Ooh do I get extra points for most imaginative title ever? While riding lessons have been somewhat sporadic of late, both “my” pony and I are improving – and I’m having so much FUN. I love my horsey time, from the moment I fetch the narky boy from the back paddock, to when I put him back out. I’m not satisfied with “just” the riding; I need that entire time to commune, relax, breathe in his gorgeous horsey smell, feel something settle within myself.
He’s so much calmer in his stall now; his MO is to chuck his head around, pin ears, stamp, tug at the lead rope, threaten to nip, et al. I’m intrigued as to why he does this as he apparently came from a good trainer but has developed very bad ground manners over the past couple of years. My personal hunch is that there are different volunteers grooming him in different ways, pushing him around and asking contradictory things of him, often with shouty voices, and he’s got nervy and spooky as a result. Any ideas from the horse experts out there?
He recognises me when I arrive now, popping his head over the gate and pricking his ears – I even got a sort of whicker / nicker the other day. He’s turned into a complete lovebug, very soppy and cuddly with me. I take a long time grooming him and he’ll often bend his neck right round to nuzzle my shoulder or waist as I’m brushing, and drops his head so I can do his face and forelock. He dozes off like a seaside donkey, all flop-eared with nearly-closed eyes when I comb and brush out his mane and tail, and he’ll even pick his feet up as soon as I ask – and doesn’t lean his entire weight into my hand when he does it!
