There’s this little girl I have been giving riding lessons to. Her name is Tavi, and she is such a cutie. She is one of the kids who loves Hercules, because he is more her size. And she is confident enough that he usually listens to her.
Well, I say listens...he obeys her non-verbal commands quite well. Tavi scarcely speaks during lessons. I am used to that when a girl starts riding. They usually stay quiet for the first couple of lessons, but by the 3rd or 4th lesson, I realize that life would be a lot more peaceful were that girl as quiet as I originally thought. But not Tavi. Apparently, even with her own sister, she scarcely speaks. And I have seldom heard her speak, even to her parents above a whisper. She is not rude at all, but is simply a very quiet little girl.
Then I let her drive Hercules. There was an event at the school, and the horses were there. Shadow was being ridden, Herc was pulling the cart. And Tavi came three times to drive Herc. Knowing that she is good with horses, I let Tavi take the reins. She was very good. And then she wanted to go faster. I told her that it was her job to ask Herc to go faster. She heard me tell him to trot, and knew just what she was supposed to do. With a little smile, she popped the reins on Herc’s back, and said, “Trot.” The noise of the SC event was all around us, and Hercules did not respond to Tavi’s voice. She went silent again, waiting for me to tell Herc what to do. I chuckled, telling her that she had to be a little louder, because Herc couldn’t even hear her. She flicked the reins again, and said in the loudest voice I’ve ever heard her use, “Trot!”
Hercules broke into a trot immediately, and I looked at Tavi, totally surprised by how loud she spoke. She had the biggest grin on her face. It was a good moment to witness.
Tavi came back three more times to drive Herc. She took the reins each time, gaining confidence as Hercules listened to her more and more. There was even one time where she accidentally drove over a plastic bottle, and Herc gave a pretty big spook. Tavi handled herself well, not screaming or anything.
This is the kind of thing I love about working with the horses and kids. I love it when the horses make a visible difference in the kids.
Well, I say listens...he obeys her non-verbal commands quite well. Tavi scarcely speaks during lessons. I am used to that when a girl starts riding. They usually stay quiet for the first couple of lessons, but by the 3rd or 4th lesson, I realize that life would be a lot more peaceful were that girl as quiet as I originally thought. But not Tavi. Apparently, even with her own sister, she scarcely speaks. And I have seldom heard her speak, even to her parents above a whisper. She is not rude at all, but is simply a very quiet little girl.
Then I let her drive Hercules. There was an event at the school, and the horses were there. Shadow was being ridden, Herc was pulling the cart. And Tavi came three times to drive Herc. Knowing that she is good with horses, I let Tavi take the reins. She was very good. And then she wanted to go faster. I told her that it was her job to ask Herc to go faster. She heard me tell him to trot, and knew just what she was supposed to do. With a little smile, she popped the reins on Herc’s back, and said, “Trot.” The noise of the SC event was all around us, and Hercules did not respond to Tavi’s voice. She went silent again, waiting for me to tell Herc what to do. I chuckled, telling her that she had to be a little louder, because Herc couldn’t even hear her. She flicked the reins again, and said in the loudest voice I’ve ever heard her use, “Trot!”
Hercules broke into a trot immediately, and I looked at Tavi, totally surprised by how loud she spoke. She had the biggest grin on her face. It was a good moment to witness.
Tavi came back three more times to drive Herc. She took the reins each time, gaining confidence as Hercules listened to her more and more. There was even one time where she accidentally drove over a plastic bottle, and Herc gave a pretty big spook. Tavi handled herself well, not screaming or anything.
This is the kind of thing I love about working with the horses and kids. I love it when the horses make a visible difference in the kids.
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