Poppy - mutual grooming session!
Like 2 Dislike 0 Published on 24 Jan 2016
This to me is about being in the moment with your horse, enjoying time together unpressured by any outside influences, when your mind is in this state the horses will connect. Of course the camera is on us but actually was amazing how quickly I forgot it was even there!
I was having a little grooming session with Poppy and thought I'd set the camera to film, it's fascinating to watch back the body language. We'd had a good head scratching session instigated when she was scratching her head on the wall and that started it off, you will see early on she doesn't want any more head scratches! I offered twice in 2 separate places and she turned them down.
I start with a grounded energy inviting her into my space so she instigates and has control of what happens rather than it being a human imposing themselves. I offer a healing energy, I am not doing a deep healing session with her but offering the energy brings another kind of understanding between us, one of togetherness, love and good intent. I allow her to choose where she wants scratches you will see she moves me around to different sides a couple of times. I also step away from her leaving it her choice whether to continue. We had more scratches on her legs before finishing.
Poppy is fully handled, though not yet backed. This scratching and backing off is something really useful that many nervous ponies I've worked with respond to, sometimes they may only give you their bum (be sure to know what you are doing as scratching a nervous horses bum may not be good if you are unsure), sometimes they only let you as far as the top of their neck again meaning they feel secure enough to able to flee if they feel they need to.
PS. She isn't after treats, she kept grooming me back near my pockets but I can promise nothing was in them, had been in them and additionally I have never hand fed this lovely girl with anything!! :-)