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.