“I wouldn’t go too fast with her,” I say as he walks toward Ulysse. “She’s very sensitive. If you cross her boundaries, she’ll tell you. Clearly.”

He nods, half-listening. “I just want to stroke her,” he says with a smile, already moving forward. His energy is big. His steps are firm and direct. He means well, of course. He’s trying to connect.

He’s there before I can prevent what’s happening: Ulysse tenses, pins her ears, turns away sharply, and bam, in a split second she lashes out with her hind leg.

Luckely he was not too close yet, just close enough for him to feel the hoof brush his belly. Enough to be shocked.
His eyes go wide. “What?! She just kicked me?! What a nasty horse! You really should fix that. She needs to be taught to not do that!”

I breathe in, and gently say:
“No, she doesn’t. She just told you something. And you didn’t listen.”

He looks at me, confused. But I’ve seen this before.

This isn’t aggression. This isn’t bad behavior. This is communication. This is a boundary.

Ulysse is what many people would call “a sour mare”.  While she is actually a super sensitive mare. She values her space. She wants to feel you before she lets you touch her. She needs presence, softness, respect.

And when those aren’t offered, she’ll let you know. Not because she’s being “bad”, but because she takes the right to speak up for herself.

I told him that Ulysse has never done this with me. Because I ask.

I come closer slowly. I speak with my body. I wait for her to soften. When she says no, I stop and stay still. I give her time. And more often than not, when I do, she changes her mind. She invites me in. Or she walks up to me herself.

Not because I demand it, but because we are in communication. Because she feels safe enough to say “yes.” She feels respected and seen.

So many people look at horses and see problems to solve. But what if your horse doesn’t need to be fixed? What if they just need to be understood?

That’s the question I explore in this week’s podcast episode - Why Your Horse Doesn't Need To Be Fixed

In this episode, I share the deeper message I wish every horse owner could carry in their heart:

Enjoy!

With love,
-- Karine ♡