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| ERRI Success Story |
You are here: Newsletters > December 2004 > ERRI Success Story
With patience and understanding,
Val learns to trust and be trusted
By Linda Losey
Debbie whistled. Thundering over the crest of the hill came the mares. In their
midst, one small, but valiant horse, reared on her hind legs and slammed to a
dead stop in front of me.
"If you want her, she's yours," Debbie told me. "No one seems to be able to
reach her." And there she was, Pretty Valley Girl. Snorting and firing away,
daring me to take her on.
That was three years ago. I couldn't trust her, take my eyes off her, or turn
my back to her. If I did, Val would bite, kick, buck, or attempt to slam me to
the ground. She was only three years old and had already put one rider in the
hospital and nearly killed another.
The letter that accompanied her to the rescue stated that she couldn't be
approached without a crop or a pitchfork in hand. I never once resorted to
those tactics. Something respectful happened between the two of us. Slowly, day
after day, month after month, trust grew. And I'm so thankful we got into each
other's souls.
She's the best trail horse I've ever ridden. I often go western trail riding by
myself and have on more than one occasion gotten into a precarious situation.
But I trust Val now and know if I have to ask her more than twice there's a
reason for her refusal. She's not being belligerent or stubborn or surly. She
knows better than I what the unknown is over the next hill. She has that sixth
sense, and I trust it. In return, she knows I have the patience and tolerance
that has taken a once fearful youngster into the confident, personable, mature
girl she is today.
Val's a wonderful horse - intelligent, gentle, and fearless with a great sense
of humor. She knows me well, as I her. I know her faults, her weaknesses and
psychoses, and she knows mine, as they seem to go hand in hand. And we respect
that in each other, our individual moods, and love each other in spite of
them.
Debbie was right on target with her match of Val and I. We have enjoyed the
ride and have become terrific partners.