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December 30, 2018: The State of the Barn Address, Continued

Raudi spoke yesterday about the state of the barn, focusing on her favorite subject, food. I asked her today if she wanted to also talk about horsey home schooling, but she said no, that the subject matter didn’t interest her. She said no offense, but school talk is dull and boring. Not so Tyra and Hrimmi who both said that this was an area in which they were both well versed and therefore wanted to elaborate on. So I took notes as they conversed with one another.

Hrimfara: Tyra, we’re on.
Tyra: We’re on what?
H: It’s just an expression, it means that we get a chance to have our ideas relayed to a larger audience.
T: Audience of horses?
H: No silly, to readers of Alys’s dispatch.

Alys on bridge in Idaho - 2013
Alys on bridge in Idaho - 2013

T: Oh that.
H: It’s a good thing. Alys is constantly talking with her peers about how wonderful we all are.
T: She should put her energies into giving us more praise.
H: I think she’s doing just fine in this area. She told you repeatedly how proud of you she was, you getting first place in agility now for three of the past four months and second place once.
T: That’s true. I really like agility because of all the attention I get.
H: I like it because it’s like a puzzle. I enjoy figuring out what it is I’m expected to do.
T: And getting rewarded for this?
H: Yes, and getting rewarded for this.
T: What do you think about what Alys has been telling everyone, that horsey homeschooling is about education rather than training?
H: I think that she’s on to something, but that she needs to further make the distinctions between education and training.
T: Education being?
H: Presenting a concept to the student and involving the student in carrying out the related task.
T: And training?
H: Training involves teaching a skill. It’s more rote than homeschooling.
T: And so, what word best pertains to what she was doing this past year when she was attempting to teach us to turn on the haunches and forehand?
H: That was training. We had no say in the matter. We simply had to move our front feet or our rear feet, after being given a discernable cue.
T: I think Alys knew this, but she was at a loss about we might do these maneuvers differently.
H: She was on the right track when she used the target stick.
T: And she did reward us when we figured out what she wanted.
H: I think she’s still thinking about how she can make this an educational activity.
T: Maybe we should focus more on the educational related successes.
H: I agree.
T: I figured out how to touch my rear foot when asked.
H: And I figured out how to back through the curtain.
T: And I figured out how to walk behind Alys through the S bend.
H: And I figured out how to have Alys walk behind me when going through the S Bend.
T: It was obviously a very good year in terms of Alys’s educational goals and objectives.
H: Do you think she has any goals and objectives for this upcoming year?
T: Not yet. But I suspect that they will be related to the summer plans.
H: Yes, we are going on a lengthy trip with Alys and Pete.
T: You mean they’re going to ride us?
H: You and Raudi will be the riding horses and I’ll be the pack horse.
T: Goodness.
H: The best part is this: Raudi told me that every morning, while out on the trail, Alys feeds her trail horses oatmeal off her breakfast spoon.
T: That’s like dying and going to heaven.
H: Darn right.
T: Something big then, to look forward to.
H: Bring it on sister.
T: Yes, bring it on.

Next: 365. 12/31/18: Eleanor’s Christmas Oyster Stuffing

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