It’s just a block of wood.  It’s just a lump of clay.  It’s just a chunk of granite.  But to a wood-carver, a potter, a sculpture, it’s so much more.  They look at a block of wood and see things in it you and I could never imagine.  I’ve seen people with chain saws attack a block of wood and make beautiful creations out of it.  A lump of clay can become a beautiful piece of pottery.  And a piece of granite can become a beautiful statue.  They say that the creation was always in there just waiting to come out.

According to the Bible man was formed from the dirt (clay) of the earth and on most days horse people still look like that.  Many years ago I heard some one say “Ashes to ashes dust to dust, well there’s someone either coming or going under my bed”  or at least a few dust bunnies rolling around under there.  But really, they don’t eat much and they don’t make any noise.

Now as potters, sculptures, or wood carvers, that’s what I feel like when I look at a foal, green horse or even an older horse.  You have raw material and you look to see what lies beneath the surface as to what you can possibly bring out of this amazing creature.

With the new horse trainers of today it’s starting to look like an assembly line at a factory.  I don’t see the horses being treated as individuals.  It seems to be a one size fits all sort of training.  Follow these steps and you will have the perfect horse.  Well I’ve met a few horses over the years that haven’t read the brochures.  To me each one is different, will react differently, and needs his own special program done in his own time frame.  You can get yourself in a lot of trouble trying to put a square peg in a round hole, or push him through in your time frame not his

I’ve been reading a book titled “Jingle In The Horses” by Jeff Gore.  It’s a wonderful tale about a young boys journey into manhood with an old cowboy as his mentor.  He’s taught to break colts for a cattle drive, among many life lessons along the way.  Many of us horse people have had someone like Buster in our lives, but what amazed me is Buster’s way of breaking these colts and fillies and their typical reactions to the handling and beyond.  He gentle breaks them.  This was so uncommon in the old western ways, even in the 60’s.  You did have trainers like John Lyons emerging and showing that there is a difference.  The book takes place in West Texas in 1968.

The back cover reads – Buster Hogan has spent his whole life around horses, preferring them over most people (we can relate).  After his own childhood was wrought with pain and loss, he finds in a young preacher’s son a friend and a chance to pass on a wealth of knowledge about horses to an eager student.  The journey it takes them on changes their lives and the lives of those around them.  The remuda of horses, life at the wagon for spring branding, and the front porch of the small West Texas Baptist Church parsonage serve as classrooms for the education that is in store for young Charlie Baker. Through it all, it becomes obvious that some friendships last a lifetime, but some last forever.

I know in previous posts I’ve spoken on many of these things.  Gentle breaking,  passing on our knowledge to others, but mostly the friendships that come from our love of horses.

This book is a fast read that holds your attention.  Touches you on many levels.  Bullying, abuse, poverty, unusual friendships, mentors, dreams, and horses.

When you look at your horse, what is really hidden under what you know to be true?  Do you leave it hidden, or like the chainsaw person, do you free it from within and let its true beauty surface?

One last question.  How many of you know about the Jingle in of horses?  I didn’t, but I do now.  Such a simple but smart thing.  One of the many horsey things that have been lost over the years.

So many of the old ways have disappeared, or  are simply forgotten.  I know I’ve misplaced many of the things I was taught or shown.  Did you know that bells were used on horse-drawn sleighs to keep collisions from happening at intersections. (Horse drawn sleighs travel without a sound and are not heard in the snow).  And the Jingling in of horses – a bell was placed on the lead mare in a remuda so you could locate them in the dark. When she was found and led back to camp the other horses would hear it and follow the sound.

Just a little romantic nostalgia.