Just being ...

Tuesday:

Still not worked out what the problem is. 'Mr F' still playing hard to get. Once caught, he refuses to move into the direction of the stables. Requires much persuasion and I admit I lost my temper a little - which in turn made me even more annoyed ... and from here its a downward spiral.

It was blatantly clear that I had lost his trust.

In the evening 'Mr F' no longer runs off but still refuses to move if I try and walk him towards the stables. He will follow if I turn back further into the field. I tried making him move around in the field and then energetically and with positive thinking trying to encourage him out of the field. Well, it was like moving treacle! What on earth was going on here!

I got him into the stable eventually, let him have some soaked hay while pad-walking ( hoof therapy) 'Rose'. While walking away with 'Rose', 'Mr F' created a lot of fuss. I ignored it, spitefully.

Returned to groom him and feed him and he behaved fine but had that bothered look on his face.

More and more I feel that something isn't quite right. I feel as though he is expecting me to know what bothers him but as I don't seem to get it, he too is becoming more and more frustrated.

Wednesday - Just being.

A hot day. I would normally take 'Mr F' out for a ride around 8:30 am when its cooler. I love early summer mornings as everything smells nice and there are not many flies. I did miss the riding a little by now but did not want to ride while 'Mr F' was in these moods. At this moment in time we had not much of a partnership going.

Some people would say: just make him do it! - I don't see the point in that. I will never enjoy riding a horse that does not enjoy going out with me. What is the point in forcing these creatures in constantly doing something they don't feel comfortable with! 

Instead I decided to go into the field with them. 

All three were grazing together. I hadn't planned on doing anything but to just be with them. However, I spontaneously decided to copy them. I knelt down and started to pick grass, pretending to ignore them. 'Mr F' watched me all along but didn't move and continued picking away at the grass. 'Luke' was the first one to approach. He came a little too close so I just stood up slowly, lowered my head a little and made a step towards him and all the while thinking 'Move'. 'Luke' got the message and immediately moved out the way and wondered off to the left of me. 

I remained in my new position. Then 'Rose' came and I did the same and she too moved away from me immediately and went on to herd 'Luke' around a little. Now 'Mr F' approached, slowly. But rather than just walking towards me like the others did, he moved up step by step, eating and ripping the grass out the ground quite furiously it seemed. Certainly more forcefully than the others. 

All the while I remained where I was, ripping out grass after grass. Eventually his head was right next to me and I intensely observed everyone of his moves. His tail (was it swishing in anger or just for the flies), his ears (very much pointed forward), and so forth. He then attempted to make one step forward - which meant I would have had to get out the way. 

So I did the same to him as I did with the others ... and interestingly, he too moved away but not as willingly as the others. There was a little snorting and a little swishing of tail. Once he moved, I too moved but into a different direction to his, not backwards of forwards by sidewards. I deliberately walked very purposefully, as though I discovered something, some great grass! And they all followed - but none tried to push me out the way. 'Mr F' came very close again, put his nose close to my face and examined what I was doing, then continued eating, quite relaxed.

The sun was hot (for British conditions anyway) and I decided to go and stand under the tree to have some shade. I never looked at the horses but they all followed. It was interesting to observe how they positioned themselves. 'Mr F' moved right next to me, 'Rose' placed herself behind 'Mr F' and 'Luke' remained in a distance, at the edge of the shadowed area. 'Luke' is at the bottom of the pecking order, the others get the good stuff first, the best grass, the freshest water etc.

We stood there for quite a while. I didn't speak nor did I make eye contact, nor did I think, I just observed. 'Mr F' was a few times scratching his head on my back but as soon as he'd done this I did the same to him but using his neck  ... I wanted to know what would happen. He wasn't too pleased about it at first and was a little perplex although he didn't move, just lifted his head almost as to say 'hey, what you doing!?'  but then he seemed to accept it. I remained there a little longer and then left the field.

I never spoke a word. I hadn't planned on doing this either, it just felt the right thing to do at that moment.