Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Can't Focus on the Past

So my thought of the day is: You can't focus on the past or you will determine your future."

What that means to me is that if we continually focus on what has happened in the past how can we move forward and create a new future for ourselves, our animals, or others?

I think the same goes for the horses that we rescue everyday here at UAWR. One particular horse comes to my mind. She came to UAWR because she reared over backwards with her owner and I got two stories one was that the owners pelvis was broken when the horse reared over backwards and the other story was that the owner was just very badly bruised and injured. However, after the accident the horse was deemed crazy and was headed to auction. A friend stepped in and said rather then taking her to auction why not donate her to a rescue. She came to us and stayed for a long time because I was honest with prospective adopters and told them what had happened and also explained to them the experiences we had with her and the training she received along with the MAJOR chiropractic work that was done on her neck and back which was the reason she was rearing over backwards. After hearing my whole explanation no one wanted to even ride her. Everyone learned of her past and no longer was interested in helping her to have a NEW future they focus too much on the past and lost out on a really great horse!

But, one day the perfect home came along for her with someone who was willing to look at the future rather then her not so perfect past. She now is living happily ever after and has a wonderful job being spoiled rotten and also Barrel Racing which she LOVES to do. So her adopted mom and her are having the time of their lives together.

So remember those words of thought the next time you are thinking of judging someone or something else.

1 comment:

  1. I believe all things happen for a reason. When something upsetting happens, I keep my "eye on the prize" and try to be patient until the reason becomes clear.

    When horses come "with a history," the truly sensitive person would look for that reason. Pain? Some sort of conditioned response? ??? I have a friend whose daughter rescued a TB off the track. She recently bought a new helmet--a white one--and the TB freaked out. Only when she wears the white helmet. Her regular helmet is a dark color.

    She is working on desensitizing the TB to the white helmet. (She is going through what I call "finding all the buttons" and learning which ones NOT to push and which ones need to be rewired).

    I'm glad the horse you wrote about has found a forever home. The reason for the bad behavior are clear to me--there was a better home waiting for her.

    The key to the problem with horses that have "issues" is being able to get to the bottom of the problem without getting hurt yourself. With my horse, I need patience and the willingness to find the right way to ask him to do what I want. He reared up and flipped over backward twice--never with anyone on his back and always making sure there was no one behind him--but that was HIS way of showing that he was afraid.

    I've had him long enough that he trusts me and even though he may be afraid of something or not sure he can do what I ask, at least he makes the effort.

    Had he ended up with some yeehaw rhinestone cowboy, I doubt he would be alive today.

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