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QUESTION:

Hi Bob -

Will a horse get to know me and my riding style once I start taking lessons -- even if that horse belongs to someone else and gives others lessons also? Will it remember me?

I enjoyed looking at your website. I went on my first horseback riding lesson today. It is encouraging to to see you speak of the Lord on your site and encourage others with His words.

God Bless!

-- H. P.

ANSWER:

Strange you should ask that today! I was chatting with some other horse owners at a show today, and the subject came up of how long and detailed a horse's memory is! I actually made the comment that "even more than an elephant, a horse never forgets." That's a slight over-statement, but not far from the truth. Not only will it recall you and your riding style, in the dark it could probably find you just by remembering your scent.

This is one reason that it's so important to always ride as well as you can... because if you cause pain to the horse, it will also remember that for a long time. You can eventually correct that memory, but it's a lot better to simply do things right in the first place. A potential downside to using a horse that has also given lessons to others is that it may recall a problem caused by someone similar to you and carry that association over to you. I've lost count of the number of horses I've seen or heard of that hate men in cowboy hats because some so-called "cowboy" mis-treated them in the past. (In your favor is the fact that women tend to be much more gentle and leave a favorable impression with horses. When I bought Willy, the former owner warned me that Willy just tolerated men, but really warmed up to teen-aged girls -- because that's who had cared for him at the previous stable!)

God bless you in your riding lessons and as you continue to travel with Him!

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