APPRECIATION
Mickey and Minnie came to Kaleidoscope Learning Circle (KLC) in part because the formula for large animals for Birch Run township meant I could only five large animals on my 12.27 acres. Technically, Mick and Min did not qualify as a “large” animal when I first got them as young foals. My philosophy was “it’s better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission”. Because asking meant the township could say “no, I could not have more than five equines”. I later learned from the township supervisor, when I was preparing to sell my property, that their rule about the number of large animals was just a guideline. Their attitude was as long as a resident is a “good neighbor” nobody was going to count noses.
When the two dark furry butterballs arrived from northern Michigan, we released them in the front pasture. There was a small white variegated hut as a shelter for shade or inclement weather. Then partially filled large black stock tank with fresh, cool water.
Putting Mickey and Minnie in the front pasture, divided them from the bigger horses by a slated double gate. This allowed them all to sniff each other safely, bigs on one side, littles on the other, without fear of anyone getting hurt. Tigger neck was long enough that she could drop her huge white head over the top of the gate. Mick and Min would lift their noses up to hers, each enjoying sniffs. The rest of the herd would bend their heads to the side and peak through the slats in the gate to say their hellos.
The “bigs” (Tigger, Charlie, Al, and Tinkerbell) were in the “shoot” or long pasture running alongside of the property. They also had access to the back, where there was a run-in for shelter and an automatic waterer. The shoot and the back were divided by double gates that I painted a bright blue, so we affectionately called it the smurf gate.
Ultimately, we planned to integrate all of the horses one herd. The range of sizes, colors, and personalities would make for easy metaphors relating to diverse work and family groups. Observation is a great first activity in a program sequence. With this range of differences we could create all sorts of engaging questions for EAL participants to ponder. Such as, who in the herd reminds you of an important person in your life? Or if you had to make up a story about this herd, what would be significant to share about their relationships to each other?
After several weeks of living separately, Sara and I decided it was time to merge them into one herd. Integrating horses always scares me. Having grown up as a groom, following orders, I’ve always looked to more experience horse people to guide horse-related decisions. Sara had worked for several different barns, she was very seasoned and experienced in all things horse.
We started by letting the bigs out into their pastures, a normal day for them. Then, instead of putting the littles out front, we let them go into the pasture with the bigs. As expected, there was a lot of running around, bucking, kicking and general chaos. This is normal, until the herd figures out the new pecking order. Their behavior determining who is higher up on the hierarchical ladder.
Tigger, being the lead mare, was moving the least. Her place in the herd was secure. Tink, the youngest on lower on the ladder was the most active. Her bucking and high kicks inspired Al and Charlie to embrace the frenzy. Their energy, transferred to Mickey and Minnie, who were also embracing the chaos by running willy nilly, feet airborne, their bodies twisted and contorted into arcs.
Sara and I held our breath, at the ready with halters in hand, waiting for them to settle down. Then we heard the “kunk”. Al had accidently kicked Minnie in the head. She walked away a little dazed, though appeared to be mostly just shaken up. Sara and I immediately ran towards the herd, deciding that this was not going to work today. We each wrapped a lead rope around a littles’ neck, then with them in tow, moved the bigs through the smurf gate. Whew!
We then assessed whether there was a need for a vet call, determining that we could keep an eye on Minn, as it appeared she hadn’t been kunked on her noggin too badly. Grateful that no one got seriously injured, yet disappointed we’d have to keep them separated. So much for our plan to have one big happy herd! We devised a plan to introduce a couple members of the herd at a time, letting two or three connect rather than one big mixing bowl. We decided that we’d try that at a later date.
It was autumn, so we had our annual gig with Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU) for their Youth Leadership Institute. Roundpen loaded in the trailer the night before, hay bags hung for the horses, and toys for the activity packed, we went into the pasture to grab Charlie and Tigger. That left Tink and Al in the back pasture, while Mickey and Minnie grazed peacefully in the front pasture.
After a full day of rotating groups of youth from Saginaw county and SVSU student volunteers through an EAL activity designed to help increase their self- awareness, appreciate differing leadership styles, and start building healthy relationships, we returned home. Sara backed the trailer up behind the barn.
We jumped out of the truck preparing to back the horses off and let Tigger and Charlie loose with the rest of the bigs. We looked out into the shoot and saw that not only were Tink and Al grazing there, so were Mickey and Minnie! We must not have closed the gate between them securely, so they integrated themselves while were gone. We watched them carefully for several minutes, looking for broken bones, blood, or any sign of distress. Seeing none, we decided to drop Tigg in first, see how that went, then let Charlie join the gang.
Sara threw Charlie into his stall, while I walked Tigg into the pasture. I turned her around, leaving her halter on in case we needed to catch her. She trotted happily up to the rest of the herd who was near the smurf gate in the back. When they saw her coming, they all trotted in her direction, meeting in the middle. Sara and I watched patiently, as they sniffed, sorting themselves out. No bucks or kicks this time. The energy was “okay, I guess we all live together now.”
Now time to let Charlie join the rest. He was our eldest horse, around the age of 10, and had experienced many barns in his lifetime. Sara was his previous owner, so she knew him well. She sold him to me when she bought Tink, which was a great fit for both of us. We mutually agreed that he was effectively on loan, that someday she would buy him back when she was able.
Charlie entered the pasture, ears perked facing forward, trotting up the clump of horses in the middle of the pasture. They greeted him, much the way they welcomed Tigger, with interested sniffs. Shortly after he joined them, they all decided to go into the back pasture where there was more grass.
Sara and I could not have anticipated that we had just witnessed the very beginning of many, many years of magical interactions between this perfect herd of horses and humans seeking increased self-awareness. The diversity of size, personality, age, breed, and gender of these animals was truly unimaginably divine. As was the divine intervention of them mixing themselves together!
Have you ever had a “happy accident” happen that greatly impacted your life?
Is there a situation right now that you wish could change, and can’t see a way for it to be different? What is one action you can take to make this situation better?
When you take that action, how will you know that it has made a positive difference? What is your evidence?