Dynamite
She eyes me
and I light the match
she’s off like a rocket
Wild thing
but I’m enjoying her fireworks
Her energy fades
so I let her in
turn around, walk away
my dynamite
08/19/01
with a suspicious countenance
keeping one ear locked on my form
she’s loaded
a barrel of a gun
a coiled spring
I can see the energy ripple over her
haunches tight, limbs light
she’s dynamite
racing some imaginary ghost
and determined to win
hooves pounding, dirt flying
nearly out of control
but not quite
she’s enjoying herself
nares flared, tail flagged
she tries to get the upper hand
eyes flashing with defiance
but I cut her off
and she has no choice
she snorts, bucks
pours on the speed
as if to intimidate me
the sparks fly slower
she’s had her share of dynamite
she releases mighty blows of breath
as the dust settles around her
and she looks to me
the glimmer in her eye
lacking that defiance
let her come to me
if she really wants it
and she does
for now, the dynamite is quiet
she asks for that acceptance, gently
following me as if I were
to lead her to peace
she’s my dynamite now
this time around
perfect
This is simply a recount of a "good day" with Dice in the round-pen. I sometimes practice a "free-lunging" method, which is used to establish dominance over the horse and create a willing partner by using only body language and some verbal commands. (You may have seen Robert Redford do it in The Horse Whisperer; it is also a method that Monty Roberts uses.) It is basically what I've described here--the process when successful.