Conversations with Caspian
"Hey, handsome. How are you, you sexy beast, you?"
I'm hungry. Do you have food?
"Dude. You're not hungry. You eat around seven flakes of hay a day."
I am. I'm starving to death. Do you have food?
"No. I don't have any food. I missed you."
No food? You're boring.
"Well, that's not very nice. Can I give you a hug?"
I have zero interest in boring people. I'd much rather stare alertly into the distance and pretend you don't exist.
"Hey, wanna go for a ride?"
Food? Can I eat on this ride?
"No. No food. Just a ride."
..... fine. It sounds somewhat interesting. I'll give it a try.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence. Hey, you're all dirty. Let me brush you. Does that feel good?"
Silence.
"How about over here. Does this feel good?"
Silence.
"I can see your lip trying to twitch - it's okay. You can tell me if it feels good."
Okay. It feels a little good.
"How about this? Do you like it when I scratch right here?
Really? Do you really want feedback? I think I should just stand here, and not move. The First Person who trained me said to never move.
"You know darn well I'm serious. We've been through this a million times. Please let me know if you like this."
IN THAT CASE, YES. YES. SCRATCH RIGHT THERE. KEEP SCRATCHING.... you stopped? Why?
"Because it's time to tack up."
Oh, is it that time? Here. Let me suck in more air than any horse you've ever known in the past. First Person always cinched too hard.... let's see you try cinching that up, lady.
"Dude, really Caspian? I need to get this past the fifth hole - it won't even reach the first. How is that even possible?"
That's as tight as it goes. Any tighter and I'll die. Do you have food?
"It's not time to eat right now. Let out your air - I promise I won't overtighten it."
Who is that? That horse has food. Maybe he'll share.
"What that horse is doing is none of your business. Stay where you are."
Can I say hi?
"No. Focus."
I think I'll go say hi.
"NO. GET BEHIND ME. NO SAYING 'HI'."
I'M GONNA DIE! I'M GONNA DIE! I'M GONNA... Wow. You just shouted at me with your body. I think I love you. You're the most amazing person I've ever met. Hold me. Shout at me some more. Can you do that for me? You're so incredibly interesting, did you know that?
"Well, I'm sorry I had to yell. I'd rather not have to do that again. Here, let me scratch you for a bit while I wait for you to get distracted so I can cinch you up."
Nope. Not interested in being scratched. Shout at me again.
"I'm not shouting at you, Caspian. You can focus your attention on me when we're just hanging out - you know that, right? We don't have to go through this whole "let me work you hard and remind you I'm in charge before you love me" EVERY time, do we?
Hit me. Just a little bit. Please?
"I'm not hitting you."
You're boring.
"Quit being rude, and just relax and have a good time. Can you do that?"
I'm not particularly interested in you if you're not going to use me.
"FINE. I'll ride you. Are you happy now?"
Yes.
"You're weird, but I love you anyways. Hang on, I'm getting up.... HA! Fooled you. At least the girth's on the third hole now."
Can you yell at me again? It makes me feel safe. You're amazing.
"Caspian, can't you like me when I'm being sweet to you? Also, I don't want to have to yell at you - let's work on listening to me when I ask quietly. Sound like a plan, Stan?"
My name's not Stan.
I'm just teasing you, handsome. Where's your smile?
You're not funny.
Lighten up, Caspian. You're so serious all the time. It's okay to relax and have a little fun, you know.
I'm saddled. Are you going to make crappy jokes all evening, or are you actually planning on getting some work done?
"Dude, you have issues. Alright, I'm up. Walk forward."
To the left, is that correct?
"No. Straight forward, please."
Ahh, to the left. I'll walk to the left.
"NO. WALK STRAIGHT."
Mmm, yeah. I like it when you yell at me. Alright. Straight it is. Wait... who is that?
"None of your business."
This arena is fascinating. Mind if I check everything out?
"Caspian- you've been in it a million times. Pay attention to me. I'll let you know if there's anything worth looking at."
Who is that?
"FOCUS."
Yeaaaah, yell it, baby. Now you've got my attention.
"Let's step it up - how about your fancy running walk gait thing?"
I don't know how.
"Yes, you do. See? Go faster... yes, perfect."
Oh. Like that?
"Yup."
Okay. I'll trot then.
"What? No, do your gait thing."
Huh? I can't hear you.
"Fine. Trot. We can work on that if you want to. Please work a little harder - step out a bit more and collect your body a little bit. If you want to trot, let's do it right."
Huh? What's that? What is this 'trot' you speak of? I'm a gaited horse. I only gait.
"Caspian, I swear..... Fine. Gait. I like it better anyways, you big dork."
Who is that horse over there? They seem nice. Can I go say hi?
"NO. PAY ATTENTION TO ME."
You're so pretty when you yell at me. I think I love you. Ask whatever you want - I'll follow you to the ends of the earth.
*******
Getting to know a horse who spent 7 out of his 8 years of life as a stallion is really interesting - I've never dealt with a personality like his before.
Also, someone needs to teach this horse that it's okay to have a sense of humor. I don't think he appreciates me laughing at him as much as I do.
I'm hungry. Do you have food?
"Dude. You're not hungry. You eat around seven flakes of hay a day."
I am. I'm starving to death. Do you have food?
"No. I don't have any food. I missed you."
No food? You're boring.
"Well, that's not very nice. Can I give you a hug?"
I have zero interest in boring people. I'd much rather stare alertly into the distance and pretend you don't exist.
"Hey, wanna go for a ride?"
Food? Can I eat on this ride?
"No. No food. Just a ride."
..... fine. It sounds somewhat interesting. I'll give it a try.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence. Hey, you're all dirty. Let me brush you. Does that feel good?"
Silence.
"How about over here. Does this feel good?"
Silence.
"I can see your lip trying to twitch - it's okay. You can tell me if it feels good."
Okay. It feels a little good.
"How about this? Do you like it when I scratch right here?
Really? Do you really want feedback? I think I should just stand here, and not move. The First Person who trained me said to never move.
"You know darn well I'm serious. We've been through this a million times. Please let me know if you like this."
IN THAT CASE, YES. YES. SCRATCH RIGHT THERE. KEEP SCRATCHING.... you stopped? Why?
"Because it's time to tack up."
Oh, is it that time? Here. Let me suck in more air than any horse you've ever known in the past. First Person always cinched too hard.... let's see you try cinching that up, lady.
"Dude, really Caspian? I need to get this past the fifth hole - it won't even reach the first. How is that even possible?"
That's as tight as it goes. Any tighter and I'll die. Do you have food?
"It's not time to eat right now. Let out your air - I promise I won't overtighten it."
Who is that? That horse has food. Maybe he'll share.
"What that horse is doing is none of your business. Stay where you are."
Can I say hi?
"No. Focus."
I think I'll go say hi.
"NO. GET BEHIND ME. NO SAYING 'HI'."
I'M GONNA DIE! I'M GONNA DIE! I'M GONNA... Wow. You just shouted at me with your body. I think I love you. You're the most amazing person I've ever met. Hold me. Shout at me some more. Can you do that for me? You're so incredibly interesting, did you know that?
"Well, I'm sorry I had to yell. I'd rather not have to do that again. Here, let me scratch you for a bit while I wait for you to get distracted so I can cinch you up."
Nope. Not interested in being scratched. Shout at me again.
"I'm not shouting at you, Caspian. You can focus your attention on me when we're just hanging out - you know that, right? We don't have to go through this whole "let me work you hard and remind you I'm in charge before you love me" EVERY time, do we?
Hit me. Just a little bit. Please?
"I'm not hitting you."
You're boring.
"Quit being rude, and just relax and have a good time. Can you do that?"
I'm not particularly interested in you if you're not going to use me.
"FINE. I'll ride you. Are you happy now?"
Yes.
"You're weird, but I love you anyways. Hang on, I'm getting up.... HA! Fooled you. At least the girth's on the third hole now."
Can you yell at me again? It makes me feel safe. You're amazing.
"Caspian, can't you like me when I'm being sweet to you? Also, I don't want to have to yell at you - let's work on listening to me when I ask quietly. Sound like a plan, Stan?"
My name's not Stan.
I'm just teasing you, handsome. Where's your smile?
You're not funny.
Lighten up, Caspian. You're so serious all the time. It's okay to relax and have a little fun, you know.
I'm saddled. Are you going to make crappy jokes all evening, or are you actually planning on getting some work done?
"Dude, you have issues. Alright, I'm up. Walk forward."
To the left, is that correct?
"No. Straight forward, please."
Ahh, to the left. I'll walk to the left.
"NO. WALK STRAIGHT."
Mmm, yeah. I like it when you yell at me. Alright. Straight it is. Wait... who is that?
"None of your business."
This arena is fascinating. Mind if I check everything out?
"Caspian- you've been in it a million times. Pay attention to me. I'll let you know if there's anything worth looking at."
Who is that?
"FOCUS."
Yeaaaah, yell it, baby. Now you've got my attention.
"Let's step it up - how about your fancy running walk gait thing?"
I don't know how.
"Yes, you do. See? Go faster... yes, perfect."
Oh. Like that?
"Yup."
Okay. I'll trot then.
"What? No, do your gait thing."
Huh? I can't hear you.
"Fine. Trot. We can work on that if you want to. Please work a little harder - step out a bit more and collect your body a little bit. If you want to trot, let's do it right."
Huh? What's that? What is this 'trot' you speak of? I'm a gaited horse. I only gait.
"Caspian, I swear..... Fine. Gait. I like it better anyways, you big dork."
Who is that horse over there? They seem nice. Can I go say hi?
"NO. PAY ATTENTION TO ME."
You're so pretty when you yell at me. I think I love you. Ask whatever you want - I'll follow you to the ends of the earth.
*******
Getting to know a horse who spent 7 out of his 8 years of life as a stallion is really interesting - I've never dealt with a personality like his before.
Also, someone needs to teach this horse that it's okay to have a sense of humor. I don't think he appreciates me laughing at him as much as I do.
Person, why are you just standing there, pointing your phone at me? I'm starving. Literally. Quit messing around and get me food--- and none of that grass hay crap, either. I want REAL food - alfalfa, or maybe beet pulp, before I die of starvation.... Are you laughing at me? IT'S NOT FUNNY.
Labels: Horses
posted by Becky at
10:25 PM
11 Comments:
Oh, the things I could say. But I won't.
I like Caspian.
Caspian sounds a lot like Sherlock. Just sayin'.
I'm leasing a mare right now that has really turned into my heart horse. But, she has no sense of humor either! She is such a Diva. After a couple of months of regular contact, she finally allowed herself to show pleasure when I scratch the good spots. I think she's spent most of her 20 years as a Serious Dressage Horse, and nobody really played with her. She's always been well taken care of, mind you, but halter only bareback rides around the yard? not so much. She has relaxed so much over time. I love her trust, and I'm amused (but unmoved) when she tests me. I look forward to more Caspian stories. (or any stories, really!)
Sounds like he likes to make your horse time... interesting! Love that he likes being yelled at or hit, I have an appy that was the same way several years ago. He isn't nearly as bad about it anymore. Now that he is 20!
In her first career, Story was not encouraged to have humor--or thoughts. It took several years with me before she could mentally loosen up enough to try something that *might* be a mistake. She was just too scared.
Later in life, her sense of humor became legendary...quiet, but legendary. If you were looking at just the right time, you could clearly see her smile at some very dry joke she had just made to herself...and very late in her life, she would make the jokes to me.
I still miss her. Love my Dragon, but miss my Story girl.
Enjoy this horse. He's fun!
Be careful about wishing for a sense of humor. It took me a bit to realize that my mare Peanut was purposely trying to poop on my head; she was injured and very tired of me putting standing wraps on her back legs.
You and Caspian are just getting to know each other; thank you for sharing your journey!
I agree with Peanut. My gelding is is the Shecky Green of horses. I know in his own mind he's hilarious, but he annoys everyone (of all species) around him.
Ahhh geldings...
This cracked me up so much... OMG.
Casey is also a VERY SERIOUS HORSE. He doesn't even like it when the other horses are up to shenanigans.
This Caspian of yours and I sound like we share personalities...
perhaps I was a stallion in another life. That would explain a lot.
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