6. Splash!

Today was the third day of the clinic. I had to get up really early again (before 6 o'clock...*yawn*) to help turn the horses into a completely new pasture (a banana field). Stina let all the horses go in at once, and they got very excited. One horse even jumped the fence, and the horses here don't often jump at all. The horse who jumped the fence also pulled it down (it's just a single electric wire), so we had to fix that. Then, after having sorted that out and eaten breakfast, we went on a trail walk with the horses.

We were all leading one horse each, and I was leading the last horse. In the beginning, she was really pushy, but after an eating break, she was moved to the second place in the line. After that, she relaxed a lot and the rest of the walk was really enjoyable and harmonious.

We took lots of eating breaks (for the horses, that is, not the humans). One of the breaks was a long one, and Farah, the guest teacher on the clinic, rode a little on one of the horses. The horses here have not been ridden much; most have never been ridden at all, and those who have been have not been ridden a lot. So Farah was just starting the horse (the lead mare, by the way) on riding with cues. It was very nice and harmonious to watch, no bucking or protesting at all.

After that break, we continued on our way down the trail to the beach. When we arrived at the beach, we were told to just let the horses choose what they wanted to do. The horse I was leading, decided it would be a good idea to splash a lot in the river. She would stand there, and then beat the water with her foot over and over again. Of course she splashed water all over me, but it was refreshing after the hot sun had been beating down on me the whole walk. But then she decided to wade through the river to get to the other side, so I waded in after her, and got my shorts and my sandals soaking wet. Then she decided to splash some more. It looked like she was having fun, though, and that made it worth it for me. When we finally headed home, I felt thoroughly splashed, and I was wet to the skin.

Overall, it was a very good trail walk. I liked being out with the whole herd, and I felt that I had a connection with 'my' horse, and that I could ask and demand reactions from her. This was the first time I have felt I could do that with the horses here. I am looking forward to expanding and growing when it comes to my connection and communication with the horses.

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