Prince and Ruth are my star 'pupils' at the moment and not just because they are my only current clients. Indeed, I haven't done much with them myself but Ruth, with her experience in special educational needs, has taken everything on board and taken it all forwards too. Her attitude and natural ability to seek an incremental approach has overcome her initial nervousness around horses; she knows she has to work in a way that keeps her safe and develops trust. Together they have made extraordinary progress in what I know can be a lonely but beautiful place - there are so many people who would push this along with force and not get how important it is for this pony to consent to the headcollar going on.
I shall endeavour to do a short commentary on each video which I think are important or interesting.
You can see that Prince is in a huge field and yet chooses to be with Ruth. His ears show that he is really concentrating and yet the cocked back leg shows that he still has a slight reservation about being around humans especially one with a headcollar over her shoulder. However, his eyes are soft and he is giving everything the benefit of the doubt. Ruth's own face shows that she has gone into a special place herself - she loves, loves, loves this pony and to me there is a meeting of two hearts and minds here.
On an earlier day, Ruth has spent time getting Prince used to the scarf around his face. In the video and in the photo, he is allowing Ruth to block his vision and trusting her not to grab him. Every little piece of work on this project is critical. One false move and he could choose not to engage anymore but every day he is becoming more tolerant of the occasional 'mistake'.
No doubt trying not to hold her breath, Ruth takes the scarf over his right ear and takes it off really slowly so that it slides the whole way along his ear. I might have taken a different approach here, coming in from the side, but actually I cannot fault this approach even if it is full on; it prepares him for one of the positions she may be in when she puts the headcollar on (more on this later). The fact that he accepts is shows just how far they have come since she is now blocking his entire view. Note that the 'running foot' has come up on the side that she is working. Some body therapists insist that a horse that often cocks a foot may have physical problems in that area (and they might) but to me it clearly relates to a horse's misgivings about what is happening around them. A cocked leg is one of the most misunderstood signs - I have seen scientific research conclude that a horse is happy about standing on a trailer or horsebox because it is apparently relaxing a leg - not true.
Prince's acceptance of the scarf around his nose shows that the exact issue with being caught for him is all about the ears, especially two ears, as that is the exact point where he felt trapped. There may have been some physical pain involved - it's not uncommon for ears to be twisted in order to subdue a semi-feral pony - but it is poll pressure and the touching of one of the most sensitive parts of the pony that is so emotionally difficult for a wild pony. Heads and hooves, the freedom to eat and to escape, are essential to survival. Note Ruth's calm, almost matter of fact, attitude here and yet I know that inside she is singing.
Standing further to one side now, and notably again working on his right-hand side - so important - Ruth introduces the headcollar. They're both rather tentative on this first approach but you can see that Prince is offering to put his nose in the noseband. Ruth's timing is excellent here - not pushing her luck - but taking a three-click approach which rewards not only the task but the pony's patience. I love how willing he is to engage with her and ALL four hooves firmly on the ground here.
One of my pet hates in the horse world is headcollar which don't have to be undone around the crown piece for them to be put on. I think so many problems are caused by people wrenching them - and indeed bridles - over a horse's ears. Ruth is taking the utmost care not to wrench anything and couldn't be more respectful of his ears, so after an initial intake of breath, I'm open-minded about whether we change this approach when I see her. She has prepared him so well for this approach and he seems less worried about it than the headcollar going up from the side. Note all four, make that six, firmly on the floor.
What I truly love about Ruth is that she normally works without a shred of ego. Here she has reached the absolute, minute, pinnacle of this pony's fear and reluctance, the instant that the headcollar is involved with both ears. You can see a tiny bit of intention in her face and yet she doesn't push her luck - there's a tiny smile to reflect the fact that she surreptitiously touched both ears. She'll get there. I am so pleased about all of this and proud, proud, proud of both of them.
And finally, here's Ruth taking the headcollar over his right ear. Once again, all four hooves are solidly on the floor and he's asking for that noseband to go over his face.
Thank you, Ruth for giving me permission to share these videos and giving me an opportunity to give a critique and a lesson. These videos are a masterclass in the attitude, patience, and incremental techniques which are so necessary to get a pony over a deep-rooted fear.
