Jack allowed me to touch him with my hand today - on his face, neck, shoulders and withers. Every day he makes some stunning progress.
Rosie and Fern were ridden in the field for the first time. Both will be ready so start some more formal schooling when they go home. I like to get them out and about going forward at walk, trot and canter and most of all, happy. They need to understand how the bit works and to accept direction. Both had a little nap after about the first circuit in the field - it's my belief that this is entirely natural particularly in newly started horses. At some stage they will ask questions - out on a ride they may say "Don't you know there's a quicker way home; are you lost?!" and in the school or field, "Do you really want to do the same thing all over again?" It's how we react to this that will determine whether they continue to nap. If the behaviour works for them and you give in and do what they want, that's what they'll do in the future but if you get all heavy with them you'll just escalate the behaviour and reinforce a belief that forwards is not a good way to go.
When a horse naps, there is a mental brick wall in front of them and you cannot push them, pull them, kick them or hit them though it. There's a wall! If they feel they can't go forwards and you insist on them going directly forwards then their only option is to rear, buck or even lie down. The only way is round it so they need to be asked to move to the left or the right - using the reins and not the legs. The very easiest way is to ask them to turn in the direction of the front leg that is furthest back - because it is easier for the other leg then to move. If you move them in the direction of the leg that is furthest forward, they have to alter their balance completely and there will be a satellite delay in which you might get frustrated. The temptation also is to take the arm out in the direction that you want to move - an open rein. Problem is that that shifts your weight onto the inside fore and makes it difficult for the pony to move. It can take time to get a horse unstuck and the best reward is to really relax when the horse is moving forward so that he can feel the difference between your black and your white. In the early days, we might ask the person on the ground to "pick up the stitch" by just leading the horse around the brick wall or use another ridden horse to do the same.
The absolute key is to remember that horses have to know what every aspect of their behaviour can achieve. Like the 4,000 muscles in a baby elephants' trunk, it's important for them to know what each one of them can do.
