Thanks for all of your enquires about Top-up Training. The dates are on the website now so be sure to get booked in as it seems everyone is getting fired up for the summer.
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Oakley and I have been riding today as I have a small demo for the Shropshire riding club coming up very fast and we are both a little fat and hairy from a winter off (well mostly he is fat and hairy). I'm trying hard to be really happy with whatever he can offer at this stage as I know that if I can nurture his try now it will enable us to try for more and more complex movements as his fitness and positive connection to me and the work progress over the coming months.
Nev, the Haflinger stallion is starting to offer more and more which for him is really big news. He is the kind of horse that (well actually like all horses) really has to see the point in what he is doing before he can excel at it, but when he does he really gives it 100%. I'm having to be really strict with myself not to abuse this new level of try buy asking for more when he offers. I read a great article the other day by a leading Dutch trainer that stated, “the amount our horses try and respond to our aids is not always determined by the aids we use but the speed we can release them.” How true is that! How many times have we found an aid that's so effective in communicating our wishes to our horse that we press the button over and over again until it doesn't hardly work any more. It's always amazing to me how mums can have a full blown conversation about there horse while their kid continuously says mum, mum, mum, and yet its like she cant hear a thing, completely desensitised. Until said child reaches teens of course, finds some new words, which create a whole new set of buttons. ha ha (lets not ever swear at our horses however, lets just find new ways of saying things).
Look out for a new Trailer Loading top up we are slotting in on 3rd March, as I think we can all be guilty of assuming that just because our horse felt super confident about loading and travelling last year he will feel exactly the same this year. Don't get caught out, if your horse is based at my yard then be sure to bring him along. As with all of our top up trainings, spectators are always welcome, so come along and bring a note pad so that you can inspire your horse to love your trailer when you get home, or if you have a few horses or friends that could do with a confidence boost when it comes to loading and travelling then be sure to contact us to arrange a Top-up Training at your yard.
Thanks to everyone who has sent in your wonderful stories about you and your horses' journey. Please keep them coming as well as any questions or topics you would like to see covered.
All the best,
Arran