We Love Cookies!

Exciting news at Way of the Horse Coaching we have a new pony Cookies. Cookies is an Appaloosa, that is a breed of horse that is traditionally grey (or white but we never call ponies white) with brown and black spots. Cookies markings make her suitable to be called a chocolate chip Cookie!

Cookies was 4 on 1st August and is still very young and a little nervous when she arrived at her new home, I am pleased to say she has settled in really well and is now a little cheeky!

Cookies makes a really good horse coach. I was working with a young client who doesn't like change and was struggling with one horse leaving and Cookies arriving. My client couldn't comprehend that takes time to develop a relationship with Cookies. When Cookies wouldn't let my client stroke her my client reacted by being very negative and saying how Cookies didn't like her. I talked about relationship development with my client, I also introduced the concept of intent to my client and told her that intent was what Cookies reacted to. My clients head was down, she still felt rejected by Cookies, it was hard for her to build up her confidence again. I told my client that she was going to ask Cookies who was in the round pen to walk along beside her as she walked around the outside of the round pen. I told my client that she had to keep telling herself that was what she going to do, making Cookies walk along beside her was her intent. My client stood on the outside of the round pen next to Cookies who was in the round pen.

My Client said "Walk on Cookies" and walked forward, keep asking I told her, she asked again and again. Cookies didn't move. I told my client to go back to stand by Cookies, to do some horse breathing and then to keep telling herself that she was going to walk and Cookies was going to walk with her. My client followed my instructions and stood by Cookies focusing on her breathing. I told her to ask Cookies.

"Walk on Cookies'" my client said as she walked forward, she asked again and kept walking, Cookies walked along beside her. My client stopped and cookies stopped. The smile on my clients face said it all.