Random Bits of Learning

I am taking Vaquera to Petsmart classes. There is a shy little poodle in our class. In the second class we went over the manners expected from the dog while on a leash. Vaquera and I did fine, but our little poodle friend (Sophie), um lets say didn't want to participate. She sat down, held her ground. The teacher said drag her she will get up, no one likes to be dragged. She mopped the floor the whole night. The next week she walks normal. The tile floor is one thing on your bottom but a sidewalk and asphalt can teach a lesson.

Lesson: Walk up to what is expected of you, if you don't you might not expect what you get.

I went to Chino Valley to a livestock auction. Yes I put in time looking the animals over. But at one time I watch the people, especially the kids. They ran and played, showed off, and of course got rough. I noticed one young boy kept saying "I need to take this to my dad". The other said okay but you have to come back. He persisted that he come back. He had been treating him a little hard. So the boy ran up to his dad and handed him a little book and a pen. The dad looked at it and put it in his pocket. Said nothing. Just kept on talking to the other man. What I perceived is the young boy used it as a way to get away from the others. The dad was patient and none judging as his son stood next to him.

Lesson: Are we a safe haven at times without judging, or lecturing? Can we accept the way others may get out of a bad situation?

At the above mention auction they had ranch horses for sale. They would describe it as such: rides all day and is still ready to go, can be roped off, will drag um to the fire (branding fire), etc. The horse were shown by one of the owners, mostly men. Did see one woman. What took the cake was they sent out a boy that looked no older than ten. Fine looking horse, was a tad older than the rest but no where ready for retirement. The boy worked his horse like the rest. Fast start, stop on a dime, cuts both ways and then they always send out a calf for you to rope. The boy gets his lasso ready his horse if following in true form and.....what the heck the calf jumped a plywood fence. All you see is the belly clear, the back legs up in the air and thunk. The front body weight pulled the calf over. The announcer said we will release another calf to show you this horse has what it takes. The young man went down to get his next calf, faster that lightning it was an exact reenactment. The announcers apologises to the boy for sending him two bad calves and sends out another. Oh you have got to be kidding. Yep the third follows suit. It is nothing the boy is doing. The first calf found a weak spot and the other two learned it. They brought in a calf farther down the line so as hope it didn't learn the new way to make a gate. Low and behold it was roped and dragged before you could blink.

Lesson: For the boy, don't give up. For the adults, let them keep trying. For those in charge, take the blame don't hand it down.


Just things I see.