Introduction

I’m not much of a blogger but maybe the discipline will be good for me! I’ve had Lucie for nearly 3 years now & you would think we’d be doing lots of interesting things but instead I feel as if we have gone backwards from the progress I made with her in confidence and leadership in the first few months, and before the lameness from bone spavin meant we couldn’t do much for over a year now. That meant not being able to push her in case it hurts, & avoiding tight turns & small circles, & of course not being able to ride her; but there are still lots of things we can do on the ground. What is my aim with her? Trail riding - not possible at present; and games, agility, obstacles on the ground, and liberty. Somewhere between the pain & my ambitions with her, Lucie has lost the pleasure of groundwork. First and most important, I want a happy horse that wants to do these things with me. I can make her do these exercises, but I want her to be involved, to enjoy, to have confidence in me and in herself. So I need to look again at how I’m presenting things to her, as there is obviously something not working. I need to understand her fears & confidence issues - and try to be the leader she needs me to be.
Sometimes you have to go right back to the beginning & start again, & that’s what I am doing.