Another lovely ride! I started him on the naf magic to help with his travel anxiety, but it’s having a huge impact on everything, more than I expected! And he’s only getting 10mls 5/6 days a week (because I forget it), the recommend dose is 25mls. I don’t intend to keep him on it long term, but it’s really helping him for now.
I had mum on the phone on speaker in my pocket as we set out, a guy was jet washing his car on the road, no bother. Then we picked our way through all the roadworks, no problem. Got into the forest and I’m still chatting with mum while cantering along, he was so chilled!
Found some lovely recently logged and repaired tracks, which means they’ve power harrowed them, and with our sand soil they’re like gallops!
Past some big piles of aggregate which he’s always given the stink eye, but today he diverted and marched up to them for a closer look. Now his anxiety is under control, his curiosity takes over
We had lots of nice long trots and canters, the forest was lovely and quiet this evening. We put up a big herd of 20+ fallow deer and he just carried on walking, watching them leap across our track into the thicker trees, then asked for a carrot for being so chilled about it
We went back through the houses and up the little paths between them, met barking dogs but he happily ignored them to chat to people.
Then a short stretch on the main (30mph) road through town, oncoming car slowed to 10mph very politely, but the one behind got mad and tried to overtake them, noticing us last minute and swerved back in. I thanked the first car with a big smile and wave, then shook my head and scowled at the idiot who was throwing his hands up in disbelief at the nice car still
Monkey was oblivious to any of it
Got back into our home estate and 3 older ladies were stood chatting and as soon as they cooed at him he went for a chat
one lady was in her garden with her big German shepherd who wasn’t entirely sure about all this, so barked and ran around, Monkey just ignored him, then the dog put front paws on the fence to bark and I swear Monkey thought kissing him would make it better
I stopped him before he got himself in nipping range, but he stood, neck stretched, nose out, just curious to see the dog who eventually stopped fussing and wandered off
and Monkey went back to the serious business of getting attention.
he got a munch on some lush grass then as a reward. He was very pleased and was all whizzy all the way home, we even had a bit more than just a canter a couple of times as he felt so settled (not spooky!), such fun 
then there were loads of branches across the track, I suggested we should in fact walk, he laughed at me and trotted it, I laughed so much I couldn’t get myself together to stop him. He’s getting so brave! 
