Our First Play Session

Xena and I met this morning for the first time.

I’ve returned this afternoon, as Barb has invited me to help with turn-in and to spend some time with Xena. This will actually be the first time I’ve ever been involved with turn-in, because until today, my experience with horses has been limited to adult riding lessons. I didn’t mention this to Barb, as I imagine she recognizes a newbie when she sees one.

The Parelli Natural Horsemanship™ program strongly advises that Level One students* work with calm, reliable horses, for obvious safety reasons. Unfortunately it’s been difficult to find a horse I could borrow, within a 30 minute drive, and whose owner was willing.

With turn-in done, I’m at Xena’s stall attempting to get acquainted. It’s not going to be easy. When I reach out to gently stroke her cheek, she spooks backwards into her stall, moving faster than any animal I’ve ever seen. I jump out of my skin along with her.

Xena is very nervous, timid and hesitant — but then so am I. I’ve not worked with a horse who is so withdrawn, and her potential for frequent spooking has me worried. I’m obviously in over my head, but my heart goes out to her all the same.

I decide to lead her on a long walk around the arena. While we’re walking ’round and ’round, I’m reminded of a video of Pat Parelli with a nervous horse. At one point, he turns his back to the horse and waits patiently while the horse sniffs the back of his shirt.

So I stop, relax and turn my back to Xena. She begins to lightly sniff the back of my coat, and then my hair, and the back of my neck, my arms, my legs, and the pocket where carrots are hidden.

She seems more relaxed, often licking her lips and carrying her head lower. We continue with our pattern of walk, stop, walk, for about 75 minutes. We’ve played only one game — the zero-contact Friendly Game℠ — because I really don’t want to spook a momentarily calm horse.

Related Post:
Don’t Touch Me!

* In February 2009 I was studying the Parelli Natural Horsemanship™ program at Level One.
Friendly Game℠ is a service mark and Parelli Natural Horsemanship™ is a trademark of
Parelli Natural Horsemanship, Inc.