Ta Da!

Max was absolutely bloomin' brilliant! I am so proud of him I could just about burst.

I took him out alone, in hand but saddled up, for a hack. We walked for about a mile down the lane, and then I mounted up and turned back towards home, but we made a few detours, through a rolling field (we trotted along the edge, up a hill and then along the top) then along "the triangle" a bridleway that takes us back towards the yard.

He didn't put a foot wrong. No planting, no spinning, no spooking (not even when a pheasant came out from under the hedge) and barely any feeling of anxiety in him at all. We didn't break any landspeed records, but who cares about that? I didn't need to urge him forward once, he just kept going, ears pricked, but feeling really steady and fairly relaxed.

I let him stop a couple of times for a munch, and I also click treated him for standing when asked a couple of times. Lots & lots of praise, too - had to tell myself to shut up a couple of times because I was blathering on at him so much. So delighted with him though!

Sure, it wasn't the most challenging of hacks, and I guess we were only out on our own for about an hour or so, but after all the struggling we've had out and about lately, I couldn't have asked for more from him. Absolute diamond, my boy!

So we leave that alone, don't touch! Tomorrow we'll do something completely different in the school. I'll decide in the moment.