Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year!

I guess this time of year tends to cause you to reflect on years gone by.  It does for me.

When I was young and stupid (now I’m just old and senile), I did some, not so smart things.  Imagine that.  But in my defense, I learned them from the people I grew up with.  They would bring their one pony into their house.  So one New Years Eve I decided I would bring my horse (the one I used for Ski Tow) into the party I was having.  Now she was 16 hands and about 1200 lbs., not quite a pony.  I was feeling the effects of the party, and thought it was a great idea, my mare questioned my sanity at that moment.  The other people had a nice wide stairway leading into their house with very few steps.  Mine had about the same number of steps but it was narrow with a severe drop off to the cellar below right next to it.  Lady came in and was going to go up the steps, looked at the drop, looked at me, and said   “I don’t think so.”  I asked a couple of times, and she didn’t think it was a good idea.  Knowing that she was always right, I brought her back to the barn.  Now this mare used to escape out of the pasture, at the barn she was originally kept, by climbing up the steps to the porch, walking around to the front and going off the other way, so steps were not the problem.  But my bad judgement was.  No one at the party was upset or surprised when I said I was going out to get my horse, and no one was surprised that the horse had enough brains not to do it.  They knew she hadn’t been drinking, although she loved a soda now and then.

If a horse questions what you are asking of them, go over it in your head first.  They just may be right, but if they are not, take the leadership attitude, and press on.

Have a wonderful, safe New Years, and keep those resolutions realistic, and within your actual reach.