Beach trip

So many weeks on from my last post, sorry about lapse, but Xena is going really well. She very quickly settled and became good friends with the horse she was sharing a paddock with. I now feel it was a good plan to teach her who was boss before she met any other horses.

The next day I went and chased her again and she responded much quicker because she knew what I wanted. Even now, when she begins to get ideas about who is in charge I take her to the cattle yards and remind her.

A few days after we got her we went to the beach with her and two ponies and three children, turned out that it should only be one horse per responsible adult. When we got there I waded into the water with her and scrambled onto her back. She managed to shake me off a few times until I realized what was going on. After that I swam onto her back (no saddle) and stayed on while I made her stand still, then got off. I did this a few more times in the water, then walked her out to the sand for a rest. When we got back from the beach I got on her bare back and got off again a few times just to teach her that she doesn't need to try to get me off, if she is good I will get off myself.

The beach trip was helpful in that it showed me what to teach her next which was standing still when I get on and leading politely instead of so close she stands on my feet all the time. I had a memento the size of a 20c piece on my heel from my riding boot and very sore toes from when Xena kept stepping on my feet.