After having a bit of a pants ride on Puzzle yesterday (she was not so enthusiastic about my idea of polework and when I raised one of them I got two pony fingers stuck up at me! lol) I decided to give her a day off as she's probs a bit stiff today, thought being as it was quiet at the yard tonight that I would just do some physio stretches with her and maybe introduce Inca to the school (2yr old 3/4 welsh D filly - Puz's daughter). She's been handled pretty much everyday since birth except over a few months last winter when she was left to rough it a little, I figured that being as we walk past the school everyday maybe it was a good idea to venture in?
Well, at first she was very snorty when we came off our usual path and started walking along this funny sort of stuff (sand), then the ground went downhill toward a gate (took a few mins for all legs to be going in quite the same direction)... once we were in I took the headcollar off and let her have a good sniff around and see what she thought of the whole idea.
What made me the proudest was that she was confident enough to leave me and go for a little wander but kept coming back for a little reassurance, not clingy just to be told that it's ok. After a bit I started moving her around the school in walk and trot, which was lovely - so please to see her paces! Then one of the girls had come to sit one of the banks by the gate of the school and Inca really wasn't sure what this monster was that happened to be sitting on a bench! After a few seconds of snorting and doing a colt impression she came up near me and was really asking to come and stand with me, the moment I said oh go on then she came straight up and stuck to my shoulder (with due respect for space) and followed my every move while I showed her that it was only one of the girls, again not overly nervous just seeking my reassurance. Even once we had worked out that it was nothing to be scared of, I walked away to get my lunge whip she just quietly pootled after me.
I was so so so proud that I have managed to get such a bond with her just through basic handling so that she has the confidence to explore things but also, really does see me as a leader that wouldn't put her in harms way.
She has at times really pushed me to the limits of trying me out to see if I will stand by ground re authority and respect of space, and at times I've been so worried that I've been too harsh on her when she's being a terror but today gave me that bit of confidence that I'm doing it right and that she's growing up into a nice little pony
and some pics (have posted these before but hey ho!)
my fav pic of her with my OH
a whole feast of cake, cookies and tea for those that got to the end!!!
Well, at first she was very snorty when we came off our usual path and started walking along this funny sort of stuff (sand), then the ground went downhill toward a gate (took a few mins for all legs to be going in quite the same direction)... once we were in I took the headcollar off and let her have a good sniff around and see what she thought of the whole idea.
What made me the proudest was that she was confident enough to leave me and go for a little wander but kept coming back for a little reassurance, not clingy just to be told that it's ok. After a bit I started moving her around the school in walk and trot, which was lovely - so please to see her paces! Then one of the girls had come to sit one of the banks by the gate of the school and Inca really wasn't sure what this monster was that happened to be sitting on a bench! After a few seconds of snorting and doing a colt impression she came up near me and was really asking to come and stand with me, the moment I said oh go on then she came straight up and stuck to my shoulder (with due respect for space) and followed my every move while I showed her that it was only one of the girls, again not overly nervous just seeking my reassurance. Even once we had worked out that it was nothing to be scared of, I walked away to get my lunge whip she just quietly pootled after me.
I was so so so proud that I have managed to get such a bond with her just through basic handling so that she has the confidence to explore things but also, really does see me as a leader that wouldn't put her in harms way.
She has at times really pushed me to the limits of trying me out to see if I will stand by ground re authority and respect of space, and at times I've been so worried that I've been too harsh on her when she's being a terror but today gave me that bit of confidence that I'm doing it right and that she's growing up into a nice little pony
and some pics (have posted these before but hey ho!)
my fav pic of her with my OH
a whole feast of cake, cookies and tea for those that got to the end!!!
