Saturday, January 12, 2008
Why Was Model Selected
It is easy to fall in love with horses. They are beautiful and magnificent creatures. The bond formed with a horse can last for decades. Owning a horse is a rewarding, yet humbling experience. These were some of the many reasons why Model became such an integral part of our family. We are on a long-term learning path that hopefully will synchronize our expectations for Model with her needs.
Horses, by nature, are prey animals. Danager may be perceived in anything object or experience that is new or novel to them. Their first reaction is flight. If a horse is cornered, however, with no where to run, it will try to fight back by biting or kicking. Model was rescued from an environment of neglect with no human interaction, to one that was strange and unfamiliar to her. Gaining her trust and minimizing fear was the first step in Rasheeda’s quest to build a relationship with her.
The dominant personality trait of horses can vary. A horse can be tense, hyper, stubborn, gentle or defiant. Unless you know the history of a particular horse, it can seem highly unpredictable and defensive. For an abused or neglected horse, its behavior can become more understandable when assessed within the context of its treatment and experiences before rescue. The approach to Model was very slow, yet deliberate. One factor that was worked in our favor was the discovery that Model liked apples and this was used to minimize her fear and eventually gain her acceptance.
Rasheeda first saw Model a month after she was rescued from Alabama. Rasheeda was in the process of learning how to groom some of the horses boarded at the stable. As her confidence with grooming increased, she began to look for other horses to work with. She saw a horse named Highlight, that later became Model. Rasheeda was initially attracted to Highlight because she thought Highlight looked like a model. Highlight began to hold her head high and developed an air of confidence and elegance about her.
The stable owner told Rasheeda that she did not think anyone could groom Highlight because she would not let anyone touch her. Through persistence, Rasheeda requests to groom Highlight were granted. Highlight ran away whenever Rasheeda approached her; so she had to groom Highlight while standing on the other side of the gate. Gain was used as an reward and incentive for allowing Rasheeda to groom her. Eventually, Rasheeda was able to go inside the gate. Grooming consisted of brushing and spraying Highlight with fly spray.
A special bond developed between Rasheeda and Highlight. Apples became a regular investment item. Rasheeda decided to adopt Highlight and rename her Model.
Horses, by nature, are prey animals. Danager may be perceived in anything object or experience that is new or novel to them. Their first reaction is flight. If a horse is cornered, however, with no where to run, it will try to fight back by biting or kicking. Model was rescued from an environment of neglect with no human interaction, to one that was strange and unfamiliar to her. Gaining her trust and minimizing fear was the first step in Rasheeda’s quest to build a relationship with her.
The dominant personality trait of horses can vary. A horse can be tense, hyper, stubborn, gentle or defiant. Unless you know the history of a particular horse, it can seem highly unpredictable and defensive. For an abused or neglected horse, its behavior can become more understandable when assessed within the context of its treatment and experiences before rescue. The approach to Model was very slow, yet deliberate. One factor that was worked in our favor was the discovery that Model liked apples and this was used to minimize her fear and eventually gain her acceptance.
Rasheeda first saw Model a month after she was rescued from Alabama. Rasheeda was in the process of learning how to groom some of the horses boarded at the stable. As her confidence with grooming increased, she began to look for other horses to work with. She saw a horse named Highlight, that later became Model. Rasheeda was initially attracted to Highlight because she thought Highlight looked like a model. Highlight began to hold her head high and developed an air of confidence and elegance about her.
The stable owner told Rasheeda that she did not think anyone could groom Highlight because she would not let anyone touch her. Through persistence, Rasheeda requests to groom Highlight were granted. Highlight ran away whenever Rasheeda approached her; so she had to groom Highlight while standing on the other side of the gate. Gain was used as an reward and incentive for allowing Rasheeda to groom her. Eventually, Rasheeda was able to go inside the gate. Grooming consisted of brushing and spraying Highlight with fly spray.
A special bond developed between Rasheeda and Highlight. Apples became a regular investment item. Rasheeda decided to adopt Highlight and rename her Model.
Labels: Selection
¶ 6:50 PM
