High Chaparral at the RelaxRanch

Somehow it seems that all the animals that come to us have a very unique and special personality. I can't say why that is. However, evil tongues claim that it has something to do with the fact that I am also a bit crazy. In any case, I know one thing for sure: as long as I have my crazy pets around me, I certainly won't get bored.

As I had my hands full dealing with the event described below, I was unfortunately unable to film it with my smartphone. But I'll try to describe it as best I can.

It all started when I met my neighbor on my way home yesterday, who was standing at the bus stop with his two horses waiting for his daughter to ride home with him. To cut a long story short: he was riding one horse, the other was just walking along free, saddled and bridled. So he didn't lead it along by a rope, but it simply ran FREE behind him.

So far, so good. After talking to him briefly, I continued my journey home and thought a little about what I had just seen and about my two boys at home. It really bothered me and I have to admit that envy was starting to eat away at me inside. Because my neighbors have had their two mares for about 6 months and have nothing to do with natural horsemanship. I've had my boys for three years and really do everything I can to build up communication and trust, I always have horse trainers to support me, etc. My neighbors just sit on them and ride off. But it doesn't matter.

So I get home and it's gnawing at me inside. But sorry, after years of work we can do that, can't we? So I halter my two rascals, put Smarty on the lead and Q trots (FREELY) dutifully behind us. How could he do otherwise? He's terrified of being alone, so he'll probably stay with us. So no problem at all. I'm enthusiastic and delighted. When we reach the end of the pasture, I open the fence and the three of us go out. One more note: the dogs Lucky and Jonna are in the garden.

I walk on and Q suddenly seems to be very excited because he realizes that he is running free. But it's all good. He runs briefly in the opposite direction, Smarty and I carry on walking, Q comes to his senses and sprints back to us. Exhale! All's well! On we go. Just once around the house and back to the stable. No need to overdo it on the first day. So we come around the corner (the dogs are in the garden), Q stops, turns around and runs in the opposite direction again. Not so bad, Smarty and I carry on to the stable, I know that Q is a little coward. I'm already at the stable with Smarty when Q comes trotting up from behind. Lucky, whose hobby it is to run wildly back and forth along the fence barking when the horses are on the other side of the fence, comes running up and does what he does best: showing off the strong man. The horses, who are familiar with this behavior and are not impressed, remain totally cool even now. Q goes to the fence, lowers his head and the dog and horse stand nose to nose and Q seems to be saying something to Lucky. I hear him whisper: "Very thin ice, boy. I advise you to keep your head down, otherwise it won't end well." But Lucky is lulled into a sense of security by the fence between them.

So I take Smarty into the stable at the back, unhalter, go to the front, open the door so that Q can come in at the front. Because he's already standing there. Unfortunately, he now gallops between the garden fence and the paddock fence away from the stable again. Q on the outside of the garden fence, Lucky barking on the inside. In the meantime, Smarty runs easily out of the stable and into the wild. A huge hullabaloo. It goes on like this for about 20 minutes, both horses free, between stable and garden, Smarty goes back in, I close the front, but am shocked to see that the back is still open and he runs out the back again. Honestly, even horses can give you the finger and what can I say, they've probably never had so much fun.

In any case, to come to a conclusion: Lucky feels as safe as in Abraham's lap and runs yelping back and forth, accompanied by Q, who gallops back and forth on the other side. And then? Suddenly "JUMP", Q jumps over the fence, into the garden with the dogs. Everything in a state of shock. Lucky freezes into hydrochloric acid, Jonna presses herself trembling against the patio door and nobody seems to be breathing. But a second later Lucky barks again (somehow there was still a bit of courage that dared to come out again), Q turns his back on him, kicks out once backwards - at a distance of two meters - my big mouth has trolled and trotted to the door. Okej, not so funny when the horse is in the same garden. And Q started to graze.

Finally, I brought Q back to the stable and managed to outwit Smarty so that everyone was back where they belonged. Sooner or later I'll probably buy a Gopro camera or whatever it's called and put it on my head, because it's such a shame that I wasn't able to film this lesson.

But let's be honest: do I deserve that? But if you're a free spirit yourself, you shouldn't be surprised if those around you adapt.

With this in mind: Best wishes from the sometimes not-so-relaxed RelaxRanch

Your Ilvy