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Further Desentitisation

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"Victoria! I'm about to do a training session with Hera. Do you want to watch?" Rosalie called to Victoria who was mucking out Ramona's stable. 

Victoria stopped what she was doing and rushed to Rosalie's side, eager to watch another one of their training sessions. Hera was making amazing progress, and could be free lunged very easily. She no longer needed her paddock to be sectioned off with electric fencing, as Rosalie could get close enough to the mare, within a distance of the lunging whips length. She was soon going to be intrroduced to the arena to have her training sessions, and Rosalie would work on getting physical contact with the mare. 

"I'm going to quickly get my lunging whip and we can begin. Since Hera is still a bit nervy around other people, it might be best for you to stay on the outside of the fence as normal, and i can work her in an area where she feels comfortable" Rosalie said. She stopped off at the tack room on the way to Hera's field to grab her lunging whip for more stick desensitisation and some free-lunging. She knew they were making incredible progress and she was certain that she may be able to touch the mare's nose very soon. 

Rosalie let herself in to Hera's field and Victoria stood nearby, ready to learn. Today she had carried a notebook with her to jot down some notes, thinking it may come in handy if she was to eventually help with Hera's training if Rosalie would allow her. Rosalie walked over to the mare while holding the whip behind her back, letting it drag as needed, talking softly but making sure to make the mare aware of her presence so she didn't get startled.

She called out to Hera, attracting her attention, throwing a carrot to her which she ate readily. Rosalie was going to begin with free-lunging, getting the mare moving and making her think about where she was putting her feet and what she was meant to be doing. She had already gone through this procress multiple times now, and was beginning to get the idea of it.

"Whoa, not yet Hera" she called out to the mare, trying to keep her calm as she brought the whip forward. She then extended her left arm to the side of her and pointed in the direction that she wanted hera to begin moving. She clicked with her mouth and lifted the lunge whip towards Hera's hindquarters and asked her to move. Hera started trotting and circling Rosalie, watching her intently. Victoria had jotted down how Rosalie was teaching Hera, including the pointing, the clicking, and the way she moved her whip.

Hera had a really gorgeous trot and her canter stride was steady and in control. She was listening to Rosalie, and paying attention to where the whip was. She could learn to balance herself a little better, and seemed to work a lot better on her right side than her left, which is why Rosalie usually would begin working her going left, and then send her going right afterwards. 

"And steady waaaallk" Rosalie called to the mare as she slowed in to a walk. "Aaaand halt" she told Hera once they were in front of one of the fences to the paddock. She moved forwards with the whip angled towards the ground. And steadily raised the whip to place it on the mares back. She flinched slightly when she felt the whip touch her, but didn't move. Rosalie proceeded to rub the whip over the mares back, her hindquarters, and neck. She then moved the whip to rub the mares legs, getting her used to something touching her legs, and teaching her to stand while it was happening, and that she would be rewarded after. Hera rested her hind leg as Rosalie moved on to moving the whip around her front legs, and after a training session well done, she was given half an apple rolled to her on the ground.

"How was that?" Rosalie asked Victoria 

"She did so well" Victoria smiled

"Maybe next time we can see if i can have you stand inside the field and have Hera be comfortable with it. What do you think?" Rosalie asked.

"Sounds like a plan!"




:iconkaimanawa-challenge:

Start - A Start to their Journey
Mandatory: Reference - LRS Heartbreaker
Mandatory: Introduction - Home at Last
Settling in: Settling In and Making Friends
Mandatory: Groundwork (Part 1) - Pressure and Release
Mandatory: Feb prompt Bad Blood - Bad Blood
Mandatory: Groundwork (Part 2) - You are here


Credits
References used - Traditional Gypsy Cob Stock 3  |  Horse Stock 02 (Both skeleton traced)

Artists Comments
I've really been trying when writing the stories to my art recently, but i'm just not very good at it. I guess i'll improve eventually :)
I did find a new way of painting grass though that i'm pretty happy with at the moment. I just have to try to replicate it in my next piece. 
Image size
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ZoieSnyder's avatar
She's very pretty :)