Lilli. Thankyou

[Jed]

lilli, in my life with animals, I have had a few of what I call "defining moments". This happens when someone says something to me which goes directly to some part of my brain, and turns on floodlilghts illuminating that which has been hidden, or mysterious.

One such moment happened years ago - sitting on my horse in the arena, trying to accomplish a movement. It was the middle of summer, sweat was pouring down my back and my face, my hair was falling everywhere, and the horse would NOT get it right. I'd got to the state of saying "well, I feed you, and care for you, and treat you well, you SHOULD do this for me". Coz nothing else had worked.

Ze Cherman inztructor, who had been quietly watching, came over, and said "apply ze left zeat, zit down, put ze leg on the horse, forward, forward, pick up ze rein, forward, good, forward AND acrozz, forward and acrozz, lead ze horse a little viz ze right rein, ze legz, ze legz, forward and ACROZZ - forward firzt ZEN acrozz! Bring ze rein back, ztraighten ze neck, hold ze neck ztraight, forward ZEN acrozz.

And there we were, my horse and I, doing that canter half pass which had eluded us before - straight across the diagonal, round the corner, and across again.

And ze instructor said "zee, he iz a very good horze, no? Now make much, rezt and do it again".

And that taught me exactly how to ask for the movement, when nothing else had. And doing it came easily after that, on that horse, and other horses. Ze inztructor somehow turned a light on in what passes for my brain!!

I've been breeding dogs for a while, and I am particular about their temperament, I like them just so. But, do you know, I never realised that I was breeding them with good nerves. Confident, bold, outgoing dogs, not frightened of loud noises or new situations, dogs who are never fear aggressive.

Thank you for telling me When you wrote about nerve in another thread, the floodlight in my brain went on

I never said I was too bright!!

[SeeGee]

i wish there was a like button :-)

[BJean]