Millie has a little ride

Millie has been spending a bit more time with me with Alfie recently and I think has taken a shine to him. She enjoys helping me groom him and often asks to sit on him. She had been asking for a ride on his new western saddle so I relented! Alfie was very good and listened to everything she told him, even though he could probably hardly feel her up there. We only walked but he stopped, turned and backed up when she asked - the beauty of a western trained pony!!

A little walk

On Monday, Alfie and I went for a walk for 20 mins down the lane. It has been on my mind for a while that I want to take him out as I think it will vary his 'work' a little (if you can call it that), build up a bit more fitness, be good for us both confidence-wise as I did a lot of walking out in hand before he was backed and also I thought it wouldn't be such a shock to him this Saturday when we go to horse agility if he had seen a bit of the world outside his field!
I first worked him on some groundwork in the field, just moving his feet around, out of my space, lining up to the fence etc etc - going over what we have done the past few weeks. He lined up at the fence much better this time and didn't mind at all if I sat on the fence above him and swung the rope around over his head.
Then (no laughing!!!!) I walked him round the field with the long rope trailing alongside him either side. He was watching it to start with but didn't really spook. Just wasn't sure what was following him. I did this until he was switched off from it (didn't take long), then I tied a branch to it - just a thin one for the first time, and walked him with the branch dragging along near his back legs. Again he was fine and switched off from it. I would like to build up to doing this with something bigger dragging behind him, but small steps.
He was so quiet and lovely and relaxed that I decided that was the day to go for a walk. The only trouble with our field (much as I love it) is that whichever way I go, I have to do half a mile or so on the fairly busy road first. Anyway, in for a penny in for a pound so off we went down the road to the nearest quiet lane, then down the lane, quick stop for a snack of yummy green grass, then back again.
He was very good. On his toes and looking around but not in a silly way. He shouted a bit to Olivia to start with but settled down and didn't bother too much when two horses came racing up the other side of the hedge to him. A motorbike even came towards us not long after coming out of the field and he didn't bother. The only thing he didn't like much was a motorbike coming behind us on the way back. That caused some jogging and head throwing around when I made him slow down again.
It was good and I will do it some more over the coming weeks. I was a bit worried whether my arm would be strong enough if I needed to really take control of him, so I felt a bit panicky just after we set off. Kind of like I was out on the road and I wasn't 100% sure I could control my horse if I needed to, but now I was out so I would have to! Hard to explain really. After breathing deeply and thinking positive thoughts, I decided I had to trust myself and my lovely pony. He is responsive to groundwork and has always taken quite a lot of confidence from me on the ground. Some people say they feel safer on board, but on the road, I don't.
I can't wait to get out and go across the common and maybe even load him up with a picnic and go up on to the hills! I will get out with my horse even if I can't ride him!!!

Alfie being nosey!!

Snack stop! Such hard work this walking.

First sit on my pony for 8 months!!

Haven't felt much like doing anything all week as had tonsilitis and just felt generally lacking energy but today, I thought I would make the effort as the sun came out. I took my saddle down (only comes out on nice days at the moment!!) and Pete came with me. I didn't say anything to start with but I knew that today I wanted to have a sit on Alfie.
I did some groundwork first and he was great (apart from wanting to check what was in my pocket - must stop treats when working I think, although it does encourage very quick responses when he thinks he is going to get something to eat). He did lead past, hindquarters disengage, change direction, all remembered from the other week and was even better than then. Always find that with him - sometimes some 'thinking' time makes him good at something he has previously struggled with.
Things were good so I took him in the little paddock with the mounting block and got Pete to hold him whilst I got on him. I wasn't nervous about getting on him, but I felt VERY vulnerable once I was up there.

I think some of it was the combination of not having been up there for such a long time and only having a halter on him. One of Alfie's little quirks (maybe his age?) is that if something worries him, he will jump a bit and if the thing doesn't go away then he just panics and gets in more of a tizz. This didn't really bother me before but I guess feeling vulnerable generally, that was very much on my mind. What was going to spook him in the little paddock standing still I don't know!!!

He showed this last Sunday when I walked him on to a huge piece of plastic which Pete had laid out to dry. He walked on OK, then once he got into the middle (his choice!) he wanted to get off, but of course everywhere he walked, it made a scrunching noise so in the end he was spinning round in a big panic not knowing where to go and I just had to let go of him. I did get him back on in a sensible manner, but that kind of shows his nature a bit.

So, I guess all this is a confidence issue and only to be expected. Also he very much picks up on me and my feelings. He was really fine with me getting on and was quite sweet really. It must have felt so strange to him and he kept looking around with a definite feeling of mild surprise! But cos I was feeling a bit edgy, if I wriggled too much or moved my feet around, his head came up and he was definitely wondering what I was about to do.



Its OK Alf, it's only mum!

Having said that, he does look fairly relaxed on these pics!! The good bit was that our saddle was VERY comfy - I hope it is for him too! I could have sat there all day. It is funny, I am glad I did it. I really really wanted to, but also its a bit of a non-event as I can't do it again really now for another few months. I suppose if I was one of these supremely confident people, I would just go and ride and darn well make sure I didn't come off, but I'm not, so I will just have to keep my feet on the ground for a while longer.
What did I learn today from sitting on Alfie? That I need to build up a bit more strength in my arm still - I could really feel it when I leant on it a bit to get off; that when I do start to ride again I need to breathe and relax and think positive things  and have someone with me; that in an ideal world, maybe I need to think about someone riding him for me first then me hop on at the end.
In the meantime, I need to desensitise him plenty for both my confidence and his. When I was working with him on the ground with his saddle on, the end of my rope banged on his wooden stirrup and made a strange noise and he was worried about that. So I stopped him, shook his stirrups, banged them about, flicked the rope on them...etc etc.. until he stood quietly and realised it wasn't an Alfie-eating monster!

Groundwork in the sun

Yesterday for the first time in a long time I was really excited to get down the field and do some work with Alfie. It was a beautiful sunny day and felt like a good day to get a bit more serious.
Originally I had in my head that once I  had the all clear on the x-ray of my arm, I would start groundwork in earnest, but it hasn't really worked like that. I have done bits and pieces over the past few weeks as the weather has allowed and actually I realised the x-ray showing the bone had healed was a good psychological 'tick' for me, but doesn't really change anything, I still have to be extremely careful. So, working with Alfie has kind of crept up slowly.
However, today did feel like spring was in the air, the field was dryer, and was the start of some renewed enthusiasm on both our parts.
I also found a book by Marty Marten on Western training which starts with lots of really logical groundwork and which I worked through with Alfie before backing him, so I have decided to work through that again. It gives me a bit of focus in our training and the exercises are really meaningful and I can see how they help later on when riding again. They concentrate on respecting space, flexibility in the horse and moving his feet from the slightest pressure/body language. When done well its like dancing and feels amazing (need to work to get that good though! Not quite there yet!!).
Today I chose 3 to work on. First was disengaging the hindquarters, which Alfie remembered well and was quick to do with no contact at all on the rope halter. The second was moving his front quarters across and leading past me then continuing on a small circle around me, like a mini lunge. This he did eventually but it took him a while to work out what I wanted and I had to put quite a bit of pressure on him, swinging the end of the rope towards him which made him really grumpy, but he slowly remembered. It was interesting to note he found this easier and picked it up quicker on the right rein. He was also more rounded on this rein. He seemed to be stiffer to the left and was also walking into me with his shoulder more rather than stepping out around me.
It was also a reminder of something I realised a few months ago after thinking about his reactions to various things - if he doesn't understand and I am putting too much pressure on, whether that is physical pressure with a rope or pressure with my body language, he gets really pushy and grumpy, ears back etc and forgets his manners. Before, I thought this was just him being arsy about working, but he was doing it today when he wasn't quite understanding. I took a moment to think how I could make this clearer to him by guiding him more with the rope and also my body language and also backing off the pressure as soon as he took even half a step in the right direction. This really worked for him. He had space to work it out and then was really happy to do it. In fact, we put it all together in the end and did lead past me out on to a circle, then disengage his hindquarters to stop, then move his forehand across in front of me and lead past me going in the other direction, all in one fluid movement and without any pulling on the halter, just me putting myself in the right place.
He was happy to work and so cuddly when he knew he was doing things right. Really seemed pleased to be pleasing me which was lovely. He stood with me for ages having a fuss.
It was funny when I first put my hat on (being safety conscious today with hat and gloves). He couldn't work it out and kept sniffing it all the time - I suppose it is a long long time since he has seen me wearing that!!
Felt good today to be working together.

leading past and out on to a circle. Working well so no pressure on him at all.

Not quite understanding so blocking me completely with a grumpy face!

And happy and relaxed again. Check out the listening ear!

Bananas!

Today Pete, Millie and I spent a lovely few hours at the field in the sunshine doing some bits and pieces that needed doing - closely watched by Alfie of course. Can't do anything down there without a big Alfie face close by. That is part of what I love about haflingers - so love being with people. The other two horses don't bother but Alfie follows you round!
We had a snack and cup of hot choccy break and he just stood there, hanging over the gate. Was very cute. Until he and I had a slight misunderstanding about whose banana I was eating. I, of course, was sure it was mine. He had other ideas........

May as well eat the skin as well Alfie........make a proper job of the theft!!!!



Cold days

Well having done a few bits of groundwork with Alfie over the last few weeks, I really want to start doing something more regularly but apart from having had a VERY busy week this week with no time to do much more than give the horses their evening hay and some carrots for Alfie, the weather is COLD. Too cold to be condusive to getting some poles out and really getting down to some work. Am thinking once we are more switched on again with the groundwork, I can take him out for some walks on the common as long as I am careful.
Other good news - have the all clear on my arm as far as healing goes - YIPPEE! Only took 7 months! Have to be careful not to fall on it for the next 5 months so no riding, skydiving or bungee jumping or skiing.......!!! At first I thought this was ages to wait, but I have already had 7 months without riding, so 5 is nothing. It doesn't change much what I can and can't do at the moment, but at least the breaks have healed over which is a relief.
Am happy to do some groundwork with Alfie now, just got to be extra careful around him and not to get tangled up in any lunge lines!
Roll on milder spring weather....