What a great trip!
It was fantastic to spend time with all the new people coming through the AANHCP training programme.
People from Spain, Germany, Czech Republic, Italy, Denmark and Scotland, quite an international effort really to get our message out there.
I feel very proud to be part of it all.
I was in Denmark to attend a 3 day continuing education workshop run by none other than Jaime Jackson who came all the way over from California with his lovely wife Jill who I thoroughly enjoyed meeting.
The course was held at fellow CP and AANHCP Field Instructor Louise Bach – Hollers farm near Copenhagen.
It’s a great facility owned and run by her and her family.
The Paddock Paradise system is brilliant with lots of areas for the horses to explore. They are always on the move. Walking, trotting, flat out galloping from here to there checking out their home range and establishing their ever evolving social structure.
Jaime touched on many facinating topics both hoof and horse related during the jam packed 3 days but one that has really got me thinking is the subject of “Relevant Dominance”.
I plan to write a paper on it when I’ve plotted all I want to say, but the basics are that horses live in an Alfa / Beta social system of leaders and followers. They suss out in a second if you are Alfa or Beta. As trimmers we should asume an Alfa position over both the horse and the situation in general.
In the week or so that I’ve been home I’ve been practising my new position as trusted Alfa and much to my amazement the horses settle much faster and stay focused on the job at hand.
I must add that I believe there are several ways to embody an Alfa role and choosing the right way depends of course on the horse.
…………more later.
