Time to say goodbye

Summer is in full swing. Youngsters from Anka Rancho finished their schooling under my supervision. However, it’s not summer holiday for everybody yet: for some must watch, while some must sleep. Poldek, Fiestina and Farys returned to their owners to enjoy some vacations whereas me and Niko are back at HF Stables, Warwickshire, England where Oscar, Ellie, Jimmy the Black, and Spirit are starting their education.

Below, the happy owners ready to take over the education of their beautiful horses. Although some might yet need to grow a bit, they are well equipped with solid foundations, positive attitude and loads of love.

Peter Pan aka Poldek

What I love the most about Natural Horsemanship is that I can either communicate with a horse in his language or achieve nothing. Although I’ve spent half of my life with horses I’m learning to understand them anew. If I lack skills, Poldek points it out to me immediately. Luckily. he is also very patient and forgiving and he bares well with all my mistakes. He is a horse for a lifetime and we are not in a hurry. I learn from him how to be a wise horsewoman and he learns how to be a big, smart horse. None of that would have happened if it wasn't for Julia, since she has thought us all we know.

Martyna Kaptur, Peter Pan's owner

Martyna and Poldek will be staying for a bit in Anka Rancho where they will have all the support from the Anka Rancho’s crew. Poldek is only 3,5 yo so in the next months Martyna will go easy on him as he's got some growing-up to do. For the winter only scare trail rides are planned and a lot of fun playing On Line. They won’t be back ridding in the arena until the next summer when he is more physically and mentally mature.
During the last weeks we managed to get over Poldek’s fear of trailers. We even got to travel around the arena. Think of trailer loading as a process, and as Pat says take the time it takes so it takes less time. Before you drive your horse for couple of hours to a show, prepare him for it: take him in a trailer to his pasture or maybe hack him out and bring him back home in a trailer.

Farys

Farys whom I was afraid to ride turned out to be a perfect mount. Attentive but composed, cooperative, obedient. Julia showed me how to help him find the best posture to carry a rider, and how to improve my own posture. In the upcoming weeks we are going to consolidate what we have learned, and later on further lessons and progress awaits us!

Zuzanna Rajchert, Farys' owner

Farys is back under Zuza’s wings with his mum and uncle Bartek.
Now it’s time for Farys to build up muscles and get even more in shape.  In the meantime Zuza will have to get used to a 5-meter foule and at least 400 horsepower in her Farrysari.
During our last ride we got (involuntarily) a right-lead canter, which, due to it being very difficult, so far we practiced only on the ground. As you can see it is often wiser to fix such problems On Line since it is easier for the horse to deal with them without the rider’s weight on his back.

Fiestina

Little Anna, who is the daughter of Anka Rancho’s proprietor big Anna, is the owner of Fiestina . During the time both Anna and Fiestina will be growing up, Anka Rancho’s crew will be taking on Fiestina’s schooling.
Despite having only about a dozen of hours with a saddle on, Fiestina has already accepted, without a problem, four different riders; she is happy to take the lead during trail rides but neither does she mind being the last one. You can turn her easily in all gaits (no bit!) and stop from canter by bringing your life down. She trailer-loads beautifully, doesn’t mind showers or fly-sprays and is good with her legs. In the pasture she comes up to you, lowers her head for haltering and respects your personal space. All this makes her already a great and safe partner for little Anna and there is much more to grow from the seeds I planted in the last weeks. Now it’s all up to Anka Rancho’s team and I’m sure they will do great bringing her on!

Hawana

Riding the “new” Hawana was full of BFO’s*. The first realization was how sensitive she was and how cautious about my body I needed to be. I understood the importance of foundation. It turned out that I had underestimated my horse and that she had known much more than I was expecting. And of course, amazing, longed-for canter, which lasted longer than two foule and didn’t consist of bucks.

Justyna Papierzyńska, Hawana's keeper

*Blinding Flesh of the Obvious

There is not much one can add to that. Hawana is a great horse and Justyna, armed with new strategies and a clear goal,  will certainly get the best of her.
Now it’s time for them to spread their wings and I myself can’t wait to see all the horses and their progress in September when I'll be back teaching in Poland!

Late in the evening, when the burning sun sets over the horizon, it's time for a farewell trail ride. From left the full squad: Farys&Zuza, Niko&me, Poldek&Martyna, Fiestina&Iga, Hawana&Kasia (replacing Justyna)

Read previous posts about Poldek, Fiestina and Farys:
Let me introduce to you: Fiestina and Piotrus Pan (Peter Pan)
Farys: new kid on the block
How the kids are doing

Credits for beautiful photos go to Justyna Papierzyńska, Kasia Kiryło, Marta Stachowicz, Iga Domańska and Zuza Rajchert.