Horses are easier than people

At least sometimes.

People, especially in the professional arena, have a lot of agendas going on. Those on the surface are relatively easy to discover and work with, but the secret ones? The motivations and insecurities swirling beneath the surface? Those are like sand bars, waiting to snag the keel of your boat and tip you sideways, grounding you in the shallows or worse--trapping you in currents you can't quite ride out and can't quite overcome.

Horses also have agendas, but they are usually much less psychologically motivated and much more straight-forward in nature. Food, safety, fun--not necessarily in that order--at every moment. They aren't easy, no, but once you figure out who your horse is and treat them accordingly, they stay that way. There is no subterfuge. There is no ego (or lack thereof, usually) to direct them to come at you a different way, or pick at that soft spot in your psyche to get their way.

Nope.

Calabar is always Calabar. He will always test me--particularly when we have lapses in his routine--but I know how he will act when it's been three days. I hope for the best, but prepare for the levitation factor and deal with whatever version of himself he presents.

It's possible I should learn to do this with people, too--now there's a thought. Hm.