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Teamwork
The Value of Doing Chores with Your Horse
By Diane Ursu

It rained and rained and rained. The pasture was a horrible muddy mess. The horses sank into the earth with every step. Poor kids.

One night, I went out to the barn to feed them. Inside, there were miniature lakes. I was very upset at the thought of my horses sleeping in water-soaked straw and mud puddles. I took a hoe and began to dig a hole in the back of the barn for drainage (the horses don't hang out there). Dawne, my three-year-old, followed me back there and started investigating the situation. After a few minutes, she was content with what she saw. She just stood there watching me work. If I needed to move her, I'd say, "Walk, Dawne," and she would move.

You're probably thinking, so what?! Well, the important thing is that I was with my horse. All Dawne wants is to be with me. Every time I go outside, she follows me. The moral of the story is that working around the barn gives your horse a chance to be with you. Don't punish them for getting in the way. Let them investigate. This instills in them a sense of trust and love. This is your moment to bond.

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