A big step

Ignore the filming! Millie was in charge of the camera, but I needed to film our starting point to record the rest of our journey. I also did a bit of jog and trot after this. Alfie was so good. It sounds funny, but it was just like he breathed a sigh of relief once I got on. He seemed so happy and relaxed, like it was only yesterday we had our last ride. I felt like he was feeling safe and secure doing something which was so familiar. It is hard to explain, but there was no surprise from him, no antsy-ness, no silly things because he hasn't been ridden for so long (9 months to be exact), he was just soft and listening and doing everything I asked immediately. He felt like a happy horse.
As for me, well I thought I would be so nervous, but it felt right to get on. I lunged him first but he was so soft and calm, I just got on. When I sat up there and picked up the reins, it felt so familiar to me too, like sitting in a favourite chair. The feel of him, the shape of him, his neck in front of me, his little ears - just everything felt so normal and I just automatically knew which 'buttons' to press. It didn't feel at all like it has been 9 months since I last rode.
I am not saying it wasn't a bit deal. It was in a way because it felt like I had 2 halves of me. The one I just described above and then another part which was on edge in case he spooked and shot off. I felt it wouldn't take much to make me lose my confidence in him.
Despite Pete telling me to stay on (!) I rode for about 10 minutes then got off on a good note.
Maybe I should explain too the reason for riding today when I have been told by the consultant I shouldn't ride until July.
It had been on my mind that I needed a plan for this year so Pete agreed to come to the breed show with me and I plan to do the in hand classes - which to be honest I don't find that exciting and neither do Pete or Alfie for that matter - but I thought it would get us back there and I decided I need to do that.
Then Pete said I should do the Western classes there too, but I would only have been riding for about a week then, so that is when Pete said he thought I should get on now, just really low key and only ride when someone is there, but be cautious and just ride in walk and jog and no hacking or anything more exciting until I can ride officially.
I really wanted to try it, so that is what I did today. I don't plan to ride all the time and will still concentrate on groundwork etc, and I know things can happen any time but.......well maybe I am being stupid because I certainly can't imagine getting through all that again which I went through last year...but.........
So that is it. I am not second guessing myself. I got on, it felt great.
Also Bruce sent a really encouraging and helpful email yesterday saying he would also help and I could take him over for a day and have Bruce ride him a couple of times. That kind of gave me confidence in Alfie too that Bruce thought that would work and it wouldn't be a big job to get him going again.
And Jane E-S also said that haflingers are great at having time off and will come back as they were when you left them.
I don't expect it all to be plain sailing and I don't intend to push things at all until I am officially allowed to ride, but it is nice to know I felt good up there as I didn't think I would.

This is a steep hill!!!

This week in words and pictures!

The weather has been fantastic towards the end of this week so after working the first half of the week, I made the most of the second half and spent some time with Alfie.
Thursday I worked with him in the field and he was lovely. Really laid back and listening. Did a bit of groundwork, including over poles - trotting over, sidepass over - can be very creative when I try! Then we had a little lunge. I haven't done this before really as I was aware I didn't want to put too much strain on his joints and muscles and lungeing really can, so I kept it to just 5 minutes of walk, jog and a bit of trot on both reins, with his boots on to give him a bit of support.
Have decided he isn't going to be a jumping pony like his mum - put up a little teensy cross pole but he hates the bang it makes on the blocks if he knocks the pole. It freaks him out so he jumped it once following me, wouldn't lunge over it, knocked it the next time and shot off past me, then after that would just walk up and look at me from the other side!! In the end I put one end up and the other on the floor and walked him over it a few times, but he still very wary of it.
Friday, I took him for a walk to the common. Another milestone as we had to run the gauntlet of the road all the way there. It isn't that he is bad on the road - he really isn't, its just that we have to pass the shop and the caravan place, both with lots of parked cars and trucks unloading etc etc and holding up the traffic which then sits up Alfie's bum or tries to squeeze past us - none of these things on their own create a bother for him, but all at once gets him a bit stressed.
Once on the common, he neighed a bit and squeaked a bit on the first bit, then he relaxed and was just lovely. So quiet ambling along with me. I was thinking I wished I had a field which went straight on to the common as I knew we had to go back past everything again and the relaxed Alfie would turn into not so relaxed by the time we got home. He really was very good, but by the time we got to the church he was jogging and pulling and getting rude and pushy like he does when he is anxious so I stopped on the wide grass verge and did some backing up etc to get him switched back on to me, which worked and he relaxed, but was joggy again on the last bit of road. Nothing too bad.
Anyway, I was telling Jo about it over a cup of tea afterwards and she suggested I could walk through their fields, then through Sarah's and come out on the road nearer the common, past the shop etc. This will be great as I found myself dreading going back down the road in a way. Its not that I don't feel I can handle him - I do, it just spoils a lovely relaxed walk. The field way means I have to do quite a few gates, but that is all good practise for him too and he is really good at them.
So, we enjoyed our first longer walk out.

Today Millie wanted to ride (she had a riding lesson on Dude last Wednesday with Bruce) so I lunged him again first for 5 mins but this time with tack on and his reins tied to stirrups so he had to work into a contact. First time since last July. At first he couldn't remember what to make of it and didn't want to move forwards, so I stood with him and felt on each rein to make him give to the pressure, then he was fine. He actually worked really nicely for a few minutes. I think this will be good in short sessions to build up a bit of topline again.




Working nicely on the lunge

 Then Millie rode him. She was more confident after her lesson, although I have to teach him to respect her too when she is leading him. He forgets and gets in her space a bit much and she loses confidence then. He was good whilst she rode him though (on the lead line) and we did some jog and rising trot too. She asked if she could lope but I feel that is a step too far at the moment! She enjoyed him though which was lovely.



Alfie's favourite tickle spot!



Horse agility

Had a fun day yesterday with Helen Norville and her lovely Bella Belle (aka BB) at horse agility in Cheltenham.
Alfie loaded right away into the trailer (phew!!) and both horses travelled well together which was great as it was their first meeting.
Both behaved brilliantly - a bit on their toes and took a while to get them to listen to start with but it was really low key and relaxed which was great for Helen and I, both of whom went for a fun day out to spend some time with our horses and as another step on our confidence-building route.
We started with some basic groundwork under the guidance of Sheila who ran the course, an accredited Intelligent horsemanship trainer. Alfie and I were fine at this as it is what we do a lot of anyway, but it really worked to get his attention back on me rather than the 6 other horses and his new girlfriend BB.

Helen and BB concentrating on groundwork instructions

Then we were encouraged to go around the course trying all the obstacles in our own time, concentrating on making it as stress-free as possible for our horses and giving them time to suss out each obstacle and not pressurising them into doing something before they were ready.

To start with Alfie was really on his toes and more concerned about where BB was, but with some assertiveness from me (need to practise that!!) and keeping his mind occupied, I found I could settle him and each time he got distracted, it was time to give him something to work out.

After being pretty shy-ey at everything, by the end he would go on everything, except the see-saw - after frightening himself twice by going over it too fast and nearly mowing me down on the second time.

After lunch, we had a mini competition which again was focussed more on training and no pressure (although I admit to having a few butterflies - how silly!!). Had to do all the groundwork again with Alfie whilst waiting to go in as he had been away for lunch but then he was fine and went round very calmly. Even came home with a 4th place rosette.
Enjoyed the day and spending time with Helen. Think Alfie enjoyed his outing too.