Sadism vs. Sarcasm vs. Sweat

There's a horse wearing a "cloaking device". Also in Discover magazine this month. The Cloaking Device, not the Horse!! Who knew Harry Potter was as prophetic as Arthur C. Clarke? Not to mention the greatest TV show of all time, Star Trek:)
:)

Definition of Sadism: "Any enjoyment in being cruel".
Sarcasm: "Harsh or bitter derision, a sneering or cutting remark". Somewhat similar in intent, don't you think? I've got an extremely sarcastic sense of humour, I'm told, by those brave enough to speak to me, like my family and friend. I don't think I'm sadistic, but I'm biased:) My friends may beg to differ..

Yes, I do have one RL friend:) Okay, two. Okay, never mind. People scare me. Snakes don't.

Would YOU want that SS attitude around your horse? Ever? No, I thought not. Strong negative emotions have no place in training horses, or teaching students. IMO, of course. I don't mean laughing! Or even crying. I mean yelling, screaming, shouting, bellowing, growling, etc. on an ad.nauseum basis, directed at the hapless horses ears.. Or the rider's ears.

The assistant trainer that worked with my cousin was just hell-bent on destroying my confidence. These people need help. If you have someone telling you you are never going to do anything, why would you believe in that negative concept? Limitations abound for ALL of us. Good grief, Batman. I've observed it many times. The great trainers know when to press, with both human and equine. Not so great? Don't.

Yes, depends on WHAT that darned horse is doing:) Entirely situational, the timing of the taps, whacks, growls, bellows, whatever. These reactions should be SO rare, coming from you, that any beast for MILES around reacts, appropriately. I've heard mention of this elsewhere, i.e., eg., FernV + Mugs, how just one voice can quiet a fracas. I've done it myself, but for me, it's always been involuntary. That's confidence. Trust what you need to do. Like FernV with her power voice, stopping critters in their tracks.

Pure reaction, to what's in front of you. The second-guessing of your own instant reaction will kill you (figuratively speaking). It's the confidence factor, which is given, or taken away, by your very own trainer, or yourself. Or of course, both.

You can read about it until you are blue in the face. But, when push comes to shove, you have to ride the buck, the rear, (shivers rearing horses were rare in my day), the trip, the spook, the bolt. Yes, I taught ponies to rear, when I was eleven, at First/Worst barn. Stupidest thing, ever. A rearing horse is a dangerous beast, people.

Oh, well. Anyway, whatever's happening, you have to ride it. Practice trusting yourself. Follow your instincts. ALWAYS stay ready, for anything, from the balance of your seat. Balance will save you, before strength.

I was at one of my first little horse shows with parents attending. I'd been "cleaning up". We watched as a young girl died from a fall. I'll never forget the sight of that young girl's arm, under her horse, reaching up, and grabbing reins, and pulling the horse back down, on top of her. Julia was the girl's name. I'll never forget her young lovely face, in the paper, later. No, I didn't clip it. Death and life both happen very quickly.


Think ahead, is what I bellowed at my nephew, in the pool, after he'd scared the life out of me, by diving feet first, on top of my nieces' head. Think, ahead.
Drop your reins, roll out of the way if/when a horse drops. Practice it! JBG didn't fall down, but they sure can, and do. And had done so to me, more times than was necessary for my back:) Try to avoid situations that send your spidey senses tingling.

I didn't, and pretty much did my back in, that day. Rode a "weak in the hind end" chestnut mare that I didn't like, for demonstration purposes, while teaching a lesson. Mare tried to kill me, it was fascinating:) Have I told that story before? Can't remember. It's interesting as well, how time slows, when unexpected events occur.


Try to never approach anything without at least a desire to accomplish it, in your heart. Fear? Anger? Frustration? Leave it by the wayside. If you don't know what to do, don't do it. Try something you know how to do. Slowly introduce new concepts. One boring step, at a time. Stick your chest out, be proud!


Forward, and HappY. That's not too hard, is it?
Okay, I know it is.

I never should have exulted in the weather yesterday. Today is pouring rain. I knew it! Never gloat about weather!!! Jeeesh..My fault, as usual.

I keep forgetting, people don't KNOW I live under a rock, you see. Guess what Discover also covered? The growing, widespread use of get this "attention enhancers",or "cognitive enhancers". Yes, folks, drugs. Like Ritalin.

Quote "modafinil.. taken in moderation, doesn't give the jitters of amphetamines or even caffeine. In a world of attention overload, you do not have to suffer from ADHD to have trouble focusing." OH, boy, new drugs for the brain!! Never mind we still don't quite get HOW anesthesia works. Heck, gravity still has us scratching our heads.

Quote "Exactly how these drugs work remains unknown". Yeah, but they work!! Holy jumping JehosaphatZ! Here's a typical media fear-mongering statement, also from Discover "Think of millions of workers in India or China cognitively enhanced with neuropharmaceuticals. Will the US be able to compete?" GASP!! Someone throw me a pill, quick!

I'm such a bonehead. There are indeed, better-acting speedily derived drugs. Everybody who's ANYbody must be on them. I can hear the teeth grinding now. Horses, too.
So, my point is now terrifying me, I think I'm heading back for my rock.


I will pick up on Rainy another day. Discover magazine always sends me onto the strangest tangents:)

To Horses and calmness. I am so GLAD I quit caffeine!
impossible out.