monday musings by shyloh #27

The Haffie, the Panther, and the Tattle-tale

A story by Shyloh

Once upon a time, in a land far far away from civilization there lived a Happy Haffie. She got to hang out with her horse friends, eat grass, and just be Horsey. She was a Good Haffie, too. . .at least as far as Haffie's go. So far she had only broken one fence and dumped her two legger only once. . . okay, twice. But when a Panther is growling behind her, the only logical thing to do is run. Fast.

This particular Haffie was exceedingly Smart and Beautiful with a Golden Flowing mane and tail (just like me!) and she was doing some driving drills in the dreaded indoor arena. She watched as the Big Black Percheron pulled the non mountain lion toboggan around the arena. The Haffie then followed the Big Black Percheron, went next to the Big Black Percheron, and went in front of the Big Black Percheron. And all was good with the Haffie.

If the Haffie did get scared, she froze. This particular Haffie is not a Bolter. . .usually.  Then the harness and blinders went on the Haffie. My how cute this Haffie looked, if I do say so myself. The Two Leggers repeated the exercise, but this Haffie was now being driven and not led. The only time she got scared was when they passed the toboggan and it was dragging behind her. But she froze, let it pass, and then was able to walk on with the toboggan behind her. And all was good with the Haffie. 

Now here is the beginning of the scary part, so be prepared. The Big Black Percheron went away to an unknown land (or just out of the arena). The Brave Little Haffie walked right up to the toboggan and let the Two Leggers attach it to her harness. She is such a Hero! She lined right up and pulled that sled with minimal Scaredy-Cat Behaviors.

Each time the Brave Little Haffie felt overwhelmed or scared, she stopped. This resulted in her  Two Legger procuring a sorry excuse for a driving whip (which was really a lunge whip). Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap and the Stubborn Haffie walked on. All was good with the Haffie.

The Amazingly Brilliant Haffie was doing so well at pulling the sled (perhaps she had done this before?) that the  Two Leggers  made the executive decision that she could pull one of them. So as the Two Legger went to sit on the steps of the seat of the toboggan, a Panther growled from behind her!

Now, keep in mind with the blinders on this Frightened Haffie could not see behind her. She only heard the Panther growl, surely ready for attack. This Haffie did the only thing she could think of to save bother herself and her  Two Legger. . .she ran. Lickity-Split. See ya, wouldn't want to be ya! Unfortunately, the  Two Legger tumbled right off the back of the toboggan. The Speeding Haffie did not realize it until she was three times around the arena with sled attached that she had out run the Panther! She finally stopped, all out of breath, certain that her Lightening Quick Speed had gotten both her and her Passenger to safety from the evil attack of the Panther.

But wait. . .if the Two Legger was standing in front her her, who was on the sled? No one? Uh oh. . .Only one good thing could come of this. Maybe the Two Legger was now scared and the Huffing Haffie could be done working?

No such luck. The Hard Working Haffie had to keep working and pulling that toboggan. But one good thing did come of the extra work. . .the Tattle-tale. The Tattle-tale got behind the Haffie and made her drive. The Tattle-tale was good and actually knew what she was doing. She used words that the Haffie understood, like gee and haw. Then the Tattle-tale told the Haffie's  Two Legger that she knew what she was doing more than they thought she did. The Secret was revealed! This Haffie could no longer play lazy and do what she wanted to mess with her Two Legger. The Tattle-tale Told! But this Haffie was grateful for the Tattle-tale telling her Two Legger that she needed to have more contact with the bit and not be so bouncy in her Haffie mouth. And now her Two Legger knows that she needs to be the one doing a lot more learning, at least in this Learn-ed Haffie's book.

The moral of the story. . .The Two Legger needs to work on her balance. And toboggans really can turn into Panthers then back into toboggans within three laps of the arena.

The End

Disclaimer: This may or may not have really happened. Okay it did happen. But I did learn a lesson. . .bolting still makes me do work. So maybe I won't do it anymore. 

~Shyloh