Off to Oxfordshire to work with Kolinka a Danish Knabstrup. Kolinka has been expressing some aggressive behaviour particularly when she is tied up - her ears go right back and she occasionally charges too. It's tempting for the object of her anger to go on a counter-attack but in Kolinka's case, less if definitely more. By using assertive but subtle body language we were able to ask her not to invade space and the instant her own body language softened we made sure she was given a really love rub. After a number of repetitions, she was much softer from the outset and no longer coming forward with the face of a disgruntled shark. She's a bright girl and her feelings are always absolutely transparent. I wonder what she would say about us?!
The Observer's Book of Horses describes the Knabstrup as an old Danish breed exclusively confined to spotted horses. The all go back to one foundation mare, left behind by the Spanish during the Napoleonic War, which was relegated to pulling a butcher's cart. Her name was Flauebehoppen and she was bred to a Frederiksborg stallion.
And this is Teddy, a Dartmoor Hill Pony that came from the H.O.P.E. charity without which he would have been slaughtered. From a frightened semi-feral baby he has become a confident, amenable and rather beautiful pony. Ultimately his owner hopes to drive him.
Ran out of steam tonight and didn't get to pilates or the WCRG talk - luckily Jenny is taking notes.
"Oh My!! I must report on what a glorious morning A & I have had. The neighbours would have been in hysterics if they had heard us telling each other "chicken wings", "no patting" (don't mishear that one!!) and clicking away with a packet of biscuits in our hands...lol! Seriously, together we did our best to put it all into practice and I can honestly say both mares are reformed characters. Kolinka only pulled faces a couple of times but A just waited and when K softened she was straight in there with a good rub. Ta da! I think we are now speaking the same language - or damn close anyway.
I decided to try lowering the ante with Mouse today. She has of late been spooking and shooting forward which is a killer on my back. I reassured myself she has [actually] been startled by something and is just being a horse so I calmly brought her back to a walk and then rewarded her with a good neck rub. Wow. By the end of the hack if she was startled by a scary rabbit all she did was a small flinch round it :o) We do of course have rabbits of enormous proportions in the Cotswolds!! lol :o)
Can't thank you enough for helping us ALL here in Holwell xx" SR
