Dream Again

It's been raining here a lot and the dam has overflowed, blocking off the track the 2 horses have made which gives them easy access to our side, as well as to Flint's feeding area. This means that to get to our side, the horses have to go around the back of the dam which is a bit longer but only takes a minute or two if they go fast. Yesterday, I stood at this side of the water and called Flint to come over.

Flint looked at the water and looked at me. He took a tentative step forward and looked around again. He could hear me calling him, encouraging him to come over and get his food but he stayed put. The birds sang, Milly (our lab) swam in the water but still he did not come.

As I stood there watching, calling and waiting I thought about how true that is of us. We know we want to get to the dream/reward but we get distracted by the obstacle that looms in front of us. The water in front of Flint is not deep and he has gone along that track many times before. He put his nose in the water, took a couple steps in, had a drink, then stepped back again. 

Jasper, the other horse went over to him. He gave Flint a little bit of grooming, then Flint moved further away up the hill. Sometimes our friends can be like that. They can be well-intentioned and even encouraging, but might remind us that the obstacle might be too hard to overcome or that it's safer to stay here. After all, who knows what is lurking between us and our goal. Perhaps they add to our doubts: Are you strong enough? Are you sure you're ready?  It's a great idea but.. What about your 'responsibilities'?

As I stood patiently waiting, calling him to come, encouraging him that he could do it, I realised that what he needed was someone to walk alongside him. He needed someone who could listen and empathise, who could see the obstacles confronting him but who could remind and support him and walk through it with him to help him reach his goal.

Perhaps you've been through a lot and you're ready to move through that stretch of water to start dreaming and hoping again. You look around and are distracted and your well-meaning friends aren't sure how to help you. One of the things I have found when going through a hard time is that I don't want to burden my friends but I need to talk to someone. I need to process my thoughts and I want to have goals and make them happen.

If you want someone like that, please know that I want to empower women to rediscover their hopes and dreams and move forward with purpose. I encourage you to find me on Facebook, join our Life Trail Conversations group (for women only) and even set up a one-on-one coaching session with me in 2024.

Life Trail Conversations

You can find hope again and it's OK to dream and make plans. So the end of the story is - my husband went around the long way and Flint followed him back rather than take the short cut through the water. 

Gentle Flint

 Today we had friends coming over for the afternoon and in the past, their 2 young boys had expressed an interest in horses. They're building a house on a property where ponies are living the life and recently their youngest son served up delicious apples to the well-fed ponies before going to toast marshmallows on their small fire.

I wondered how the horses would go as I hadn't seen them around small children. I grabbed Flint's halter and lead rope and led the entourage past the dam, over the hill of dry grass and into the shade of native trees and scrub. I kept.an eye out for snakes sunbaking in the gorgeous sunshine as I heard the crunching of the grass underfoot. 

The horses were in the hidden part of their paddock but when Flint heard me call, he ventured half way up the hill and watched us approaching. I walked down to him, gave him a pat and walked back to where the others were waiting. Flint followed and Jasper, thinking there might be treats in pockets, came close behind.

Flint stood still while hands stroked his neck and side. He lowered his head so the.youngest one could reach and the blokes stood talking and patting. Jasper let himself be patted and when he figured out there were no treats, he left Flint to enjoy the attention.

The horses followed us back to the gate and Flint hung his head over so the patting could continue. We went and made up his feed and he watched carefully, reaching for a succulent plant to munch on. The food was tipped.into his dish and he licked the bowl clean.

As our friends got ready to go, the youngest son ran to Flint.who was standing at the gate. Flint lowered his head and the boy said, "I love you. I don't want to go. I will miss you."

Building the Bond

 We've moved to a new place and have Flint with us, as well as a friend's horse, Jasper. Jasper and Flint love the new place and are so relaxed. We've started bringing in hay for them and they discovered, with their hooves, where the opening is underneath. 

Anyway,  as my friend won't be able to ride with me for a few weeks, I wondered what I should do about it. The hoof trimmer was out on Monday and she remarked about how far Flint and I have come in 6 months. She suggested that while my friend is away, I continue to work with Flint. When I expressed concern about separation anxiety between the horses, she said to practise going down the (long) driveway and increasing the distance each time etc.

I started today. As we left the paddock, Jasper called out to him over the gate and although Flint heard him, he was focused on me. The 2 little yappy dogs came running out and he ignored them. The agisted horses on the other side called out to ask him where he was going, but he kept walking alongside me and didn't bother to reply.

We went down the stony hill/ driveway and he mostly kept his space alongside me. A couple times, he came too close and I turned him around and he resumed walking properly beside me. At the bottom of the hill, I let him have some juicy, green grass as a reward.

He would have stayed and feasted longer, despite the horses calling him back, but I didn't want to push him too far. On our way back, 2 cars were coming towards us and I moved him to the side of the driveway, facing them and he stood still. The noisier car stopped and waited and we returned to the gate, where Jasper was hanging over the fence impatiently. 

He's a good boy! (Flint)

First Ride in Four Months

 It's been almost 6 months to the day since the first time I rode Flint and it was time to ride him for the first time since we had moved. I was nervous leading up to the ride, after all, we hadn't ridden for about 4 months and I've read so many 'horror' stories about riding on a horse that hadn't been ridden in a while. Horses that are restless, gallop away without their rider, pig-rooting and all sorts of other crazy things. We don't have access to a yard where we can lunge the horses before a ride so it was saddle up and go. It was a bright sunny day and I enlisted Andy's help as the photographer to mark this wondrous occasion. 

Inside the paddock, we brushed our horses down and saddled them up. I asked Heather a couple times to check the girth and when we took them out and I was about to mount, she stood in front of Flint, 'just in case'. He stood still and we moved out of the way so Heather could get on Jasper. We went for a little walk behind our home and the boys were great! A big expanse of paddocks were on the horizon and we could just make out the cattle further down the track.

We turned them around and headed back down the driveway. The horses being agisted on the other side of the road, wanted to join in the fun, calling out and walking alongside the fence, yet Jasper kept walking. Flint hesitated and after a bit of cajoling, he decided he didn't want to be left behind either and quickly moved to join Jasper. They both walked past their paddock without a sideways look which I took as a good sign that they were happy to be out on this adventure. 

Further down the driveway, we kept going, mostly staying in the grass alongside the driveway which is softer on their feet. We walked up a steep hill, although I allowed Flint to canter a few steps just to see how he went. He was lovely! At the top of the hill, we sat and admired the view and then zig-zagged our way back down. In Heather's words, "I don't feel like doing a "Man from Snowy River" ride this afternoon.

On the way back, we allowed the horses to walk on the grass alongside the driveway and when we got back to our place, we dismounted and headed back into the paddock again to untack them. They hadn't even worked up a sweat!

For horses that hadn't been ridden in 4 months, they didn't put a hoof wrong. I was so pleased with Flint and I look forward to the next ride when we plan to go out of the property and up the road a bit. We want to increase the length of the ride each time. 

Bring on daylight savings when the days are longer and warmer!

Riding Confidently Takes Time

Over the past couple of weeks I've had the opportunity to ride Flint quite a few times in the bush and continue to develop my bond with him as well as rebuild my confidence. Last weekend I rode with a friend I hadn't seen in more than 20 years and we didn't know we had 'horses' in common until recently.

As Flint and I walked towards the tie-up post, he was unusually alert and jumpy and Annie asked me if he was normally like this. Once he was saddled up, he was more settled and Annie walked in front on her horse with me calling out the directions. Flint usually follows a lead horse and this worked for our ride. We walked down into the bush and it was a pleasant ride. Suddenly Flint shied off the track and I pulled him up just in time to see a couple of kangaroos bounding through the bush. Annie's horse had seen them but had only reacted in response to Flint's reaction. Apart from that it was an uneventful and pleasant ride.

I have read on Facebook about women who had lost their confidence in riding and they look for suggestions and ideas about how to regain it.  I had a bad fall just over 8 years ago. My husband had seen a rider-less horse going back and he stopped playing with our dog and ran to where I was - unconscious. Our dog apparently licked me and an ambulance was called and I was awake and talking. I don't recall any of that until about 4 or 5 hours later when I woke up fuzzily and became more aware of what was going on around me. I had a bad concussion and the doctors said that when the pain medication wore off, I would feel like a Mac truck had run over me. We don't know what caused me to fall and I sometimes thought that was a good thing although, other times I think that if I knew, I might be able to learn from it.

When I think about regaining confidence, I think it is a lot like the process of grief. It takes time and the process is different for everyone. I had riding lessons on Boston, I rode quite a lot with friends, and I even went on 'tourist' trail rides. It wasn't until I had ridden Shorty for a few months and learned trust is a 2-way relationship, that my riding confidence began to grow. The turning point for me was understanding that I had to show Shorty I was worthy of his trust. 

So, back to the present. Having a 'new' horse means having to build trust and confidence again and quite frankly, Flint is earning my trust. I am also aware that when I am riding him, I need to convey my trust worthy-ness to him. I know that when he is 'distracted', I need to reach down and pat his neck, speak gently to him and sit confidently on him. I have learned that those things reassure him.

Today when we went riding with 2 friends, the other horses were a bit 'jumpy' so I made sure I was listening to Flint and responding appropriately. As the other 2 urged their horses down the driveway, we waited, calmly. We all crossed the road and went down into the bush. Each of us took turns at being the front rider and when it was Flint's turn, he confidently took the lead. He walks fast so I would pull him up and wait for the others to catch up. When kangaroos were spotted, he didn't even flinch. He rode in the middle and he rode behind the other 2 usually maintaining a good length. At one stage, we even rode beside another horse.

It was the longest ride Flint and I had been on so far and once again, I am very proud of how he is doing. He is a good, dependable horse.

Flint's First Trail Ride With Friends

 I really love this quote by Sharon Ralls Lemon:

The essential joy of being with horses is that it brings us in contact with the rare elements of grace, beauty, spirit and freedom.

When you add riding with friends in the bush on a lovely day, it certainly does bring us in contact with all of those things.

This afternoon after rolling hay off the trailer into the paddock, we went over to saddle up our horses and go on a bush trail ride with friends. For Flint, this was a first - to be riding with not just one other horse, but with 5 other horses! Of course, they were all his paddock buddies so he knew them but he didn't know all the riders.

He stood opposite Sarge and I brushed him down before I saddled him up, noting he had a couple of mozzie bite lumps on his rump. It was a hive of activity as we all tended to our horses and found helmets that fit for the friends who didn't have one. Yay! Someone else with a small head my size.

After I mounted Flint, he was a bit distracted and unsure of where he should be facing. I turned him around in a circle a couple of times and that helped him to stay calm. One of the horses wanted to "Just go already" but being a standy, listened to his rider until we were all ready to go. 

We formed a single line with Flint somewhere in the middle and went down the driveway. Flint walked on the grass where he could but he did well. Apparently the horse behind us was up close to his tail but Flint didn't mind. We crossed the road and went down into the bush. Six horses clopped their way through the bush with six riders chatting and laughing,  as butterflies flitted about and we all kept our eyes peeled for any sign of the 'mysterious black panther', the 'white wallaby' or even an echidna. A kookaburra laughed from its vantage point in the old gum tree and we passed by a wombat hole.

Going up the hill, a couple of the horses found it hard work as they hadn't been ridden in a while. Flint courageously forged his way uphill and was happy when we were on level ground. I patted his neck and he turned to look at me. He had done so well! Towards the end of the ride, we stopped for a group photo and as we neared the road, we heard the roaring sound of a dirt-bike so we waited. Not a horse even flinched. 

I took a video of the ride, which you can see below. I was hesitant at first because this was Flint's first time in this bush and as we were with other horses and their riders it was a new 'environment' for him. As usual, Flint was fine. I did discover one 'flaw' he had... When we went to cross back over the road to go home, Lynne stayed on the road to usher us all over but Flint would not go past her at that time. It might be something we will have to work on during future rides.

It was fun riding with others and once again Flint was great!

An Unexpected Occurrence

 Getting ready for a ride this morning, I put on my new pink flannel shirt and checked the weather. I was going to record the ride - either livestream it or add a video clip to upload here. When I arrived at Lynne's, I headed up the back paddock and helped her get the fence up to prevent the horses from getting into the blackberry bushes and/or the neighbour's yard to freedom. When that was done, we went to get our horses. Flint was peacefully grazing on the green grass but he accepted the carrot offered after I'd put the halter and lead on him.

I stopped by the water trough and he lowered his head and sucked it up for quite some time. When he lifted his head, water splashed out of his mouth, spraying in different directions and fortunately I got out of the way before it splashed on me. He stood still while I put his saddle on and tightened the girth using a girth-eze. Once I had his bridle on, I walked him over to the mounting block and mounted. We waited while Lynne mounted Trooper and we rode off. The sun was shining, there were blue clouds in the sky and no wind. As Lynne had said earlier, "The day was too lovely to waste!" 

We rode along the soft ground and headed back to the same place we had ridden the other day. The sand was soft and butterflies flitted about. Lynne's horse started pacing as we went downhill, so she took him aside to zig-zag/walk his way down but when Flint was in front, he was uncertain as to what what happening, so Lynne and Trooper took the lead again. 

Suddenly Trooper stomped his back foot and we assumed he had tripped but then he stamped again. Flint started stamping and swishing his tail frantically as well. I rode up next to Lynne but couldn't see any botflies or other flying insects around the back legs. We continued a bit further but the stamping and swishing didn't cease so we turned our horses around to head back for home. The horses remained unsettled so we decided to dismount.

Lynne went first but due to health reasons was unable to get off Trooper without having something to dismount on to.  On her attempt, she did notice a biting bug. The same bug type had attached itself to her hand yesterday when she'd been getting some hay. The bite had been bad and Lynne described it as worse than a bite from a bull-ant.

Flint was still stomping and swishing around and I wondered how I would dismount him. I asked him to "stand", gave him a pat and took my feet out of the stirrups and he stopped stomping and swishing! I got off quickly (much to my delight!) and once my feet hit the ground, I reassured him and began leading him back home. He still stomped and swished a bit and at times, he'd turn his head towards me and I'd give him another pat and tell him he was doing great.

Once back, Lynne and I debriefed about the ride and she commented that other horses would have unloaded their riders. She was impressed that neither horse had panicked. Despite being young, Flint proved he had the characteristics of his name meaning: courageous, strength, durability - like a rock. Even when being bitten by menacing bugs, Flint was determined to take care of me.

I know that Flint has a fault or 2 but I am yet to figure those out. In the meantime, once again I have learned a bit more about Flint and my confidence in (riding) him has continued to grow.

On another note: I didn't get a photo of me wearing my new shirt while riding Flint nor did I get a video clip of the scenery/ride.

Flint's First Ride in the Bush

 Wow! 

Perhaps I should pre-empt all my posts about Flint this way although then you might think I was biased or that 'love is blind' or something. Today I was reading Warwick Schiller's book, "The Principles of Training" and he says a lot of good things that are important in establishing a bond with your horse esp when you are training them. One important thing I read today is, 

"Horses are highly aware of their surroundings and even, more importantly, our energy.... The only thing we should be focusing on is the information our horse is conveying to us in the present moment.... The stories we tell ourselves about our horses and their actions directly affect our attitudes, which in turn creates a physical change within our bodies."

I took Flint over to the hitching post and he stood there while I brushed him and saddled him up. He didn't fidget and he showed me that he was listening to me. The other horse going on the ride had not appreciated Flint's arrival so we had kept them separated over the past month. Today we were going to check to make sure they would ride well together.

Flint was unperturbed by Trooper's presence and even when Trooper walked past, Flint did not react. More importantly, Trooper did not show any animosity towards Flint, so I mounted Flint and waited while Lynne got on Trooper. As we walked past the sheds, Flint flinched but I gave him a pat and reassured him that he was doing well. We headed downhill, out the 'driveway' and into the bush. 

Lynne and Trooper went to the right of a track under a low branch and I hesitated mentally calculating whether we would be able to duck under it. Flint 'read my mind' and walked around it, finding a better place for us to go and join them. We walked behind them and sometimes alongside them and it was a lovely walk. A car zoomed past and Flint showed no interest in it.

At one stage, Lynne suggested we test out their ability to stop and stand still and I pulled back on the reins and released and Flint stood there. Later on, Lynne pulled out her phone to take a photo of Flint and I and we waited patiently. Trooper fidgeted a bit and Lynne asked him to take a note from the 'younger one' who was behaving flawlessly. At one point, I turned Flint around and then back while Lynne got Trooper into position. Once the photos had been taken, we headed back up the track towards home.

• Flint didn't rush going up the hill or even rush going home. He stayed at a steady pace.
• Although we were riding behind Lynne and Trooper, I knew his focus/attention was on me and he responded to my lead.
• I felt that if we had have been on our own, he still would have done well on the ride.

After the ride was over, I asked Lynne if she was surprised at how well Flint had done. She said that she had wondered how well Flint and I would go together but she was impressed. She also commented about how happy I was and I was. I am very happy with Flint and so pleased with the bond he and I have. I am looking forward to future rides with Flint.

In some ways, it was like a successful internet dating relationship. We 'met' online, saw photos and SSR&E swapped information with me and decided we would make a good match. The time came for Flint and I to meet in real-life and my 1st response was, "Wow!" and today was no different.

I was so happy I decided to celebrate and brought myself a pink flannel shirt from the horse centre. Flint's new pink knotted rope halter arrived today so that will be his gift for being so good on our first ride together.

Flint Settles In and Learns Valuable Lessons

 Over the past few weeks, Flint has settled in and last weekend, he and Jasper went to a 'new' paddock with more space. They kicked up their hooves and cantered around the paddock, then raced side by side to wait for the other horses to join them.  When Blue entered the paddock, Flint went over to him and they greeted each other with a nuzzle before grazing together. I stayed around to watch them.

In their new paddock but Flint stays close to me at first.

Flint has done some ground work with me and he is very teachable. He has such a sweet and kind temperament and we have bonded very well. This afternoon I was watching him and all the other horses had gone up the paddock further away. He and Jasper had grazed a bit towards the front but then Flint went over to Koda, the pony who is on his own at the moment. Flint began grazing at the other side of the fence to Koda, facing him. Jasper waited a bit and then meandered up to join the others. As I watched Flint and Koda grazing, I saw Flint put his head/neck over the other side of the fence and Koda reached up as high as he could to Flint and they nuzzled noses before they went back to grazing again. Flint is like the sweet natured kid who hangs back to check up on the lonely child, reassures/comforts them and then heads back to his group of friends. It was lovely to watch!

Lesson 1: Leading

Flint tends to crowd in when he is being led around and he doesn't like being led when the person is on the right side of him. I took him to a paddock on his own, leading him around, applying 'pressure' when he came too close until he walked without crowding. I also stood at the right side of him and we walked for quite a distance without him trying to get to the right side. He learned quickly and he also learned to wait without coming towards me, until I invited him to come.

Lesson 2: Manners

When he was eating his hard-feed, he would get the bucket of food and toss it so that all the food went everywhere. Horses do this when they are impatient to eat so I gave him a dish that was heavier without handles. I then held a 'plastic tube' and when he came too close to me, I would hold it out (as an extension of my arm) and say, "Space" and he knew he had to move away from me. I'd tip his dinner into the dish, still saying 'space' and when he looked away, I exclaimed, "Yes!" and he knew he could come and eat then. He learned this lesson within 2 times.

Lesson 3: Stand Still

The 2nd time I saddled Flint, he was very fidgety and Lynne and I both had to work with him until I could get on him. Yesterday, it was a windy day with gusts up to 45km per hour, so rather than ride him I decided to tie him to the hitching post. While he stood there, I brushed him and patted him. When a gust of wind blew up, he would move his body right around and I'd apply pressure until he went back to where he should have been and I'd recommence patting/brushing him. Each time the gust of wind came up, we'd go through the process again. A couple of times I was leaning on him and when the gust of wind came up, he stood still while I leaned against him. (I was reassured by that as I know that when I am riding him, he will be mindful of me.) After about 30 minutes or so of this, when a gust of wind occurred, Flint remained standing still. As I led him back to his paddock for his dinner, I knew that Flint wanted to please me and was teachable.

He is such a treasure! I also learned that pink looks good on Flint!

Introducing Flint

 As mentioned in my last post, I was on the look out for a new horse after deciding to retire Shorty who had served me well. I settled on one site called, "Silver Shadows Rehoming & Education" which is an Aussie family business that takes on ex-harness racing horses and retrains them before finding them a new home. There were 2 horses I was very interested in and I decided to take the plunge and contact SSR&E and let them know of my interest. I let Chantelle know about my experience, what I was looking for in my next horse and what 'conditions' the horse would be faced with. She suggested Jim and I filled out all the forms required, renaming him Jem. (sounds similar to Jim) When a friend commented that the name Jem sounded feminine, I looked up male names that were derived from gemstones and I came up with the name Flint:

This rugged-sounding name is of English origin, stemming from Old English, where it denoted a person who was "born near an outcrop of flint." It suggests strength, courage, and durability, but it also points to Flint being your rock throughout life.

Flint was the perfect name for my new horse and when he arrived on March 9th, I raced up to see him as soon as I could after work. My first impression was "Wow!" I couldn't believe that such a beautiful horse that I had only seen in photos, was now standing in the paddock, waiting for me. I took this photo before I had even taken off the transport tag. He was so tall! I stood against him and then went and stood next to Shorty who is supposed to be slightly taller than Flint.

I gave Flint some time to settle in and meet his new paddock buddies and he made friends with Blue who is also an ex harness racing horse.

A couple of the horses (including Shorty) saw him as a threat and/or an intruder so we set him aside with Jasper in a separate paddock to make sure Flint was able to graze and settle in a safe paddock. 

When he is settled, I will need to work on him giving space as he tends to crowd me when he is being fed or if I am leading him to his food. I am so excited about the adventures that await Flint and I!

Shorty Retired

Towards the end of February, I was approached by Lynne and her sister and they spoke words to me that were honest and true, yet mixed with sadness. They talked about Shorty's condition and suggested I needed to start looking for a new horse. Observations were made:

• One ride Lynne and I went on, Shorty was plodding and when I said something to Lynne who was riding up ahead, she was surprised. (2nd point - she was up ahead because Shorty was finding it hard to keep up.)
• On a short trot (no longer than a minute) Shorty stopped and started walking and I had to urge him to speed up back into the trot.
• He began tripping on simple walks which was unusual for him.

When they brought it up, I was not surprised as I had started thinking the same thing towards the end of last year and had been looking (window-shopping) across Aussie websites. Although Shorty was only 20 years old, he had been doing harness racing from when he was 2.5 years old in July 2005 until he was Dec. 2011. Harness racing for such a long period of time had taken its toll on him and I agreed he needed to retire. I also knew that he had taken me as far as he could and I needed to find another horse who could give me more years of riding.

Before I retired him to greener pastures (no work) I took him for a ride on Labour Day. (March 13th) Lynne and Heather were busy so I went out to the bush with Robyn riding Duke, We ambled through the bush as though we had all the time in the world. Shorty tripped about 3 times and the 3rd time was a relatively major trip for him which confirmed my need to retire him.

Robyn tried to line Shorty and I up for a photo and I used the app to record where we went. It was a pretty ride and I was thankful for the opportunity and blessing it was to ride with Robyn. 

Shorty was very instrumental in helping me regain my confidence in riding again. He has always been a 'gentleman' and kept me safe. One time when thunder rolled unexpectedly, he regained his composure at my reassuring touch and when he saw a black snake, he responded to my lead. In the past I had trusted him but I learned that trust is a 2-way thing and Shorty also trusted me.

After the ride, I stood beside Shorty and Robyn took a photo of Shorty and I. We have plenty of photos together but on this one time, he rested his head on my shoulder and I felt he was saying, "I'm so tired." and I knew I had made the right decision to retire him. 

Re-Establishing the Bond

 Shorty is a pretty easy-going horse and not much ruffles him. When I go to the paddock to get him before a ride, he usually stands there, sometimes lowers his head so I can slip the halter over his head and walks alongside me to where I tie him up to saddle him up and go for a ride.

Over the past month, I've ridden him 2 or 3 times a week and it's been great! Last week, I rode him on Tuesday and Wednesday and then on Thursday, I went out to try a new pair of boots on him. I went to get him while the hoof trimmer and Lynne worked with the other horses and Shorty did not come easily. With Sue and Lynne calling out tips, it took about 5-10 minutes and we covered a lot of ground before I finally had him and brought him over to try the boots on.

Their advice:

• When he runs off and then stops to eat, keep him moving otherwise he is being rewarded for running away.
• Come from in front, not from behind.
• Stand still when he is looking at you.
• When he has had enough of moving, he will give in.

Sure enough, that's what happened. I gave him a handful of chaff since he doesn't like treats such as carrots, apples, bread, specially made horse treats... Often I just pick fresh grass not far from where he is grazing and he is happy. Both Lynne and Sue did not think I should have rewarded him once I caught him.

Later after Sue had gone, we saw a botfly (ugly, annoying flies that horses hate) bothering a couple of the horses, including Shorty. I got out the insect repellent rug (mesh) and Lynne and I went to his paddock. Again, Shorty did not come easily and we both took different angles until finally Shorty stood still and I put his mesh covering on.

The next morning, it was time for another ride so we went to get the horses and Shorty moved away from me. When he eventually let me put his halter on, he came and stood patiently while I brushed him, then put the saddle and bridle/bit on. We had a good ride as mentioned in the post about his boots but afterwards I wondered how I was going to re-establish the bond I had with him. I did not want him to run away when I entered his paddock and did not want him to be aloof from me.

Over the weekend I read up on some horse-bonding and connecting type activities. I looked at strategies trainers use to get their horse to do what they want and how to 'lead' a horse. There was nothing new but I formulated a plan and went out to see Shorty this afternoon.

At first when I entered the paddock he was in, he trotted away from me and I kept calling him and walking towards him. After some time, he upped the ante and moved off into the other paddock where the other horses were standing under a shady tree. He went to join them and I went over there and called him out. They all moved aside to let him pass and out he trotted/cantered back to the other paddock, circling and moving away and I employed the tactic of keeping him moving. Finally, he stood still and with my hand outstretched, I spoke gently to him and he waited for me and let me put the halter on him while he took the chaff.

I stood and patted his neck and side while talking to him. He walked with me to where I tied him up and I brushed him and combed out his mane and tail. I then kept talking to him, rubbing his neck and his chest but his favourite spot is between his ears. He stood so still, his bottom lip trembling. Lynne came out and we sat and chatted while Shorty stood there. Every now and again I would stand up and rub his neck and between his ears.

After a bit, it was time to take him back to his paddock and Lynne suggested I get some hay for him. She offered to hold the lead rope while I went into the shed but even though she held the rope, Shorty followed me. I took the rope from her and went to the shed to get him a mouthful of hay. When he finished his mouthful, he trotted happily away to join the others. A bit later on I thought I'd go and see him again and he stood there and waited. I gave him a pat and he grazed happily alongside me.

I really enjoyed re-establishing the bond with Shorty. It was worth the time it took.

There's also a lesson in that for our relationships with each other. Sometimes we are focused on the doing and the working, getting through the week etc. It's important to take the time to just be and enjoy each other's company.

Best friends again!

New Boots for Shorty

When I turned up this morning ready to take Shorty for a ride in the bush before it got too hot, Shorty was sitting down with the other horses all standing around. I rarely see Shorty do that (only once before) so I took a photo. Today was the day we had planned to take Shorty and Sarge for a walk in the bush, wearing their new boots. We had tried the new boots on yesterday and all fitted well. The hoof trimmer had shown me how to put them on and get them off. 

To put the boots on:

1. Clean hoofs with hoof pick - around the edge and the frog.
2. Put the boots on straight.
3. Check it is even and on straight.
4. Put the strap around - on the 2nd hole.
5. Use the pick to attach the front.

To take the boots off:

1. Take the tack (saddle, bridles etc) off first.
2. Unclip the straps
3. Take the boot off sideways.

The bush we walked through this morning was uphill, downhill, through the thick bush, a bit of clearing (where we took the photo). Sarge did not like tree stumps (there were plenty) but all he did was hesitate. We walked over a bridge- first time for the horses (and for me) and there was a creek flowing under it. We looked out for wombat holes and we saw a wallaby. As Lynne and Sarge walked between 2 trees, Lynne called out to me to either go around (if it was too narrow for Shorty to fit through) or if we did, she reminded me to turn my toes in, which was very helpful advice!

Shorty walked carefully, picking his feet up carefully to walk over fallen trees, branches, bracken and leaves. We walked up the hill, parallel to a fallen tree, until we could see what we would be stepping over into. Lynne told me she knew of a lady once that would jump over logs before seeing what was on the other side. Her point was to make sure you could see where you and your horse are going. As we stepped over one log, we did a hard right and the horses had to step over another one almost immediately. Sarge did it well but Shorty stopped. (this was about 40 minutes into the ride.) I encouraged him verbally and gave him a gentle prod and he moved forward. On the way back when we had to do the same thing, he did it without hesitation.

There was some pretty scenery as we walked along the road. We could see farms, cows, green hills and a bit of cloud at the top of one mountain. We considered letting the horses go for a trot but they were showing signs of tiredness so we decided to keep exploring through the bush. When we approached a steep downhill part of the road, we cut through the bush again. I'm not sure that was a better option - it was still downhill, the trees were close and there was another wombat hole. We made it safely back to the road home.

Back at home, boots and tack off, I brushed Shorty in the opposite way to help the air get through as he had sweated a bit. I noticed that one of the straps had come off a boot and Lynne had noticed that on one of her horse's boots. She commented it showed how 'tough' the bush had been and we were thankful the boots had not come off. After brushing Shorty, he was still a bit warm in the chest, so I led him to the water and allowed him to get 5 swallows of water before putting his fly mask back on and taking him back to the paddock with the other horses. The first thing he did when he got back, was roll and then roll a second time. 

It was a great ride - our 3rd for the week so I'm giving Shorty a couple days off. He's a good horse.