Hi. It's been some time since I posted about my guys but Kirk & I had one of those experiences that are worth sharing so here goes. My 4 ponies live in the field next to my home. There is a telegraph pole just over the wall at the edge of the driveway that I can reach from the drive so small gap between pole & wall - I can slide through it but Max, my 11.3 Welsh, never attempted that when temporarily penned in that corner. I can hang haynets on the pole without the need to brave the recent deep mud but the other day Kirk, considerably bigger than Max being a cob cross Welsh, decided to give it a go. I was standing in the drive & assumed Kirk wouldn't get further than his shoulders so would back out of the gap. No so, he only got stopped by his hips. Now neither the wall or the telegraph pole are going to give way so if he panics he risks bad to fatal injuries. But this is my Kirk & he gently bumps his hips against the obstructions a couple of times. I reached over the wall & rubbed his neck & then encouraged him to back out which he readily did. Not a damaged hair anywhere & Kirk went back to munching hay whilst I contemplated what a disaster that could have been. I hope Kirk & I, together with my other guys, inspire you to build a truly trusting relationship using Monty's methods. You can build a bond strong enough to save you both in perilous situations. I am so lucky with my guys. Cheers, Jo.
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I was having major issues with even slightly uneven ground having fallen several times ( not great for ones confidence ). Anyway, I was in the field in the same corner as my guys & I turned too quickly & ended up on the ground on my bum. Purely my own fault, stupidly not paying proper attention to where my feet were going. I lost my temper with the frustration of beings much less capable than normal & sat on the ground expressing very loudly lots of very unladylike language. And what was my guys reaction to this? Flee from the terrible racket? Move to a safe distance from my aggression? No! Each in turn came over & nuzzled me as if encouraging me to get my act together & get back up on my feet. Literally flight animals braving a very aggressive situation to give sympathy. And yes, their show of support made me feel really silly making such a fuss. I needed to pick myself up & get on with life - which is exactly what I did. Today I can deal with uneven ground, even carrying a load, without too much problem. My confidence, which had taken a serious knock, is back with a vengeance, in no small part due to the help of my ponies who showed they absolutely knew that my temper was not ever aimed at them. Trust is definitely a two way street, especially when you are sat on the ground looking up at several sizeable creatures & cannot quickly change that situation. Cheers, Jo.