Getting ready for Hacking

Today we went out for a walk in hand. This is phase 1 of the masterplan 'Getting back to Hacking'.

I dressed Charlie in his work clothes brushing boots, lunge cavesson and lunge line. I figured that he understands that boots and cavesson mean work.
I wore my reflective tabard just in case we got, ahem, separated.
I remembered the advice i had been given and asked him to walk forward with me at or just behind his shoulder. This is where our work in the school came in to play as he understand a hand pointing forward as guidance and an indication of direction rather than dragging forward like a large boat being dragged forward on the end of a rope.

We didn't go far just down the farm track past several dragons and a fire breathing chunk of metal. He was like a favourite Labrador no snorting, no silliness we even trotted in hand, at my request. i thought that if I stuck to the familiar it would keep him in the non anxious zone and maybe me too. There were some humongous puddles at one point I thought I was going to disappear up to my neck.

When we got down to the bottom fields I walked up to the open gate by the main road put on his parking brake ( wait wait) and we stood in the gateway watching lorries and vans fly past at least Too fast miles an hour. Included in this were two, yes two, lorries carrying gigantic clanky noisy skips. Charlie was oblivious to the crashing and banging so we shared some minty treats, I had them in my pocket and he ate them. Then we turned around and meandered back up the track.

I was so happy over the moon in fact no one else seemed as excited as me.

It was a day in for the horses today so I made a lot fuss of him gave him a big breakfast and made him a big fluffy bed.

I was so very pleased with him and he was so relaxed I could have brought him home and made him a cup of tea.

Later in the day we had a session in the school booked and I turned up to a quiet but damp yard in brilliant sunshine.
Our morning success had coloured our day and Charlie worked so well he was amazing. I had some lovely work in walk and trot hardly any head tossing. Tori would be so impressed but I know it won't be as good next lesson but oh Charlie you have so improved.