Practical Horsemanship

Description

Like Kerry said, I must like a challenge. Once again I pulled on to the JJ Ranch with another Thoroughbred. Bred to race, too tall for polo, and never been out of the arena. What was I thinking?! Other than blue ribbons in the Eventer world? I had sold my beloved Rebel that Kerry had helped me bond with 2 years prior, and purchased a 4 y/o TB gelding named Lex. Potential like none other, but one small problem. He spooked. At everything! I already had one concussion from him, and was well onto the 2nd if we didn't get help. The horse had no confidence, and neither did I. I just didn't know it at the time. I had even bet my friend that we wouldn't make it out of the round-pen before lunch. Needless to say, I lost. Within the first hour of climbing up onto my 16+ hand chicken, I was waving my arms, swinging a rope over his head and loping around the pen flipping my lead rope back and forth over his head. Next thing I was out in the open, with no fence to make us feel safe. Can we say nervous? Understatement. We kept busy, disengaging the hips, trotting random circles, and even worked up to the lope in very short order. After that it was building the bond, and remembering to breathe even when both Lex and I were getting ready to spook. The afternoon presented even more challenges. Remember the bred to race part? Except for Lex hated to have another horse moving around him at speed. Usually ended up in a 15 foot side pass in one leap. So back to the round-pen but with one change. I was on the outside while another horse was moving in the middle. Trot and lope both directions until the light bulb turned on in his head. It didn't matter what else was going on. He was with me. For the first time in 2 months. I remembered why I thought he was special. So once again Kerry, Thank you. For everything. You have been a wonderful inspiration, with horses and with life. I'll try to make sure the next challenge is quite so tall. And the key to confidence is “OXYGEN”. Natalie Petz, Wichita, KS Kerry Kuhn Practical Horsemanship • Kerry & Misti Kuhn 9345 NW Elm Mills Road • Coats, KS 67028 620.672.5639 • Toll Free: 866.672.5631 www.KerryKuhn.com • PracticalHorsemanship@gmail.com

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