Memory Ride 2009

A couple of months ago I received a phone call from Sam telling me of her plans to do a charity ride from Edinburgh in Scotland, to Swansea in Wales in aid of the Alzheimer’s Society. Sam gave me all the background information and then hit me with the big one . . . would I donate my time and experience to prepare her and her horse for a three week ride encountering who knows what problems on the way?
Sam’s enthusiasm drew me in and before I knew it I’d said yes. We made plans for me to visit and that was that, deal done. Over the next few days, I have to admit I was wondering what I was letting myself for. Well, the day arrived and I met Sam and her friend Laura who was going to accompany Sam on the ride with another horse. With my mind put at rest that it was only the one horse I would be working* with, we set off to make introductions to Naz the horse.
*(Point of note)
In future rather than saying ‘work’ with horses I will use the term ‘play’ with horses. I much prefer the word play; it immediately implies fun, freedom and an opportunity to learn. In contrast I feel the word ‘work’ implies tediousness, repetition and the feeling of it being a chore, and lets face it horses are far from any of those.
Naz, I had been told was not too happy about clippers, cows, and plastic bags. I decided we would play with the plastic bags and clippers and Sam could do some research with Naz as to whether it was the sight, sound, smell of cows or all three which worried him. I suggested she collect a cow pat and allow Naz to smell it and observe his reaction at a later date.
I started with some basic leading exercises as an opportunity for Naz and I to get to know each other and to form our relationship right from get go. Then it was onto the dreaded plastic bags, using that great Horse Whisperer Monty Roberts system of advance and retreat Naz’s behaviour quickly changed and he accepted a number of bags being rubbed all over him.
If a horse is known to be worried by clippers then it is unwise to start a training session using mains powered equipment. A rechargeable electric toothbrush is the best thing I’ve found so far to change a horse’s behaviour because It can be switched off instantly and dropped if need be, without too much expense.
Again using advance and retreat it wasn’t long before I could hold the switched on toothbrush against Naz’s body, he wasn’t best pleased but he was being very brave and accepting it. Naz had now accepted two scary items and rather than push his training too far we called it quits for the day. I left Sam with a list of continuation homework and a big smile on her face.
Updates on Sam and Naz’s progress to follow.