The Waiting Game

I have chosen to be a student of the Parelli method of natural horsemanship for many reasons. Just scratching the surface two important reasons to me are that it is a PEOPLE teaching program, not a horse training program and it supports the learner by making the concepts and skills easy to understand.

One of the ways they do this is by using the concept of the Seven Games. They are simply the seven different things that horses do naturally among themselves in a herd. As students we are taught to play variations of these basic games with our horses to be provocative and progressive. We play the Friendly, Porcupine, Driving, Yo-yo, Circling, Sideways, and squeeze games.

Well, I'm ready to add another game to the program. The Waiting Game. It is something that you can see happen in a herd, but it is also something far beyond that. It is a vital part of the people training aspect of the program and of life. Some days it is the hardest game of them all.

I've watched my Titan be the lowest man in the heard since he became my partner almost a year ago. I was told this about him when I purchased him.  I have watched him is a number of different groups both large and small. Some groups pushed him around relentlessly, picked on him and left marks all over him. Other groups gently insisted that he always wait at the back of the line for everything. Either way he has always be at the bottom.

Well, he must have been playing the waiting game, because while I was away a few weekends ago he decided to take over as the leader of his little herd of two. Apparently he turned around one Sunday morning and told Hope off and proceeded to be the boss from there out. It makes me wonder what exactly happened, what changed in the understanding to make him feel like the time was right to take over. Or what happened with Hope to allow her surrender her role as leader. Then a few weeks later Hope returned to the leadership role. Again, what were they each waiting for?

Just as my horses are playing the waiting game, so am I. I am waiting for so many things. Some days patiently and others not so much. I fall far short of my horses and their amazing ability to be in the moment and wait without frustration, resentment, jealousy, or impatience.

Deep down, I know that everything has its time. But oh, is it hard. Oh, to be able to stay in the moment.

So here I sit. Playing the waiting game for:

• An arena with no grass (and more hours in the day to teach in it)
• Aamina to be ridden confidently and her foal to grow up into an amzing partner with the right owner
• The finances to complete my Parelli instructor certification
• My own farm to provide lessons to those who wish to learn and boarding to those who wish to care for their horses like horses 
• The day when people realize that there is no need to nail, clip or glue things to their horse's feet
• People to realize that by simply learning behavior and psychology and taking the time to apply it, there is no need for coercion, pain, avoidance, and the gadgets they use to achieve any or all of those,  when working with a horse.
• To be able to help rescue and find homes for the unwanted animals in this word

Waiting.....Still waiting.....