# Being "afraid brave"



## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

That's "courage." And I don't consider it boasting to recognize that we have it. 

I'm often afraid when riding or working with horses. But, something keeps me at it.

Good for you. 👏👏👏

cour·age
/ˈkərij/
Learn to pronounce

_noun_

the ability to do something that frightens one.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

That is an insane amount of ice😰😰

You need your own Department of Transportation shed filled to the ceiling with sand.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

walkinthewalk said:


> That is an insane amount of ice😰😰
> 
> You need your own Department of Transportation shed filled to the ceiling with sand.


Yes, yes I do. So does everyone living around here. Luckily, when I got a load of sand for my ring last summer, I filled a large barrel with some and tucked it away in the equipment bay. It's mostly gone  

This has to end soon. It's horrible and just a miracle none of my horses have gotten injured. But keeping them in for weeks on end would be the only alternative, and then, when they are let out, they'd run like banshees. So I let them figure it out and help by spreading sand and soiled bedding in high traffic areas. 

I need an indoor.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

boots said:


> That's "courage." And I don't consider it boasting to recognize that we have it.
> 
> I'm often afraid when riding or working with horses. But, something keeps me at it.
> 
> ...


Oh, I wasn't intending to boast at all. Just observing how far I've come from being scared to deal with any difficult behaviors. Really, it's all due to Rusty being such a sane, quiet horse. Even when he's a handful, I trust him. He's not trying to unseat me, he's just excited. 

I was also thinking of @SteadyOn 's recent post about choking. I think it's important that we share the fact that we all have those moments of fear. And I want to say that sometimes, the most sensible thing to do is dismount. But yesterday, I felt like I could deal with the behavior and chose to stay on, so for me and Rusty, that is a win.


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## younghorsetrainer (5 mo ago)

😱😱🥶🥶🥶 That is soo much ice!! Soooo glad that winter here never never has any snow. The closest thing to snow is frost in the morning and occasionally puddles in the pasture might freeze thinly. 

🥰🥰Rusty is so cute and fluffy!!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

i'm a big advocate for self-congratulating backslapping. If I didn't do it, and share it here, I'd get none at all.


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

AA just shows how far you have come since your "Kodack days" 
You and Rusty are a team and how you handled him shows how much you have worked with him and established mutual trust. Good for you!! you worked through a dicey situation.
I am glad you are letting your horses out as often as you can because with those icy conditions and keeping them in for periods of time is a recipe for disaster. If they are out they do know the footing and ground condition and will be careful they know the ice is there and hopefully won't do anything stupid.
A mare that I worked with since she was three months old, altho' she was not mine but was one of my heart horses, was at someone else's place and they kept the horses in for several days because of bad weather and when they were turned out went dashing off and this mare hit an icy spot under the snow went down and broke her pelvis.
When I had her they went out every day regardless of weather if only for an hour or so and then they are very aware of the footing and tend to not race about.

We don't have ice here right now but rain for many days and mud, MUD MUD!!!


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Thanks @Woodhaven - yes, I'd like to think I've grown a lot as a horse person since Kodak. She taught me a lot too! But we definitely were not a match.

I agree with you about turnout. I know some people can't understand why I would let my horses out on that ice, but there is literally nowhere to turn them out that is not icy right now, and it's been like this for two weeks with no end in sight! We need a good 30 cm of snow that will pack down and provide a good base. But there's nothing more than the occasional dusting in the forecast. Not good at all. I do worry about them, all the time. I put out sand and bedding. But keeping them in for weeks on end without anywhere to put them to stretch their legs for at least a couple of hours a day just isn't an option. And as you say, they know the footing is bad. They know to stick to the sanded areas. In one video, you can see Rusty very carefully picking his way around the ice. I'd rather have them out to see what the footing is like than keep them in for who knows how long. 

This is not normal for us, getting rain in the winter. And this is the mess it produces. I would rather have a two-day blizzard than this for weeks on end! Ugh. 

Not that mud is great either! 

This has convinced my daughter that she needs an indoor in her future lesson barn. Guess where I'll be boarding my horse if that happens and if she remains local!


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

@Acadianartist - I never thought you were boasting. 

Too often courage is mis-defined as fearless. Too often many people don't give themselves credit for having courage.


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

Thanks for sharing, I think it's helpful for all of us horse people to realize we're all afraid brave sometimes. Maybe if everyone knew that every good rider has moments of fear, it wouldn't be so worrisome when it happens to you. It seems so often people are under the impression that there is something wrong with them or they are failing if they are afraid. It's normal! And as we learn and grow, our experiences help us figure out when we really do have the skills to be afraid brave and work through it. And we also learn that there is no shame in deciding something is too much right now. Or saying, I did it but I was scared. But I did it!


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Holy Cow! All that ice makes it look like you moved to Oklahoma! That's what we get instead of snow most of the time. YUCK! And I agree, it's best to let them out to figure it out for themselves and so they can at least 'walk some of the stink off' as my daddy used to say. Yup, I vote for an indoor too. As for Afraid Brave, I wish I had a nickle for all the times I've been scared spitless but had to suck it up and go on anyhow, I'be so rich I wouldn't know what to do with it all. You just have to take a deep breath and "git 'er done". Good job, you and Rusty accomplished a big breakthrough!


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