102. Controlling the flight!

Today, i felt quite ill myself so had already decided that apart from soaking Spices hoof i wasn't going to do anything with her. The good news is her hoof feels a lot cooler than it did yesterday so it seems that the infection is definitely on its way out. I soaked Spices hoof for 5 mins in some tepid warm salt water and then sprinkled some salt over the abscesses exit point in the hope of drawing out whatever may be left in.

After i'd done this and my other friend on the yard had gone home i was just about to let Spice back into the field when she started galloping about like a mentalist. I looked over towards the rest of the herd and noticed that they were all out of sight... which immediately explained why Spice was feeling so anxious. So, since catching her was at that moment totally out of the question i herded her back into the paddock from the coral which she was liable to break through at any moment whether it be jumping over it or galloping straight through it and obviously i didn't want her to do this. So, after herding her back into the paddock (against her will) i basically just watched her gallop about for a couple of minutes. I thought about doing join up with her but to be honest she was in such a state due to her fear i thought this might only make her more afraid. So, i placed my self outside of the paddock against the fence and simply waited for her to come to me. What i noticed was that as soon as she realized she had 'no way out' and essentially 'no other options' she came over to me almost immediately and as soon as she did she willingly followed my every footstep.

This has taught me that when Spice is extremely anxious her first instinct is to 'run away' and 'seek safety'. Her first choice was her herd (quite rightly) but when she realized she didn't have the option of running to her herd she chose me and was more than happy with her choice.

I don't think there was any point in me doing 'join up' with Spice because she was already essentially ready to 'join up' and looking for comfort and solace in her herd i just wanted her to look for it in me (which by closing off her options) i did.

So, if i translate this to a riding situation...if i am out on a hack and there is something in front of us which Spice is afraid of and wants to run away from I need to essentially make her 'run to me' by closing off the option of running away from me. Whether it be walking backwards, turning sideways or going up i must find a way to 'close down' these options. If i allow her the option of 'running away' (in anyway) she will.

I love days like this... when i seem to learn the most important lessons without even expecting or trying to.