Acceptance

I have downloaded one of Ben Hart's ebooks "Elements of Horsemanship" - and although I am not able to read much, I can do a paragraph a day. So first was Acceptance. I think I will probably blog my thoughts as it helps to write them down.

He says acceptance is not the same as tolerance. Acceptance means you accept the person/animal for who they are, in entirety. Tolerance means you could be suppressing resentment or getting frustrated with them. He ends by saying "when you are with your horse, do you accept them totally or do you accept the good and only tolerate the bad."

Ouch. Hit home for me big style. And there I was all smugness thinking how far I have come. But its true. I was still not accepting Magic and his "OMG there's a dragon" behaviours, I was just tolerating and getting frustrated underneath.

So the last few days I have stuck to our leading, he has had headcollar on (mainly to continue to un-poison in and to associate it with good stuff). We have been for a few walks, just round to the schooling area and home, but we have had no stickiness, he has just walked with me, with floppy forward ish ears. I have to C/T at this point, as if I leave it too long he gets tense and into pose and all tight.... but we are getting better and better, and I ask for head lower if he gets into pose and can't get out.

Then yesterday we ventured into the wood. He got further into the ride than ever before, but then got stuck. So I held out my fist as a target and we got a bit further, but then he got all eyes-on-stalks and wouldn't come any further. So I turned back and as soon as he realised I was coming back to him he walked a bit towards me. Then we turned for home and he was totally with me again. Its the old adage of, "set them free, if they come back they are yours". I really really need to keep setting him free and letting him know there is NO pressure on him to come with me, I only want him to come if it is his free choice.

And he is so much friendlier. Since we have been "chatting" from our NLP, I have been spending more quality time just scritching him, standing and chatting whilst he eats and he seems a lot less up energy that it is all about the clicker. So all good stuff for a Mr Magic.

Meanwhile, when it got really windy yesterday, they all left the yard just as I was going to play with Remus. So, everyone else left, and Remus stood with me in the yard (with no other horses in sight, in fact, two had GALLOPED down the field) and had his rug on from both sides, on fully, and folded back and thrown back on, without moving a muscle (except to reach round and target it - I might regret that if he becomes a serial rug trasher!!). I was very proud mum. I didn't have headcollar on as didn't want to restrain him if he suddenly realised he was alone and needed to leave. He truly is one cool little dude!

Then he was a bit close to the fence, so I started to teach him to move over - hand on shoulder, move away C/T, hand on hip, move hip away, C/T. He got it in about 2 clicks, oh how easy it is when we haven't poisoned every darn thing!!!

And today, although I did no work with any of them, I realised that having felt like I had loads I needed to teach Remus early on, I now have hardly anything....

Rugs - check

Feet - check

Poulticing - check

Leading - check

Ok alone - check

Grooming - check

No mugging - check

Moving away from hand pressure - check

:-)

Then yesterday, Merlot and I also went for a walk. We went all the way into the wood, past a few turns for home and although he got a bit sticky, he still came (again, headcollar on but no leadrope, just hand target if he didn't move off when I did).

Then we turned for home and he walked off ahead of me in a bit of a tense, ooh, something scary behind me way. So I let him go, called him, which got a look around, but not a return. So I walked after him and he stopped at the edge of the wood waiting for me and we came home together. Again, I wanted him to have to opportunity to leave, so he realised he actually wanted to stay.

Then of course, last night it was a huge gale and torrential rain. I went out at 10pm and they were all in the field, so gave them some more haylage (unrequired really, but got them into the dry) and checked they were all ok. All 5 unrugged as yet, and even Dan had dry hair under the wet top coat (my benchmark for if a rug is needed). They were all warm, and apart from being a bit on edge (Magic checking my acceptance of his protector status!!) they were happy as pigs in poo.

I honestly think they are managing so much better this year unrugged. I hate it when I hear the wind and rain, but they are warmer and less wet - if I'd have rugged Dan he would have been wet down his neck/shoulders where it ran through inside rug and he would probably have been wet to skin. This way he still had fluffed up a bit so the bottom was dry. Remus's coat, who is the other one I keep a close eye on, is amazing. It goes totally rats tails on top, yet part it and its bone dry just beyond the top. And he's toasty warm.

So here's to leaving rugs off as long as possible!

Then today, I went out at lunchtime and found all FIVE lying down asleep, right next to the bridleway. Even Dan who appears to think if its not a man made bed its not for sleeps. I went and got camera and by the time I got back, Dan had realised his mistake and got up! Sneak!!

So, I accept the weather as well as accepting EVERYTHING about my wonderful boys.