Terry Golson

and through the snow… the horse knows the way… I’m fortunate to keep Tonka at a stable with an indoor so that I can ride all winter. But, oh, Tonka and I get so tired of those four walls! In the last week it has been bitterly cold, the winds have […]

And Through the Snow…

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Hey, Tonka, let’s take a selfie. Hmm, maybe not so close to the camera.   It’d help if you didn’t lean quite so much on me.   Maybe I could get into the photo, too?     I guess this will do. 

Selfie With Horse

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When Tonka and I are in sync, he’s flowing with energy and cadence, and I can talk to him with a the most subtle of body language, like by relaxing a ring finger, or by changing where I look.   But it’s not always pretty. What matters is what you do […]

It’s Not Him, It’s Me

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This time of year there’s freeze and thaw, snow and rain. When the ground softens, many horses look like this:   Not Tonka. On the same day that Zephyr coated himself in mud, Tonka came out of the paddock his pristine, shiny self. Tonka does love a good roll. But it has to […]

Mud-loving or Not

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I sit on the floor of my horse’s stall. I watch him wiggle his lips in the hay. I hear him chew. His breath is relaxed and calm. So is mine. There’s no need to meditate when you have a horse.

Sitting With My Horse

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Anyone who’s been around me at the stable knows that I’m obsessive about grooming my horse. I take pride in seeing a shiny coat and I enjoy the bonding and communication that happens during those long sessions of brushing.   But I also love seeing a tail filled with shavings because this tells me that […]

Shavings in the Tail

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Take your dog to a trainer and one of the behaviors that they’ll teach you is how to get your pet to come when called. A good trainer will teach you the reliable recall, one that your dog listens to despite distractions, like bicycles zipping by, or a piece of hamburger on the […]

The Reliable Recall, with a Horse

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Hello, Tonka, what’s on your mind?   Peppermints.   Anything else? Nope. Just peppermints.   There’s still grass in the paddock. Why don’t you go graze? Nope. I’d rather have peppermints.   You got your peppermints during a riding workout. How about a hug instead? That’ll do.   note: that thing […]

A Conversation With Tonka

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