One Giant Leap

It's silly the little things that can get you excited when you have a horse recuperating from KS.

Charlie has lost his confidence big time hacking out. In fact lost it to the degree that he doesn't. I made a huge mistake at the weekend (yes another ) and asked him to go down the track past the barn........ Just as a few of the horses were being brought in.

He was not a happy bunny at all and neither was I as his reaction was lots of rears and attempts to turn round and go back. Finally he stood and pawed the ground manically.

Having discussed his napping rears at length with Tori and probably the rest of the world once I had got him standing still I dismounted and proceeded to walk him down the track by his shoulder. There were many reasons why I didn't want I do this the main one being it is ankle deep mud and I had just cleaned my leather boots but it is important to work on his confidence and

Interestingly about halfway along the track he suddenly exhaled and relaxed I walked by his shoulder past the dragons and the pit of despair (a broken tractor thingy and a big muck heap with rotting tree-stumps by it) and at the end have him a pat and a hug. I then used a tree-stump by the gate to remount and rode him back to the farm singing 'baa baa black sheep' as we went and trying to dismiss the images of him bolting and bronc ing his way back up the track from my mind. Of course he did nothing of the sort.

Fast forward to today. Now when I work him in the school I am analysing things we work on and considering what moves will be useful to switch off his anxiety when we hack out. The in-hand work is invaluable if I have to dismount as it gives me a toy to play with that he understands so now I have to have the same ideas when on board. That way I can bring in something he recognises and understands to build his confidence I find myself considering wether I can develop a key sound he likes which means hey Hun it's ok.

Anyway to the point One Piddly little hack for normal people one giant leap for me and the Charlie horse. Not only did we ride down the infamous farm track of the weekend we ..... Trotted down it relaxed!
We only went as far as the big barn which in both our opinions was sufficient. We came round the corner to meet our farmer locking down some big bales on his trailer so we stopped had a gossip and a cuddle ( oops me n Charlie not Mr Farmer) fed Charlie a carrot stick I had especially brought in my pocket and then turned around and walked back up the track.

So pleased with us both we will get there yet.