First meeting with Arthur - Pleasantly sharing space, offering each other to rub away the flies.
When he comes to us on our ask, we need to fill that response with positive and beneficial feelings/needs to the horse. You may praise him and stroke him, scratch his favourite spot, rid him of the flies, sometimes give him a treat or offer him grass, maybe play a game he likes later down the track or venture somewhere he find’s fun.
No matter what it is your offering it must be something he enjoys and something you enjoy offering to him. I sometimes spend 10 minutes just stroking my horse whilst gently leaning on him after he has responded to my invitation from my intentions.
I just enjoy the time with him and thank
him for choosing to be with me.
Other times I do different things,
all something he enjoys as well as I.
So from giving something to your horse you’re
getting something in return, that is something
he is also giving you. By allowing him the
choice of answering your request to join you
and by offering something pleasurable in return,
and if he chooses to join you and chooses
to stay he has given you one the of the most
special things a horse can give and
that is free choice.
Free choice in return for the choice you offered him.
If we give him the choice, not option, choice and
allowance to do as he will, and I do not me in
unsafe terms, I mean free choice in your time
together and what you do with it, he will offer you choice in return.