Saturday, September 23, 2017

23rd September, 2017 Suffolkation



Just returned from a week away in Suffolk where we stayed in a cottage on a farm. In the fields outside there was a band of Thoroughbred/Arab mares, some a little old and creaky, but all enjoying the long grass and the warm Indian summer. They live with a Suffolk Black pig and swans.


We went to see Moon a couple of times. Karen can now put a headcollar on her from the right hand side and we began some leading work concentrating on body language that didn't block her movement. 



As well as Karen turning her head in the direction that she wanted to go, she needed to move her legs. As soon as she made this tiny subtle change, Moon was following her with no pressure on the headcollar at all.



We went to visit the Suffolk Punch horses at the Suffolk Horse Trust who took over the care and management of the Colony herd from the prison some fifteen years ago. I would love to know if this was a good or bad thing for the prisoners and for the horses given that horses are known for their therapeutic effect on all kinds of people these days.



Every day we went out for a long walk enjoying the countryside, which smells strongly of earth at this time of year, and the wide river and special light right by the coast.


Most of all we enjoyed the company of friends, Karen, Tasha and John, and fellow IH trainer Bridget Colston who I bump into far too infrequently. With our new love of cooking it was great to invite them round for a Sri Lankan curry and chocolate mint cheesecake with Bourbon biscuit base!


On our way home we stopped off at Auntie Kelly's to drop off some books and a couple of Bar Buffers to sell through the IH shop, and to meet her sister's young horse, Jack.