Fun and Frolics With Young Horses…

This week I visited the very picturesque South Downs for a bit consultation where I met Lizzie and her gorgeous horse GeeGee. She told me their story of when she rescued him 11 years ago, and their escapades together, and how over that time they have created a lovely bond. He clearly adores her and landed on his feet when he found her!
I also met a lovely young lady called Rosie with her young Connemara x ID, Dolly. Dolly is a five year old and is full of the usual exuberance and joys of spring that babies have! Rosie was having a few connection issues and wanted to find a bit that would help Dolly to be comfortable and understand the aids so they could really move on with schooling. As with most young horses, they like to flex their muscles, and Dolly did exactly that, across the school in fine style, with Rosie riding very sympathetically. We changed Dolly’s bit and I did a short training session to teach her how to respond to Rosie’s rein aids and go forward with a softer neck and to accept the contact without too much fuss. As with all young horses, training can be quite frustrating at times, but so rewarding. They need a lot of guidance and the freedom to experience new things to become a confident horse in the future. It’s never as easy as it seems, but as anyone who’s had a youngster knows, it is highly rewarding when you look back a few years later and realise just how far you have come. The most important factor is to take things at your own pace, there is no rush, let the rider and horse develop together and create a trusting bond.
Pics of the beautiful countryside and lovely Rosie on Dolly.