As many of you know, we have addressed the topic of “connection” between horse and handler for years now. Yes, it has evolved over the years, but it is something, to some degree, that I have always done with horses since I was a child. Although I didn’t call it such, my awareness about “connection” started many years ago after an observer asked me, “Why do you blow at your horse?” As with many trainers who have worked with horses their whole lives, I had no idea why I did it. I just did it. And frankly, at the time, I was a little embarrassed that someone noticed that I did it. Since I’m a former Marine and grew up a cowgirl, you can only imagine how it might have seemed a little too “touchy feely” for me. But blowing at my horses was such a part of me, as a horseman, I kept doing it. And after some time of thinking, I concluded that I did it because horses really responded to it and liked it. And I could have simply left it at that. Right?
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