I've been feeling really anxious about the trimmer coming today. We don't know her - she's standing in for my trimmer while he's away - and I was worried about Charlie not coping.
But she was absolutely lovely. She says she likes looking after babies, because she feels that if she is kind and firm and gets them to be happy having their feet trimmed, she will have made them happier, healthier horses for the whole of their lives. And she was lovely with Charlie. He really liked her, and she was very quick to praise him and reassure him whenever he did anything good - but she never let go of his foot until he was standing still, however much he flailed or hopped about. I stayed out of the way at the front, managing his head collar and helping him with the hay net.
I expected the backs to be harder than the fronts, but in fact it was the opposite. She gave him a 5 minute think break between fronts, which she did first, and backs, and when she started on the backs he seemed to say, "Oh, OK, I know what's expected." He was a bit wild on the right hand side (his less balanced, weaker side) but really not half bad, and he now has nice, neat feet again. I am so relieved!
Also a nice thing happened. At one point I had to go out to fetch the poo scoop, all of 25metres away. When I got back the trimmer said, "He was really anxious when you were gone. He was looking for you to come back, and when you did he relaxed. He obviously trusts you to keep him safe." I was so touched!
But she was absolutely lovely. She says she likes looking after babies, because she feels that if she is kind and firm and gets them to be happy having their feet trimmed, she will have made them happier, healthier horses for the whole of their lives. And she was lovely with Charlie. He really liked her, and she was very quick to praise him and reassure him whenever he did anything good - but she never let go of his foot until he was standing still, however much he flailed or hopped about. I stayed out of the way at the front, managing his head collar and helping him with the hay net.
I expected the backs to be harder than the fronts, but in fact it was the opposite. She gave him a 5 minute think break between fronts, which she did first, and backs, and when she started on the backs he seemed to say, "Oh, OK, I know what's expected." He was a bit wild on the right hand side (his less balanced, weaker side) but really not half bad, and he now has nice, neat feet again. I am so relieved!
Also a nice thing happened. At one point I had to go out to fetch the poo scoop, all of 25metres away. When I got back the trimmer said, "He was really anxious when you were gone. He was looking for you to come back, and when you did he relaxed. He obviously trusts you to keep him safe." I was so touched!
