I've heard it said that people often resemble their animals. Or is it that animals resemble their owners? And is there actually any validity to this idea anyway, or is it just superstition built on anomalies? This is what I was wondering the other day, as I took Rocky on a new trail.
He backed out of the trailer and snorted, stepping quickly, looking around at his new surroundings. He calmed quickly, and I saddled him up and joined the other two horses we were riding with. As we started out, Rocky was on high alert. He was anxious passing other horses, spooked over a few dogs who rushed the fence - just nervous. After a mile or so he relaxed and we settled into our usual (and comfortable) trail position - last, and lagging way behind the other horses. I trotted him forward every so often to catch up, but we always ended up quite a few strides behind. When it pointed out that he's a slow poke, I just laugh and say "yeah, he's a slow walker". But I have to admit, it's where I prefer to be too.
For training purposes, because Rocky is still a young horse, I sometimes put him in the lead even though I know it makes him (and me) uncomfortable. He has no desire to lead (nor do I), so unless I make him (and me), he (we) never would. He (I) don't like other horses (people) rushing up behind him (me) and scaring him (me); and he (I) don't like other horses (people) following too closely behind him (me). It makes him (me) nervous. Regardless, I put him in the lead. He stopped at first, and looked around, as if to ask "um, are you sure? Why? Why do you want me to lead? I don't want to lead..." He took a step and stopped. Then another and stopped. I had to urge him forward, and even then he kept looking back, checking to see if the other horses were there, and if one of them would perhaps like to lead, and to make sure he hadn't been tricked and left behind. He began to walk at a decent pace, but his ears flicked back every few seconds to listen.
We came off the trail into an open space, where he graciously tried to step aside and let another horse lead. But I thought he could use a little more training, so I asked him to lead again. He spooked at a blue sign marking the beginning of a new trail, and began breathing hard. He did not want to lead; he didn't know what to expect, and he was scared. He wanted to turn around, but I kept pushing him forward and after a few circles, he moved past the sign. His behavior at this point was nervous but he didn't stop, just kept looking around, breathing hard. Then we came to a hurdle, and there was no where to go but over it. This took some coaxing; he had to sniff it, look around, then sniff it again. A little more coaxing though and he stepped over the hurdle. But I am left to wonder whether he stepped over the hurdle because he was finally comfortable with it, or because of my coaxing?
We continued on across two more hurdles, which he hesitated at, but stepped over. Then we turned around and went back the same way we had just come. This time through, he didn't hesitate at all - just stepped right over the hurdles and took the lead like it was no big deal. We came off that trail, back into the open space, and I finally Rocky to step aside and allow the other two horses go ahead. For the remainder of the ride, Rocky and I hung in the back. I let him walk at his own pace; he relaxed, I relaxed. And it was peaceful. The other horses were strides ahead of us. He wan't worried about where to go because he was following the horses ahead of him, and there was no one behind us so he wasn't tuned in to that either. We were content, which made me wonder: was I content because he was, or was he content because he sensed I was? And did I happen to buy a horse that had my same fears and reactions to new situations? Or did he adopt these behaviors because of me?
These are my thoughts: we both came to each other with preexisting personalities - similar, but not exactly the same. One thing is clear - neither of us like new and unfamiliar situations. They make us nervous. When put into an uncomfortable situation, we both prefer someone else to go first; and he (I) prefer having someone who is comfortable leading us. If we can follow someone we trust into uncomfortable surroundings, we don't hesitate to try new things. We don't like to lead, but will do it when asked or when necessary. Our hesitancy to lead seems to stem from that fact that we don't like people watching or scrutinizing us until we know what we're doing. We are both suspicious of our surroundings unless someone is there to show us things are okay. And we both have an irrational fear of being tricked and left behind, so we constantly want to look behind us and check. After we conquer an uncomfortable situation however, going back through it is usually no big deal, and leading becomes quite easy. We both prefer to like to hang in the back because we watch, listen, and take in our surroundings.
So, do I resemble Rocky? Or he me... Either way, we just seem to fit as a team.
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