When I first stood eye-to-eye with Canto it was like looking in a mirror.
He was angry, resentful and didn't trust anybody.
I liked him immediately.
He'd won a few races but apparently hadn't made his owners enough money so they cut him loose. By the time I met him he'd injured a couple of riders, was hell to handle with an aversion to being touched, and the smart money said to put him down.
Fortunately, some people aren't that smart.
The key with Canto was not to demand anything of him, to let him take whatever time he needed to take to figure out that you were all right. There's no way you can "make" somebody trust you. All you can do is be trustworthy and they'll either see it or not. To be trustworthy means you're honest and considerate, you never break your word and you're not just "acting" trustworthy as a means to an end. That might work with people, but horses aren't stupid and they see right through that.
I told Canto that I thought he was an exceptional horse, all right. And I'd love it if he, one day, decided he wanted me to be his rider. I was pretty sure we could have some great times together. But if that day never came, that was all right, too. Because I liked him and appreciated him not for what he could do for me, but for his own nature.
One afternoon I was working around the barn and he approached me and asked if I'd mind scratching his ears a little. I told him I wouldn't mind at all.
It doesn't get much better than that.
We Will Ride is for Canto.
It's on the new CD Many Ponies. Marie Burns sings a duet with me on it.
WE WILL RIDE
I know I may never be worthy of you,
Earn your trust and affection. I swear if I do
I’ll show you how good love can be when it’s true
And we’ll ride.
I know you’ve got many good reasons to fear
And it’s best to be cautious, allow no one near
But I’m not one of them and I will make that clear
And we’ll ride
I know that freedom still burns in your brain
Born with a spirit no bit can restrain
With me laughing madly the wind in your mane
One day I know we will ride
And when we look back on our long time of doubt
We will raise up our voices we’ll sing and we’ll shout
And be glad for the joy that we finally sought out
And we’ll ride
We will ride....
8 comments:
SJ - Lock in those lyrics.... great song.
Lori
Thanks, Lori.
sj
Lori recommended that I visit you. Such a great blog you have. Canto is well-named. You can't push a canto into its structured self. You have to wiggle it in there gently.
Thank you, San. I'm glad you like it.
I envy your artistic ability.
sj
SJ...glad to see that you heard from San. One day she was handing out awards and said no men were on her list. I told her to read your blog as you would qualify.
She is another one of those great writers...I feel fortunate to have discovered so many of you.
Isn't this a much better experience than you could have imagined? Check out my new link to Africa. VERY INTERESTING. Lynda has your passion for animals.
Lori
What truly burns me up is how we (Amercians? Humans?) have prostrated ourselves at the altar of commerce. I am not SUPRISED (we were founded by a group of business men, after all), but I am disappointed. If it doesn't earn, it burns, and we burn a lot. Not to mention all the cruelty and greed we excuse under the protective umbrella of "business," as if the single-minded pursuit of wealth were a holy quest excusing all sin.
I rant.
Nice post and lyrics. I look forward to the music.
You're right about trust, as well.
It's a beautiful story.
The words of your song are very beautiful too.
Merci, mon ami, portraits de chevaux.
sj
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