Personal Space

[Anastasie Chevalier]

Anastasie led Paris into her classroom... alright, it was a field, but to her it was a classroom. She laughed as the tobiano buckskin danced snorted and looked around at everything. The filly was an interesting creature, as every time she went somewhere, it was as though it was the first time she had ever been there and was treated with as much excitement. Even more so today since there were carrot sticks and ropes on the ground just inside the gate for the students who weren't in her summer clinics to use during the class, those that had been in the clinics were asked to bring theirs with them.

Letting go of the filly's lead, the woman walked around the perimeter of the field, turning on each of the speakers that were spaced around the area, one in each corner and then another one in the middle of the three fences that excluded the one with the gate. She never had the sound too loud, but it helped carry her voice without her having to shout, and it also helped when the wind was blowing in the wrong direction. Once they were on, she turned on the portable unit on her waistband and put her headset on. "Don't eat the mic." She told Paris as the filly came forward to inspect it, and she swapped the short lead for the 12 foot lead. She was also holding a clipboard that had her entire lesson written out with some visual aids, as she knew that one of her students couldn't hear, and it wouldn't be fair on him to think that he would understand the entire lesson from just watching her.

As her students arrived, she welcomed them in and asked them to find a space in the field. When it seemed that everyone had arrived she began the lesson. "Welcome everyone. I can see that we have a couple of new faces, so before we really get going, I would like everyone to introduce themselves, their horse and either why you have chosen this class or what you wish to get out of it. I'll start. I'm Anastasie Chevalier and this is Paris. I have always been interested in working with horses without needing artificial aids, but it wasn't until I arrived here in America, ten years ago, and found Cedar at a barn I was working at that I actually studied natural horsemanship. He was a horse that had reached the end of his tether and it seemed that no one could get through to him, so I needed to find other ways to piqué his interest in the world and it seemed that this was what he needed. Now, I want to share that knowledge with you. Don't get me wrong, I'm not here to teach you how to whisper to your horse, I'm here to teach you how to listen when your horse speaks to you." She knew that her words sounded mysterious, but it would also, hopefully, get them thinking.

Once the introductions were over she asked Paris to step up to her. "We're going to start today the way I like to start each of my classes. Today we are going to going to remind our friends about personal bubbles and the fact that they aren't allowed in said bubbles without our permission, and give them enough respect to show them it works both ways." She unclipped the filly's lead rope and the Pinto, Arabian happily bounced away from the woman before she lowered her head to graze on the short green grass. "If you stretch your arms out to the side, hold the stick out as well, and turn in a circle, that is your bubble (the stick included). And no one, animal or human, should enter that space without your permission. Horse's bubbles are slightly bigger." She drew herself up, bringing her energy up, so that she wouldn't be as warm and welcoming to the filly, looked the young horse directly in the eye, and took a purposeful step toward the filly. Paris' head shot up and she skittered backwards, keeping the space between herself and the human. "As you can see, Paris wasn't happy about me entering her bubble. I had my energy up, I was aggressive and dominating, to the point that she wanted to keep the distance between us because she felt threatened."

Ana then released a sigh, letting her shoulders drop and relaxing her entire body. She fixed her eyes on the filly's shoulder and once again took a step forward. Paris once again looked up from her grazing, but this time didn't move away from the woman's approach and happily pushed her nose into the offered hand as Ana reached her side. "This time she had no problem with me entering her bubble because she didn't see me as a threat." She clipped the rope back onto the filly's turquoise rope halter. "It works the same the other way around. If a horse approaches you in an aggressive way, you would also step back. The power goes to the person, or animal who can make the other move their feet. So, the idea is never to move your feet." She knew that this is where having Cedar would have been better as the gelding was good at showing aggression.

"Basically, the idea, is that you want your horse to be standing outside your bubble. A horse that invades your space on his own might knock you down, step on you, or try to bite. If he approaches you only when you invite him to, you're in control of the situation and therefore safer. Second, and equally important, is the related matter of respect. If you allow a horse to push into you, even in a friendly way, he's learning that he needn't respect you." She smiled. "I'll stop talking now and we'll see if you can work out your bubble and getting your horse to stay out of it."

[Deleted]

Of all the classes Luka was taking, this was probably the one that he was looking forward to the most. It was the first time that he was taking such a class, but he was also keen on learning Natural Horsemanship. It was something that he was always interested in, but it was laughed upon at some of the barns he had come from. Leading Aleena, his dark bay mare from the barn, he walked swiftly to the outdoor arena, Bruno, his service dog, jogging at his heels, his vest fitting snugly on the lithe form. Contact had been made with all his teachers, explaining his situation and he hoped that he was going to be lucky enough to be one of the first student's there.

As he approached the outdoor arena, he smiled in amusement in seeing the speakers, and he entered the class, he took a lead rope and a carrot stick, allowing Aleena to sniff it curiously. Luka took a place as close to the teacher as possible without having Aleena throw a fit, swopping out the short leadrope for a longer one. Bruno, down, he instructed the Spaniel, who instantly lay down, watching Luka for his next command.

Watching as the students filtered in, Luka doubted himself for the first time. He knew that, working with a horse and listening to a teacher would be easy for them, they could actually hear what she was saying, whereas Luka would have to watch, make sure he understood and then would he only be able to apply what he was told. Aleena wasn't the easiest horse to work with either. A small pang of fear and apprehension settled in the pit of his stomach, and he was unable to push it away.

Once the class started, he knew that he should probably introduce himself first. I'm Luka Mason, my mare is Aleena, and my service dog is Bruno. I'm sixteen years old, and this is my first experience with Natural Horsemanship. he said clearly. He turned so that he could see the other's, reading their lips as much as he could see, and when that was done, he turned back to Ms. Chevalier, watching as she worked with her mare. It made sense, he was pretty sure that Aleena would benefit from this.

[Othello Buskirk]

Othello ran the brush over his horse's dark copper coat and, when he was happy that the gelding was tidy enough, he led the horse out of the barn and down the path that led to the field where the Natural Horsemanship classes were held. As they entered the field, he noticed the sticks and ropes paired up on the ground and picked up a dark green pair, as close to the colour of the gelding's forest green rope halter and lead, and then walked over to a spot at the back of the field. He recognised the boy from the reproduction class and gave him a friendly smile and wave.

As they stood waiting for the other students to arrive, Leo rubbed the gelding's forehead as Harry pressed his nose against the boy. The teenager knew that he should make the gelding step away, but Harry didn't like new places and the boy didn't want to be disrespectful to the horse. He changed the horse's lead for the one he'd picked up. He fixed the way that his cap as sitting on his head, hoping that he wouldn't get asked to take it off.

When the teacher started speaking, he tuned into her and then listened as the boy he knew, Luka, introduced himself first, then it was his turn. "I'm Leo and this is Harry. Harry here sounds like your horse, Ms Chevalier, and needed a reason to interest him in work again, and in taking this class I want to strengthen the bond between us."

As the lesson moved on, Leo cringed slightly when the woman spoke about the personal space thing, knowing that she was correct and was glad that she hadn't used him as an example of how not to let your horse stand. When she stopped, he looked at Harry and rose his eyebrows. "You need to back up, bud." He said as he wiggled the rope and touched the gelding's chest with the carrot stick. "'Atta boy," He praised as the gelding stepped backward until he stood beyond the now outstretched stick. Now, the idea was to keep him at that distance and Leo hoped that he could do this without destroying the trust that they had.

[Miranda Florin]

Miranda finished grooming Fingal in his yard and then buckled on the gelding's royal purple halter, grinning as he stuck his nose eagerly into the contraption, "Someone learned their lesson." She rubbed his forelock gently, then picked up the lead rope. Patting her pocket, she made sure that the carrots she had broken up earlier were still there, just in case they happened across anything 'dangerous' on the way to class. Leading the gelding out of his yard, she grinned, "We're off on an adventure today. Be on your best behaviour." Since the gelding had advanced rather quickly over the summer, Miranda had gotten both Dr. Carr's and Ms. Chevalier's permission to bring the gelding, even though he wasn't quite at the level of most of the students' mounts at the academy just yet. Holding the carrot stick that they had gotten during the summer carefully at her side, they left the clinic's grounds, setting off almost diagonally across campus.

As they entered the field, Miranda grinned at Ms. Chevalier before finding a place in the corner, leaving space between herself and a boy with his dog. As she saw Othello at the back of the field, she raised a hand in greeting, then turned to switch out Fingal's lead with the one that she had brought from the summer, dropping the original lead near one of the fence posts.

As Ms. Chevalier started the class, Miranda listened to the woman, although she already knew most of what the woman was saying, haven taken the class for two years previously. As it was her turn to introduce herself, she grinned, "I'm Miranda, this is Fingal. I'm hoping to do more natural horsemanship with him in order to train him properly, because his first few years of life were, we think, pretty bad, and he's only really started trusting me in the past few months." The gelding, recognizing his name, turned his head to her, and she rubbed his forelock, listening as the rest of the students introduced themselves.

When the actual work started, Miranda loosened the lead rope, giving Fingal the full length, then stretched out her arms, with the carrot stick in the hand that wasn't holding the mustang's lead. As she turned in a circle, Fingal shifted forward, obviously interested in what she was doing, but he stepped back rather quickly as the carrot stick bumped against his nose, managing to pull the lead out of Miranda's hand. Face burning, she dropped the carrot stick to her side and bent to retrieve the lead, glad that Fingal hadn't taken off across the field. It was a start, right?

[Deleted]

Luka waited for a moment longer before starting to do the lesson. Aleena wasn't used to this, and she eyed the carrot stick in Luka's hand warily, snorting and dancing at the end of the line. Instead of jumping straight into the lesson, Luka gave the mare time to adjust to her new surroundings, and eventually she calmed down. Holding out the carrot stick, he loosened the line and watched Aleena. The mare came forward, towards him, and Luka drew himself up, appearing to be a threat to the mare.

It didn't stop the mare, until she bumped into the carrot stick and she snorted, backing up again. Luka relaxed, murmuring quiet praise to the mare. He was totally focused on the task, but he hadn't backed down. Aleena was a demanding and stubborn mare, who thought she was the alpha mare... Of everyone. Apparently this came from her dam, who was just as demanding as Aleena. Luka wouldn't have swopped her for anything though.

The mare eyed him warily, this boundary thing apparently confusing the mare, and she approached him again, this time to test him more than to be aggressive. The process was repeated, and Luka watched as the bay mare snorted, ducking her head and looking at him. Luka moved a step forward, and Aleena moved one back, and he grinned. The mare was a fast learner, that was certain.

[Becca Walsh]

    Becca ran a soft brush over Frye's coat, making sure that the thoroughbred's thin chestnut coat was gleaming. She then clipped on a hunter green lead rope onto his halter than matched. She paused outside of his stall to pick up the carrot stick and long line that she had been given in the clinic this summer and had been told to bring. She then continued leading Frye out to the Natural Horsemanship Field, and once inside, she found a space away from other horses where Frye would be able to focus on her.

    She listened to the introduction the woman gave, smiling. She liked this class, and always proved to be helpful for Frye and herself. When it came time to introduce herself, she spoke up, hoping that she was loud enough for everyone in the field to hear. "Hello, my name is Becca, and this is Frye. I'm continuing to learn natural horsemanship with Frye because the two of us don't always get along, and I think that it helps for us to understand each other more and learn each other's boundaries." 

    She was glad to hear that they would be doing the bubble exercise, which was always helpful. Frye still didn't totally follow her bubble rules, and she still had a bruise on her hip from the week before where Frye had gotten her for a moment when she was tightening his girth before a mounted class. Switching his lead rope out for the longer line, she let the line out a bit. Frye, when given the chance, moved away form her, but kept an eye on her. He was still within distance of the carrot stick when she reached her arm out, but just barely, and Becca just rubbed it against his shoulder where it touched, and Frye quickly moved out of the way. Right now he had no problem with the bubble, but it would become an issue later. Frye was always as far as possible from Becca, or way, way too close.