| Looking for a good, solid performer? Then you may | | | | find the source of some disturbance. |
| be looking for a Tai Yin temperament horse. | | | | Getting to know him, appreciate and respect him for |
| According to the Five Element Temperament Typing | | | | who he is has made a huge difference in our |
| system developed by Dr. Madalyn Ward (called Horse | | | | relationship. He likes me now, and I like him too, even |
| Harmony), the Tai Yin horse is a solid performer, not | | | | when getting him out of 1st gear is tough. He is not |
| flashy, but very dependable. That makes the Tai Yin | | | | a horse you can pull out of the pasture, take to a |
| horse an excellent prospect for beginner or amateur | | | | barrel race, and expect to win. He will get in the |
| horse owners. | | | | trailer, but that's about it for effort. But when I have |
| Two Bits: A Tai Yin Case Study | | | | put in the training time, he can find another gear that |
| I found and bought a Tai Yin horse several years | | | | I never see at home. |
| ago, and didn't realize what a treasure I had at the | | | | He is who he is, and to ask him to act and perform |
| time. | | | | like my other horses just didn't work. We have |
| Two Bits is my Tai Yin horse. He is a consistent hard | | | | developed a trust and bond now that just keeps |
| worker, easy keeper, likes order, and will do anything | | | | getting stronger, as long as I keep who he is in mind |
| for a cookie. All of these traits make him a typical Tai | | | | when I ride and interact with him. His trust in me is |
| Yin horse. When I first got him he seemed dull and | | | | paramount for our success, and I am careful to |
| not overly ambitious, but this was before I took the | | | | maintain it. |
| time to get to know him. | | | | Do You Have a Tai Yin Horse? |
| I contemplated selling him a couple of years ago | | | | Does the description of Two Bits sound like your |
| because as a barrel racing horse his career was going | | | | horse? If so, you may have a Tai Yin horse on your |
| nowhere. Then another horse I owned started me | | | | hands. When handled incorrectly, Tai Yins can |
| down the natural horsemanship path, and in the | | | | become stiff, sluggish and unresponsive. However, |
| process I discovered who Two Bits really is. | | | | given a solid routine, tasty food, and respectful |
| While not true for all horses of this type, Two Bits is | | | | treatment, Tai Yin horses can work their hearts out |
| pretty much a one-person horse. I can put other | | | | for their humans. If you have a Tai Yin horse, you |
| people on him for a trail ride, but he is never really | | | | may have a real treasure on your hands. Just be sure |
| happy about it. Respect is huge for him; if he feels | | | | to spend the quality time he needs to fully develop |
| he's not getting it he will shut down and become | | | | into the reliable, steady, and dependable partner he |
| stiff, depressed and out of balance. He lived in that | | | | can be, and you will both be pleased with the |
| state for many years. Food is high on his priority list. | | | | relationship. Knowing your horse's temperament type |
| He is the one in the pasture with his head down | | | | so you can handle hiim correctly can make all the |
| eating while the others are looking around, trying to | | | | difference in the world. |