The weekend workshop was full and great fun. The dogs all did really well and I so enjoy teaching with my colleague and co-author Marie Miller. We have plans to start some classes for trainers so I must put my mind to that over the summer.

The young mare arrived on Sunday evening and we took her into the arena for the first time today. She is a real poppet. She was concerned about the labyrinth at first but after making the exercise simpler by reorganising the poles she was able to negotiate her way through the maze by the end of the session. She is very nervous about walking over poles so I made an arrow head with a wide opening which we will gradually narrow until she is able to step over the poles without panicking. It’s a nice way to break the exercise down so that the horse learns confidence rather than being forced to walk over the poles.

I love starting young horses and MUST remember to video some of the sessions. We always say we will but get so carried away working with them that by the time I remember to get the camera out there are already significant changes and I have already missed the steps to building a horse’s confidence.

It’s dentist day so I am up early to do the animals and work with the little mare before the vet and dental technician arrive as she will be having her teeth done later in the morning. I will then do some more training with Cookie Dough Dynamo (who mastered the art of skittle playing in about two seconds flat!), start painting the walls and get ready for my last day’s filming on Over the Rainbow on Wednesday.