G.E.B.L.E. Results

Thanks to everyone who played along.

This weekends picture was of my mare Abby and as I was the photographer I had a better insight than last week as to what the emotional frame of mind our subject was. I was really shocked and quite impressed that some of you were able to draw so much from such a simple picture! It was really amazing. Especially this particular comment...

"She seems a little bit alarmed - there's a lot of energy in the walk, her tail's a little up, her head's turned back towards the viewer (keeping an eye on something where the viewer is) and her ears are partway back and attentive - I'm guessing there's something she's a little bit anxious about where the viewer is - but not something she's all out terrified of. She's getting some distance so she can take a better look from a position of safety. Just my guess!"

Wow! That is impressive!

Want to know why?

Because....

The story behind this picture is that I had turned Abby out in a small grass paddock in hopes of getting a few pictures of her galloping around and kicking up her heels. She was happy to be out (being in training she spent the majority of her time in a stall) and took a few minutes to run around like a mad woman before her usual pocket pony attitude kicked back in and I found that I couldn't get a shot of anything but her nose. So I tried driving her off and away from me in hopes of getting a decent shot. She respectfully responded to me and moved off unhappily but just then a bus came whipping around the corner of the road behind me and hit his brakes with an awfully loud squeal. She was taking a few alarmed (but not terrified) steps forward when I took this shot. Her attention was still partly on me and partly on the bus.

Isnt that amazing! Horses are so incredible at expressing themselves with simple body language, dont you think?

This comment also came very close...

- "She looks slightly agitated maybe over alert, her stride is strong and extended and her tail is raised in a display, the lift of her head and ear show her attention is directed rearward but she could be scanning the entire area.

I would guess she is moving away from something and not toward it in interest."

I have to say if I looked at this picture I probably would have guessed, as a few of you did, that she was playing the "catch me if you can" game. (Abby's never heard of the concept....she's an absolute ham and runs to meet you at the gate with a nicker.)

I would have written something very close to what one of you commented with....

-"She looks like she might be trying to get away from someone, playing the "you can't catch me" game. Maybe she's in a hurry to get somewhere, but her ears are tipped back, so it seems like she's walking away from something that she's also listening to."

or

-"I think it's "I'm not interested in being with you." One ear is cocked back and the hindquarters aren't totally aimed at the camera person, but it isn't a full side view either. I was getting this from my mare until we worked together more. A semi polite rejection."

or

-"I think Miss Abby is eager to rejoin her herd! She is politely walking off, as opposed to running, but I expect it was a fairly determined walk!"

- "She looks like she doesn't want anything to do with you, she is walking away, still has an ear cocked towards you, but she seems like she is acting like she doesn't want to be caught. But she is not being mean or running away. Just more like "leave me alone, not now". I actually see this quite often in my horses."

or simply,

-"Ohhh no ya don't...I don't feel like being caught right now! I wanna go over here."

or "Looks like a horse walking away to me:)"

But I can also see this....

- "Abby seems pretty intent on heading out and enjoying some freedom, focused on something out in the distance, even though she knows you're still back there and she's still listening. Although, my guess as to what she's saying is "yeah, right. Like I'm gonna come back to you after you gave me a haircut! I'm NAKED for cryin' out loud! How embarrassing!"

LOL I think she quite liked her hair cut, thank you very much! It was much better than the woolly mammoth look! and yes...

-"She does have a unique body clipped color.... "

FYI- Abby's true color...