When do I make withdrawals from my horse’s bank account?

I am pleased to see the activity around this idea. The question was asked about what withdrawals I make and if I just spend time with my horses. Yes and yep!

I did a post back in March http://stacywestfallhorseblog.com/2012/03/03/training-horses-while-at-horse-shows-preserving-your-horse-in-the-show-ring/ that is on this subject but wasn’t exactly explained the same way. The idea of this post, rephrased for this one, is that often when I show my horses I am making withdrawals. In the case of the show where I hesitated longer, etc I was actually making deposits while I was showing.

This post, http://stacywestfallhorseblog.com/2012/04/28/866/, includes a photo shot from on Popcorn’s back. It was during a time when I was not actively ‘putting money in the bank’. It was a time when my mind naturally wants to think that we are on a plateau….but I have decided that there are no plateaus so I know that I am ever so slightly headed down. How much? Probably not more than the amount of interest your bank account eats when your not paying attention. And how much does it matter? Well, if you have lost of money loosing a few cents doesn’t make much of a change. The less money you have in the bank the more you notice it.

When I was growing up I pretty much just trail rode and didn’t know much. When I started learning how to train there was a period of a few years where I found it difficult to trail ride and enjoy it (it always seemed like there was a problem to fix) but I am happy to report that I am now over that problem (look for the post on June 7th for more info on how I overcame this).

AND my favorite stuff with horses is the stuff many won’t believe; I like cleaning stalls, feeding horses and hearing them munch hay, had grazing a horse that is excited about the grass, etc. Even my favorite memory of Roxy is how she would cock her head like a dog listening for something as she waited for me to feed her-not exactly what you might expect given everything else we did together.

11 Comments

  1. Marcella Ballenger on June 11, 2012 at 1:33 am

    think the main reason my hubby bought our horses was just so he could sit and listen to them eat their hay-he loves it!! actually he loves riding and bought the first one for our daughter who is into barrell racing. because of a bad back, I don’t do much riding, but my favorite part of being around the horses is brushing them-not only good for them but therapy for me-

  2. Karen Kania-Forehand on June 5, 2012 at 3:50 pm

    Nothing calms me faster than to be by my horses and listen to them eat their hay! Sometimes I’ll take a book(or now my Kindle, Lol) and find me a comfortable spot on the bales to enjoy the down time. Can’t say I like cleaning stalls but it has to be done and there are worse chores to do that don’t involve horses.

  3. Henrietta Campbell on June 5, 2012 at 3:12 pm

    This is a lovely post. I have 3 horses and all of them at their levels are seasoned show horses; how to keep them fresh, keep them wanting to do what they do, quite well? Am getting so much more interested in the daily interactions – and especially in how not to ‘overdraw’ at everday competition. Luckily I recently moved to a trainer who really focuses on changing things on their head to keep the horses’ motivations high and my focus on what it is that motivates my horses. And I don’t get made to feel like a dolt for just wanting to hang out with them. It’s all getting fun again!

  4. Joyce Miller on June 4, 2012 at 5:43 pm

    Interesting perspective – as always- you have offered great insight ! I just finished volunteering 1.5 days @ IDS -2 day show and found myself feeling guilty ( as I watched the riders & their warmblood BFF’s) for not being one of the competitors. Then I realized – after my day jobs as a discharge nurse in a busy surgery center & occ. health nurse – my barn time for feeding/cleaning/talking to my girls & maybe a quick jog- puts it all in place- I may not be ready for competition yet ( minimal deposits), but I certainly know this ole’ nurse couldn’t make it through the hectic work week without knowing I ‘ll be “collecting” lots of therapy for myself by just the barn aromatherapy & hands on my QHs & their agape love. Soon, I hope -I’ll be able to seriously train ( deposit ) and then make a presence ( withdrawl) when the time is right.( Eccles 3:1)

  5. matthewgambrel on June 4, 2012 at 1:32 pm

    I definitely think you’re on to something. For me, and even my 12 y/o son, one of our favorite things is sitting by the barn watching and listening to the horses eat!

  6. Lorri on June 4, 2012 at 10:34 am

    For four years I was part of a small team of volunteers at a rescue every Saturday. We all agreed that our best part of the day was when the visitors left, the owners left, and it was just us to feed the horses. We’d chat, tired, but contentedly listening to our charges eat their grain. I have since gone on to adopt two rescue horses that are wonderful trail horses but still, two of my favorite times of day is cleaning their barn and listening to them eat. It brings me such contentment to be able to care lovingly for them.

  7. Heather on June 4, 2012 at 9:46 am

    I wholeheartedly agree with you Stacey and with the other posts here. The greatest deposit I ever made was the 6 weeks I spent sleeping in the barn waiting for my first filly to be born (she was 6 weeks late – I was not 6-weeks ahead – lol). The noise in the barn at night is amazing – many sounds that you do not expect, including the snoring! We also had many visitors such as the mother racoon raiding the feed stall nightly, the black snake that came searching for the stray duck eggs and the rooster who was running to me for protection form the racoon who was chasing him!

    And the night I spent delivering hte filly and the following 48 hours where I had to hold her up under her mother to nurse as she was so weak she couldn’t stand by herself, were gruelling times but those that i would’t trade for anything!

    That scrawny little filly is now my broodmare and may come back to be my Green Reiner horse next year. I still owe her and will continue to make deposits every chance I get.

  8. Rachel on June 4, 2012 at 9:45 am

    My all time favorite moment of each and every day is hanging out the window of the barn above the evening hay bunk, looking down on the horses and listening to the munching of happy beasts. It is soo peaceful No matter how hectic the day has been and how hectic the evening might become with kids and lessons and dinner preparations, those quiet moments in the violet hour center me and make me realize some beasts I care for are happy and content and that is just about the most perfect feeling a body can have.

  9. Dana on June 4, 2012 at 9:37 am

    I have never looked at my horses with a “chore” mentality. I love the basics of feeding and caring and the expectant faces are priceless as they await my sometimes slow (not so young anymore) progress! I really appreciate the bank comparisons. Thank you!

  10. Kathy Kopylec on June 4, 2012 at 9:07 am

    I understand, as much as I feel challenged to keep trying and learning more about them, my favorite time is the morning chores they seem to be so peacefull .After there finished, I have a chair where I sit back and can hear and watch while I do my bible reading its my God spot.

  11. Erin/IAm on June 4, 2012 at 8:52 am

    EeeHaa, Stacey Gal! You are on quite a roll here again…Sooo Nice to see! Looove the analogy of deposit/withdrawl…Perfect, indeed…May many heed!
    So funny…Stalls are great soul times, & the munch is sweet rhythm…grooming, quiet energy exchanges, & 4-legged in field with coffee in hand & eyes to view that…priceless. The ride?…a perk of relationshipping rather than a goal. My, how we have grown, huh?:)

    Blessed be to you & yours…All ways & Always!<3

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