Spooky Seniors

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Our senior horses are saints. After a lifetime of hard work, they’re enjoying their “retirement” by either teaching beginners the ropes, packing the kids or grandkids around the farm at a steady walk, or helping a person nervous around horses realize that they’re not so scary after all. But, regardless of how well-trained, quiet, and creaky our seniors might be, they still spook.

Dorado, now 18, helped remind me of this fact last week. Admittedly, Dorado isn’t the quietest aged horse in the world. In fact, he’s kind of a giant weenie. Jump over anything? No problem. Walk by that scary liverpool I just jumped, or a pair of fallen jump standards (those are the worst!)? Heck no! Not without a sideways dance and a snort for good measure, anyway.

So last week, it was a tad windy here in LexingtonÑso windy that a set of solid standards had blown over and were lying on either side of a grid of ground poles. “Oh excellent!” the horse trainer in me thought. “I can school Dorado through the standards and over the poles, and show him there’s nothing to be scared of!” After hopping on and warming up, I put my plan into action.

Dorado was as brave that day as I’ve ever seen him. He was clearly nervous about walking and trotting through the scary fallen standards, but he marched along honestly without any indication he’d try to spin and bolt away from his fears

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Written by:

Erica Larson, former news editor for The Horse, holds a degree in journalism with an external specialty in equine science from Michigan State University in East Lansing. A Massachusetts native, she grew up in the saddle and has dabbled in a variety of disciplines including foxhunting, saddle seat, and mounted games. Currently, Erica competes in eventing with her OTTB, Dorado.

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