He’s a “Cribber” is a statement I’ve heard my entire life with horses and it translates in to “that horse has a horrible habit/behavior issue and it makes him/her a liability.  That’s a horse that will ruin the rest of your horses, destroy property and is essentially better off not existing”.

I have to say that as a child I didn’t know what else to believe and never really “bought in” to that belief system entirely.  Now days I have a diferent perception…

We have a “Cribber”.  His story is significant… In a previous life (younger years) he was a show horse and showed at the national level VERY successfully.  He’s been in the Rose Bowl Parade and for a time, everyone who followed his event knew his name.  Pretty cool, right?  Well the stress that went along with that caused him to find a coping mechanism and THAT”S how he began “cribbing”.  All that information, his accomplshments, his perceived misbehavior - is NOT who he is.

I think, quite simply, that we are not what we do.  There’s so much more to each one of us. None of us are our behaviors.  We are not just bipolar, depressed, a single parent, over the hill; we, like this horse, are so much more!  These things that we define ourselves and others by are a drop in the bucket of who each of us are…

Our “Cribber” is actually an amazing being and teacher.  He brings to the table his life experiences, how he dealt with sucess, performed at a high level for others, gave 110% to humans, thrived under stress and found a coping mechanism to help “get through” it all.  When he interacts with clients he brings to the ring an innate knowing, loving and teaching energy that is always in/for their highest good.  He gives us the gift of acceptance of self and an understanding that we are not our behaviors’ we are ALL so much more and have so much more to offer…

By the way, he’s chosen more than any other teaching horse here - not bad for a “Cribber”!

Cathy Huddleston

Meet Beau, a 16 year old Quarter Horse and Master Teacher…