Our week

After having a week or so without doing anything with Alfie over Easter, this past week I have picked up the pace again a bit. Millie wanted to ride too this week (and now has announced she would like her own pony. She loves Alfie but she would like a Haflinger of her own!) so sone a mixture of in hand work, lungeing and then Millie rode Thursday evening.
Once again Alfie impressed me. In my head, I always imagine the 'what ifs' like what if he spooks with her etc etc, but maybe that is part of being a mum as much as just me and how I think. She asked if she could ride him on the lunge which we haven't done before, so I lunged him first on his own and he was good. Really quiet and relaxed and listening, so she climbed on board.
Firstly this was impressive - she stood on the mounting block and got on properly without me hoiking her up there. This was a tick in our groundwork box too as prevously, Alfie was always a bit suspicious of mounting blocks and would never line up next to them. I have spent some time with me standing on the block getting him to line up, stand still, be made a fuss off etc etc. Admittedly I was leading and holding him this time, but he stood quietly whilst she got on.
Then he was really good on the lunge, obviously it felt a bit weird to him but he was quiet and waiting for every instruction, both from her and me. She was able to do whoa, back up, walk and jog on herself whilst I still had ultimate control. She really enjoyed it. She still wants to lope him but that is a step too far at the moment. He was so good though and impressed me with his considered approach to what was going on.

I have also been leading him over a little jump too - but don't think he is ever going to be a showjumper!! His mum was a good jumper apparently - I have seen photos of her jumping at Pony Club - and his dad can jump, but obviously Alfie is cut out to be my little western pony (phew! secret sigh of relief!). Don't get me wrong, when he went over it eventually, after much praise, confidence giving pats and quiet perseverance and insistence that he really should follow me when I was on one side of the jump and he was on the other, he jumped quite high (the side of the cross pole) from a standstill!
But he is frightened of the purple jump blocks becuase if he knocks the pole, they make a bang as the pole falls off - this is a terrifying noise in Alfie's world!! He even walks past them keeping a suspicious eye on them! I tried originally lungeing him over the jump, but that was a serious no go with him backing up and refusing to go forwards - not like him at all. He makes me laugh sometimes!!