at Sparrow Hospital. We visited the pediatric oncology unit last week. It was Clifford’s second visit there. He clip-clopped across the parking lot and kept looking at the door. He … Continue reading
The Evolution of Loki – From Street Dog To Actor Dog
When he showed up, I guessed Loki to be about ten months old. He had the body of a prize fighter, the lightweight division, wasp-waisted and muscular. He flung himself to the end of the retractable leash and went whirring … Continue reading
Clifford’s Library Visit in Diamondale: Merriment and Meat Market!
Taking a full grown horse into a library for a literacy program can be an all-encompassing prospect, especially when the horse is Clifford. He is busy. He must be watched or he tends to grab things off shelves or help himself to the refreshment table. Plus, there are the duties. Clifford performs tricks, signs his own biography, and poses for photos with every single person in the room. Continue reading
Guardianship: The Truth Takes Courage
My ex husband surprised the heck out of me. We haven’t seen each other in over twelve years and we haven’t spoken. We parted on terms that were not friendly. But today, I received a letter from him about my … Continue reading
