Worked across the maximum age range today, starting with a delightful twenty-three New forest pony called Barney who lives with his even more elderly companion, Bumble. Barney is a benevolent, polite pony who looks after his rider but he just doesn't seem to enjoy touch all that much. Of course older ponies may be prone to the odd ache and pain that make touch less pleasant but apparently he has always been like this. It sent me back to operation seduction mode as we tried to find a touch that he really did enjoy. He liked deep flat touch along the muscles of his neck and a strong circular motion with a soft rubber brush. He also liked having his ears rotated in both directions. It made me feel that perhaps I should resurrect my original idea for a website, seduceyourhorse.com but then I might get the wrong kind of visitors. It is important to remember that touch should always be for the benefit of the recipient. Like most horses he hates having the lower part of his nose fiddled with and I just wish I could get people to stop doing this to horses.
Email received 3.1.13: "I was chuffed to bits with your visit, the best Christmas present Barney has ever had and a huge relief to me to see how I could improve things for him. I went back out to them in the afternoon and could groom Barney without a head-collar for the first time ever! As in the morning, sometimes he couldn't decide if he liked it or not and stepped away but when I turned my attention to Bumble, he came back for more - Magic!" JJM
This afternoon it was off to see how one year old Sampson was getting on. The first time I met him he was a bit of a handful for his owner. Inclined to walk into her space and to be generally bargy. He is now much softer and responsive and altogether more pleasant to work with.
