Taking my own advice, I spent some of the weekend dutifully reflecting on all the things that Theoden can even do. He's lovely to hack out on and will take he lead. He rides out with any other horse very happily. He travels well and settles well wherever I take him. He's affectionate now and accepts things like fly spray and having his feet done.
I then thought hard (okay Charly, overthought) about what else I'd like him to be able to do and how I might go about it. It's hard not to tackle a horses perceived issues without a monkey on your back knowing that others would think he ought to be able to do these things already and that he is naughty or lazy. "One good crack" is a phrase I have heard about him for example. If I have to hit him to achieve what I want, then I'd rather give up riding.
I decided that I would like him to be able to be ridden on his own and also to enjoy being in a school. My aspiration is to do it through inspiration!
As with any other horse I go to see, I decided to fully assess him and how he is feeling. Bringing him in on his own on Sunday, with Petra a field away, I truly recognised that he is frightened without her. He may be the herd leader but herd leadership is a precarious and worrying position for any horse and most particularly for a male. Looking at the way that he controls her and any others in with them, it seems to be about keeping her close and perhaps that's because he feels safer with her close rather than any sense of possessiveness (although I am sure that is in there too).
In the yard area where it is more enclosed and not possible to see or hear so well he was fine while I was close but if I went away to fetch something, he would start to fret. It was when I led him away at the end of the session (and repeated it to check) I saw that he rushes away from this area each time every time. Not only do the branches scrape on the roof of the building here, and the acorns bounce onto the corrugated iron, but there is a hedge-line beyond through which creatures appear such as other horses, cows and deer. Further, when there is a drift or a colt hunt, the Commoners gallop along the track behind it, yelping at the ponies they are chasing. No wonder he is uneasy.
I love the fact that Theoden is all horse. He hides nothing. You get the feeling that he always checks in with his instinct before deciding what to do.
Having seen all this, I am certain that he is not being naughty when he doesn't want to do things on his own. He is just frightened. Hitting a frightened horse isn't going to make him less frightened. I've decided to go completely the opposite way to the one that I am being pushed towards by other people and see what can be done with clicker in this ridden context.
On Sunday I rode him for just fifteen minutes in the yard itself. I simply asked for a few steps forward, a few steps backwards, a nice halt, and turning the hind quarters. If he did it promptly, nicely and softened at the end then he got a click and a treat. Yesterday I repeated this in the small paddock. using the poles and cones for guidance. Already I could feel him listening. Thank you for listening...I will keep you informed of progress and the lack of it.
