So very beautiful :)

Groundwork, I guess. After a 17-year break from anything related to horses, I really struggled with many things when I started again. When riding, my body balance wasn’t where I wanted it to be, and so on. But with groundwork, it was almost as if I had never stopped. I always knew very clearly what was important to me there — and what wasn’t. And somehow, because of that, it worked. Maybe simply because my body language was much clearer again.

@Zoë Coade yeah, it definitely improved. In the beginning, there were baby steps . By now, i am quite happy. Of course, still much to learn. I do still love groundwork, though.

Thats Glæsir. He’s an Icelandic gelding, nine years old by now. He’s been with me for a little over two years, and we’ve learned a great deal together during that time. What really defines him is how incredibly kind, polite and people-oriented he is. He’s a real cuddle bug — loves physical affection and is always happy to sneak one treat or another.

@Zoë Coade Thank you for your clear explanation — it was really helpful. I took some time to tune in to myself, and for me it actually is like this: when I work on the lead rope, I somehow become more serious. It feels more like “work” — still with connection and fun, but probably also more structured and consistent. Liberty work, on the other hand, is something I associate much more with fun: trying things out spontaneously, playing with ideas, experimenting a bit. That’s really interesting to notice. It seems like I might need to take another look at my own mindset and underlying beliefs.

Hi everyone! My name is Helena and I’m from Germany. I’m 37 years young and I’ve had my Icelandic horse Glæsir for about two years now. He’s nine years young at the moment. Sometimes, my two Bearded Collies are also part of our adventures. I found this community through a friend who keeps her horse at the same stable as I do. For me, it’s very important to work with my horse in a fair way and on a good, trusting basis. After a 17-year break, I started riding again almost three years ago — but riding is not everything for me. What really matters to me is good communication from the ground as well, so my horse can truly trust me. At our stable this kind of approach is still rather uncommon, as riding is usually the main focus there. I’ve experimented with different things such as clicker training and food rewards, but also with body language, voice praise, playing with energy levels — taking energy out and putting it back in again. I believe it’s good not to be too dogmatic about training methods or to see only one approach as the holy grail. As long as everything is fair and positive for the horse, I think different paths can lead to good communication and a strong partnership. We’ve started doing a bit of free work and liberty work, but we’re still very much beginners. Glæsir is actually a very kind and lovely horse — he’s attentive and enjoys many different things. Sometimes we even just play football together or do similar fun stuff. I think it’s important to train not only the body, but also the mind — and we both have a lot of fun doing that. The only real challenge we’re currently working on is that Glæsir is quite strongly attached to other horses and his herd. Going out riding alone is sometimes possible, but it often comes with a lot of stress for him. Even moving only a few metres away from the other horses while riding out can be quite difficult. My hope is that we can build new routines very gradually, step by step, and without pressure or stress — always keeping things calm and fair for him.And if it turns out that this simply isn’t something that will ever really work for us — then that’s okay too. After all, I already know that I have the best pony in the world. 😇😉

@Zoë Coade of thanks a lot, i will listen to that podcast!