There's a book out now about dogs. It makes the case for them thinking and having emotions. Well, no s#@%!

Horses, too! When I read or hear someone say that horses only react and don't plan or think, I am from that moment on, caused to consider or reconsider as un-true, anything else that person says. Horse steps on your foot accidentally??? Yeah! Shifts his weight, picks up one hoof, directs it onto your 4 square inches of real estate (your toe area) and shifts his weight onto it. Meanwhile, horse is thinking 'oops'? Then, when the unsavvy person yells and pushes on horse's shoulder, what does horse do??? Usually, puts ALL his weight on the offending hoof. Accidentally of course.

An acquaintance was bragging that his wife trained a couple of horses they had. But, he says, "The stupid thing bucked us off every time we got on." Okay, so your definition of trained is....????? and WHO are you calling stupid????

How about the old grade horse in the backyard that rubs the visiting friend off on a tree or corner of the barn?

How about horses (I have one) that can open snap clips to get into the feed storage? Do you ever see a horse breaking into the worming medicine???

If all this is so, is it possible that when you're riding or have a horse on line that he's fully cognizant of HIS possibilities of getting over on you?? Of course.

And, is it also then possible that what you may be able to get from your horse in exceptional results may be more than you're asking or aware of???? Of course.

People expect too much from a horse they have never trained or asked to do something to do it on the first time. And, they expect too little from a horse as to what they are capable of doing.