27th February, 2016 Pas De Deux

Went to see two very calm horses this morning. Honey and Iona both originally came from the RSPCA and both had been neglected to the point of emaciation. Since the came to Sandra nine months ago she has worked steadily and methodically using a combination of IH techniques and clicker training in order to gain their trust and teach them what they need to know. She has asked for my help in backing them once it gets a bit warmer so the purpose of today's visit was to see where she had got to with her training and how ready they might be. She has done a really thorough and considered job with a good dose of empathy too.

Honey is almost if not quite full Thoroughbred and five years old. 

Iona is TB x Connemara and she is eight years old.

Back at Fritham we took Nettles out with Maddie on board once again. As the hunt were out for their last hoorah of the season we took the precaution of keeping him on the lead rein. Fortunately Maddie has no ego and didn't mind.

Here she is giving him a treat for his clickered halt, something we tend to install as a matter of course these days for emergency stops.

Henrietta couldn't wait for another game of Bridge.

This is the first time she has allowed me to touch her bottom while she has been standing on the higher bridge.