Maggi and her human have come a very long way together and I am incredibly proud of both of them.

Maggi for allowing us to show her we are here for her, and her human for allowing the time that has taken.

The progress now is much quicker but no less delicate.

Being able to spot the subtle changes that could create adverse behaviour both emotionally and physically amidst the celebration of advancement is fundamental for any lasting growth.

As we began more nuanced communication while riding it became clear that her ‘go to’ shut down had been transferred from the usual signs to the trot.

What I mean by this is as soon as she feels the need to retreat internally she begins to give us a rhythmic trot. One that I am sure she could sustain for a long period if it meant she no longer had to engage with the process either physically, mentally or emotionally.

Navigating this has been interesting.

The human enjoys the trot, it is comfortable and gives the feeling of confidence and ability. Asking for them to find relaxation in the walk has created some amazing coaching and learning opportunities for us all.

Maggi finds relief in the trot and asking her to find the same in the walk has equally been a journey within a journey.

One great help was getting out walking with them and keeping everyone engaged in the present.

Once we returned to a more formal setting, in this case the roundpen, adding an element that required the mind as well as the body has helped enormously.

The exercise you see in the pictures is the ‘T’ and one I have taken from Dressage Naturally with Karen Rohlf-Training, Clinics, Educational Material. If you follow the link to her podcast, she kindly explains the principles for us.

We are enjoying playing with this and will be adding other similar exercises both within the formal and informal settings.

Remember drilling anything is never a good idea…

Thanks for reading

Rachel Windchaser

Horsesmith™