Assembling the Team...

From the end of May to the beginning of this month, Levi received a well-deserved two week break to relax on pasture with Oliver, who also shares space next to his stall as well.  I've shared a photo of Ollie here before, but this image above doesn't really do him justice as he is a very fit eventing horse with a great mind to go along with his striking good looks, and has expressed strong opinions about how Levi must conduct himself. Oliver's pasture mate left the farm last month and he was quite lonely, so we took a chance on putting him with Levi during the day for company. The two horses were introduced together in the paddock without issue, although Ollie made it very clear to Levi his expected level of decorum. Fortunately, Levi agreed and the two have developed a budding friendship, for which I am relieved as it seemed to be hit or miss for a while in making friends for Levi. None of that was Levi's fault, but reflects the reality of integrating horses in a boarding facility and accommodating their diverse needs, personalities, and quirks. Their shared pasture is approximately 0.8 acres, which is quite frankly a Mr. Belvedere-level of spaciousness for this particular corner of Massachusetts real estate. Of course, Levi could not be happier with this situation: a big field in which to graze all day long in the sun or under the shade of five willow trees, a pond nearby for interest (albeit populated by loud, scary bullfrogs), an aloof but kind friend to keep him company and on point, and a little time off to absorb everything we've recently learned. His needs are always met first before any training takes place.

As promised, at the end of last month my friend Cheryl Rivers joined us from Vermont to help provide some guidance on our harness fit and cart balance. In the world of carriage driving, Cheryl needs no introduction. Levi and I were extremely fortunate that a professional driving trainer was so willing to help us, as we did need to make many adjustments, and her advice was much needed and well taken. Levi was on his best behavior, and I worked him under cart for about 20 minutes, which is the longest he'd driven in the Frey. We ended on a high note as always, and Levi went right back into his paddock afterward. I was overjoyed to introduce Cheryl and Levi and show her his environment. The help she provided wasn't totally a mitzvah, because in return for her help I groomed for her during the Connecticut Morgan Open Horse Show last week, and will also groom during the New England Morgan Horse Show at the end of July. Performing in these shows is intense and physically demanding, and having skilled hands to help is required; I am more than happy to return the favor in this way. The best news is that Cheryl has agreed to help me and Joe with Levi under cart, and she will be joining us for training on a regular basis. I will share the results of our work with her in these pages; I am really looking forward to it. I first met Cheryl while volunteering at the Vermont Morgan Heritage Days show in 2021; I was a scribe for the dressage and also scored for obstacles and marathon. I knew she would somehow play an important role and we kept in touch. Going forward, with her help, I know we will be equipped to navigate the next steps much more skillfully.

I have mentioned our barn manager, Sam, in previous posts; she also helped us hitch for the first time (as seen in the video in an earlier post) and with subsequent hitches. Sam has also agreed to help work with Levi and I directly, as she is a very experienced driving trainer and instructor who has taught many people and young horses to drive. She also handles Levi on a daily basis, so she understands him well and really has his number! Levi requires confident, competent people to handle him and as a result I am extremely particular about whom I allow to interact with him. Levi is not for people who are afraid of horses (due to inexperience or due to prior bad experiences or injury from them), or who project their own issues onto them. He requires focus of attention and a solid plan of action with a quiet, rational mind at the helm. While he incredibly gentle and loving and affectionate with his people, and is a silly youngster, he is a big horse who still tests his mettle, which needs to be met and corrected with confidence and the appropriate level of responsiveness, avoiding extremes of under- or over-reaction. Patience, positive reinforcement and redirection are effective for him. The worst possible kind of person to handle or work with Levi is the larger-than-life 'cowboy'* trainer type who believes they know it all and enjoys pushing horses around, who has a short fuse and is short on intelligence and time as well as solid horsemanship, and who takes every perceived slight as a personal attack (even from animals). Throw a rock in any general direction at a breed show and you are guaranteed to make contact with this kind of trainer. An old broken stock horse or an intimidated young horse could tolerate this soul, but Levi has no time for it and will not only not back down from a 'cowboy', he will escalate. If you then decide to give him the fight he's looking for, he will literally snatch your wig and then mock you for being cruel as well as tacky, which are both punishable sins. We know all too well what damage humans of this variety can inflict on horses that openly defy them, so it's fortunate for Levi that he wound up with me (I also try to keep my tackiness to a minimum, and remember, they can't snatch your wig if you're wearing a helmet).  By contrast, unfortunately, it is the lovely but fearful people who are otherwise very well intended but lack either skills or supreme confidence that he can succeed in pushing around, so we avoid allowing these types of personalities (either naive/fearful or 'cowboys') to work with him. Sam has lifelong experience with all kinds of youngsters and draws from a wealth of expertise in multiple disciplines. She also understands the training program I've tailored for him and is interested in adding her knowledge and skills to that. Sam has proven herself capable of teaching the both of us together as a unit, and I trust her insights and instruction. She and I are focusing first on honing my communication with Levi on a technical level centered around driving; she also understands how to address biomechanical issues with horses through specific movement and body work, which I am eager to learn.

*to clarify, I have no problem with cowboys in the true sense of the word, only impatient and poor trainers as discussed

Along with Cheryl and Sam, I have the help of my husband Joe, who is really instrumental in all aspects of this training, not just from a supportive perspective but hands-on as well. His rapport with Levi, and his courage and willingness to step in where others have faded away is noteworthy. Joe's first real experience dealing with horses on a daily basis is with Levi, so he is still new but learning quickly. We work very well together as a team. Interestingly, Joe brings his experience as a pilot to the table, with benefit to us. Aviation and carriage driving both involve a high degree of precision, specialized knowledge, and personal accountability, with safety protocols (and redundancies!) paramount. We have borrowed the 'pre-flight checklist' format and communication style from aviation and applied it to driving to ensure the safety of every hitch. Being able to communicate clearly and effectively using a shared terminology, while following a precise procedure every time we hitch, helps keep everyone safe and ensures we will have a good time free from worry. Joe heads Levi and also helps hitch and harness/unharness. He is also a tremendous moral support and his calm and humorous demeanor soothes stressful situations, keeping Levi very relaxed. Levi just loves working with his dad, and the feeling is truly mutual! With healthy respect for him combined with lack of fear but lots of humor (letting Levi know he's not such hot stuff, but in a gentle way), and a giant heart to boot, we really couldn't do better than this.

We don't often think of other horses as being teammates, but in this sense, that is exactly what Oliver is for Levi. I'm a huge proponent of using horses to teach one another; why attempt some complex communication when a horse can say it so much more clearly and effectively to another horse? Oliver is with Levi almost 24-7 since their stalls where they are kept at night are right next to each other and they go out all day together, so his influence is considerable. Oliver represents another important team member in his own right. Let horses teach horses- Ollie does this so well!

"With our powers combined, we are Team Believer!" :)