How to Talk to Horses

During her body scan, Debbie noted 3 main issues (lower right side of the back, right hip and left shoulder) that match Chloe’s recent chiropractic chart. Debbie also mentioned that Chloe’s left front foot, for lack of a better phrase, dragged the ground. My farrier came out a week later and confirmed that was a common issue for her.

Knowing that I intended to blog about my conversation, I asked Debbie for something more from Chloe that would let me know she was really talking to her. I wanted to be able to show my husband and any “neigh” sayers that this was for real. I didn’t want anything that could be general to most horses. And this is where I think I let my over humanization of Chloe cloud my judgment.

In reality, I was looking for Debbie to come back with a personal story that only me and Chloe knew about. I basically wanted Chloe to tell me something like you see on a medium show – I wanted her to say, “Remember that time we were on a trail ride and you lost your keys when I spooked at the deer”? However, instead, these are the 3 things Chloe came back with.

1. Her left eye was watering and irritating and really bothering her. Like I previously mentioned, I was at the barn earlier that day. When I went out to give her treats with the kids, I noticed that her left eye (not her right) was really watering (it had the discharge half way down her face).

I had my kids and I just didn’t have time or the ability to deal with it, but I vividly recalled it. However, I still wasn’t too impressed. After all, this wasn’t the smoking gun that I was looking for.

2. She said that her pasture-mate was very stiff and sore in her right hind hock. I have since confirmed this with my trainer and the owner of the mare, but at the time I had no knowledge of it. Again, it wasn’t what I was wanting to hear so I sort of dismissed it.

3. Lastly, Chloe referenced a big barn change. Debbie got the intense feeling that it was a horse that recently left. I had no idea what she meant. The last horse left months ago and I didn’t think