With 2018 coming to a close it’s time for year end lists. My website service provides me with stats so that I know which posts reached the most people. Can you guess what the top five posts at Cooperative Horse were?
The most read post 2018 was (drum roll please): When To Get Off. I’ve thought a lot about why that one got shared on FaceBook, and then shared again. It reached people that knew nothing about me, but who liked what I had to say in those 1,200 words. The blog resonated with readers because the issue of fear on the trail is something we all face, and I provided a way to handle it that allows you to stop fighting with your horse and yet still get past the scary things and have a good time. It’s a topic that I keep returning to. Crossing a Troll Bridge continues the story. I’ve just updated that post with this video. I no longer have to get off. Look at my confident and willing horse now!
I was surprised to see that the second most read post was Tonka Is Ticked Off. But then it made sense to me. How often do our horses make annoyed faces at us and we don’t know why? This blog provided a horse’s perspective. Once you see that, it’s easy to make changes to make everyone happy.
In third place was Being Calm Is Self-Reinforcing. I think that this resonated with people who want to use food rewards, and/or clicker train, but end up with ticked off, frustrated horses. Your interactions with your horse happen well before you start on the goal behavior, and I believe that they matter the most.
The fourth most read blog was The Girthy Horse. We’ve all had horses that are ouchy, or downright miserable, or dangerous, when you tighten that cinch. I like to think that this post helped tease apart that behavior so that you could find a empathic fix.
In fifth place was my post about my new truck. This might have been my favorite blog of the year because of the comments. My readers are badass women! I love you! (And I love you guys, too, but none of you wrote to me about your trucks 🙂 )
Many of you found my Cooperative Horse blog only recently. I hope you’ll go back and read some of the older pieces. Here are two that I think you’ll enjoy:
I don’t know a horse that doesn’t get anxious being ridden away from a horse friend. I wrote about Tonka and his friend Maggie in Horse Friendship and Riding Issues.
On a lighter note, Tonka took a turn at doing a guest blog in How To Have Fun At A Horse Show (Horse’s Perspective.)
What was your favorite Cooperative Horse blogpost of the year? I’d love to know! What would you like me to write about in 2019? Tonka and I are all ears.
I love reading all your blogs even though I do not have a horse, they must be very helpful to
everyone who has. Jess is no longer able to work with the horses as she was not getting paid and she has had to get a paid weekend job as she is learning to drive and wants to get a car. This was a great shame as she loved being with them, hopefully she will be able to do something with horses later. Hope you all had a great Christmas and best wishes for 2019. Please thank Steve for persevering with the cameras 🙂
I’m sure that Jess will have horses in her life again. Happy New Year!
Oh goodness, I don’t read with a rating sheet in my mind, shuffling around my rankings after each new post! I enjoy ALL your posts, even if some speak to me and MY horse’s relationship more than others. Most of the time I’m nodding along as you write things I know, glad that someone is disseminating the information for others to learn from. Here’s to more of that in 2019!
Thanks, Michelle. There will certainly be more in 2019. Stay tuned! 🙂
I’ve been looking over some of the older posts, and I can’t really say which would be my favorite. The one about your new truck, and the ones about Tonka being afraid of frogs might be some of my favorites. Or maybe it’s about the troll bridge, because I’ve run into many a troll while trail riding. There are a lot of them living on fallen trees near the trails. And there was one where you showed how they score in dressage. I like the ones about dressage, it’s informative to me, because I know so little about it.
Well, I enjoy your comments about the western “gymkhana” you do because I know so little about that!
I love the catch ups with the other animals from time to time. I love the conversations you have with Tonker.
Glad you like those conversations. It’s what powers me 🙂
Selfishly my favorite post is A Walk in the Snow. I revisit that one every once in awhile to relive that moment. Improving the Canter and Canter Jump I liked as well. Then there’s the fact I get to lesson with you and have your insight, guidance and expertise all to myself. For that I am so thankful.
The Balanced Horse post that featured Cider almost made it into the “posts you’ve missed” list. For 2019 let’s plan on a ride with Cider and Tonka – fodder for another blogpost!
Happy New Year Terry to you, your family, your animal family and your readers. x