Play school

Max and I had a blast together today!

I got to the yard after work, and thunder was rumbling. We went into the indoor school to just hang out as the weather was not our friend. We did a few turns with the umbrella just to see if he remembered, and he did.

The thunder got louder and more persistent, and Max was a bit wary of it. He didn't lose his composure, but was definitely on high alert and full of energy.

I've read that the best way to deal with dogs that are afraid of thunder is to remain unfussed by it yourself. Don't coddle them, don't hold on to them and say, "Poor you!" because that just reinforces that they have something to worry about. Just carry on, speak normally, take no notice, and hopefully doggle, looking to you for signals, will come to understand there is nothing to fear.

Pretty much the same with horses, I reckon. The thunder rumbled, Max's head went up, ears pricked, and I just carried on with what I was doing, speaking calmly, breathing in and out slowly, giving him a scratch on his withers with a la di da, nothing to worry about here.

We were clicker training, so that focused Max pretty quick; much more intent on what he had to do to get a treat, rather than what was going on in the wide world outside the school.

We spent a bit of time working on "left" and "right" trying to get him to raise his front feet on command. He was getting the hang of it, but a bit confused, so it's something we will build on.

I had a pear in my back pocket, and there was a small jump set up, so I showed Max the pear, and then got him to follow me over the jump, loose. He followed me eagerly, made a good job of the jump, and I gave him a big fuss and a pear bite.

With half a pear remaining, we tried again. He deaked out on the jump, I showed him the pear again, and he followed me at a high-falutin' trot, and we tried again.

Bingo! He flew over the jump next to me and got the rest of the pear.

I had a few pony nuts in my pocket, so took a couple out, showed him, and ran away from him to line us up for the jump again. Gamely he followed, all prancey, and back over the jump we went. Big click, big fuss, pony nuts.

I don't know how many times we went over that jump, but Max got the hang of if pretty fast, understood I really got excited about him jumping over that bit of stuff, and he obliged, prettily tucking his front legs up and leaping big over little jump.

It feels like a bit of a breakthrough. We've been trying to get over jumps for a while now, in hand mostly because he wouldn't do it loose, but today, Max was going for it! Tail high, watching my every move, turning with me, running with me, and leaping with me, full of snorts and proud head carriage.

The energy, the fluid movement from him just about took my breath away.

"You are a beautiful, sublime creature, Max."

"Yes I am. You are honoured to know me."

"I know."

"Pony nut?"

"Absolutely pony nut. Have two, beautiful boy."

I absolutely love when we get it all in sync and just move together like we did today, and Max snorts and struts, and gets down with his bad self. It's just good, clean fun, laughing and playing together, and it doesn't matter that I'm not on his back while we're doing it. It couldn't matter less.

To have a loose horse, unbound by head collar, rope or saddle, willing to play with you is a gift, and yes, I do feel honoured. Max could have stood in the middle of the school and watched me go over the jump alone. He's done that before enough times! But not today.

Today, I played with my friend, and it made me feel like a kid again.