Human-Human Communication

Are You REALLY Listening?

Interesting how when you rely on people for advice it’s a crapshoot. Sometimes it works out and other times not so much. But when it does work out it can be amazing.

Twenty three years ago, looking for a first, horse my sister and I enlisted the help of a family member who recommended a barn where we could lease-to-buy. We thought this a smart move as we hadn’t ridden in many years and weren’t convinced actually buying a horse in our 40s was the best idea.

We made an appointment to look at a prospect and made it very clear that we were looking for a ‘beginner horse’, wanting to start slow. We looked, we rode, and we leased. After wanting a horse for my entire life I was so happy to take her home!

We lavished love and attention on her but the honeymoon was soon over. She was the horse from hell: nasty (pinning her ears and showing her teeth at the instructor standing in the middle of the ring), spiteful and vindictive (kicking at me with her front leg after I dismounted and was loosening her girth). Onlookers noted she was dangerous, advising us for our safety not to continue with her. So, disappointed, we sent her back. I found it funny when, sometime later, I heard that her owner had explained to others that there was no problem with the mare – we were just ‘over-horsed!’

H-E-L-L-O… What did you not understand when I said
“a beginner horse!” 

So that was a bust but the experience proved we were in good enough shape and COULD indeed start riding again at our age. Thus the search for my forever horse began with an amazing ending!

[Are these kinds of ‘miscommunications’ common in the Horse World? If you’ve experienced them please share! Just click Human-Human Communication at the top of the blog. Thanks!]