Maintaining Confidence

Was hard to focus today, as the Horsenality Report has me rethinking my approaches. Plus a colicky horse meant redirecting myself to helping out with the barn chores, and found it hard to concentrate on Z's needs.

When I took her outside the consequence of my lack of focus and energy was immediate, instead of exploring Z became frightened and wanted to run away. Interesting, or what - just like in the old days when I didn't know how to provide her with leadership! So let her chill out with hay and water outside while I looked after her stall.

Once the medical issue was resolved, and her stall clean, I brought Z in and while so much of me wanted to leave, I also wanted to pull myself together so decided to really work on my focus but just on small, doable tasks. Grooming and stretching with heart in hand attempt helped a lot. Then touch it on way to arena (horsenality report suggestion), and friendly and touch it games for awhile.

Oh - yes, the hide the carrot game! She was sooo confident with this today. Actually purposefully slide cones over to get at partially visible small carrots. Then, when I covered a carrot she turned away, and was clearly stressed by this. Interesting again! I'm glad she is willing to show me her limits.

She gave me great walking circles to the left, but to the right became fearful. RBE strategies did not help. Wondering if it is a vision thing. It is how she used to react going to the left, and I needed to provide her with lots of verbal and visual support. Mmmm, wondering if something is going on with the right eye?

Calmer with helicopter friendly game, closer to her. My not thinking about achieving calmness is helping.

On leaving the arena we were surprised by humans and a horse coming around the corner without warning. Z took a fright, and of course there was some ice on the footing AND a newly placed large water bowl, so it looked like a disaster in the making. But I was spot on in reducing her fear, and she very very quickly calmed down. So much so that she invited herself over to one of the humans, let him pat her (big deal for her with strangers) and used him as a face rubbing pole!

In her stall she gave a giant yawn. Don't think I've ever seen that after a play session, certainly never after a "work" session until had loads of massage.