26/05/2025
I had the most fascinating encounter with Joey and Flash last week.
What started as me climbing the fence to give everyone a quick scratch, turned into an unintentional session I got to observe between the two boys. The beauty of going in purely to spend time with them and having no expectations..
What you can see in this video is a small part of the half an hour, where Joey was so clearly communicating with Flash. It started with Joey gently nudging flash closer and closer to me as if to say āhey, sheās not so bad! Go and see!ā And Joey continually checking in with me as if to reassure me that heās letting Flash know that heās safe here with me, and with the herd.
It progressed into Joey holding this incredible space around Flashās third eye, and touching Flashās mouth trying to encourage a release. All the while, Joey was releasing for him.
I stood a couple of metres back, just to observe and allow joey to do what he needed to.
And slowly but surely, I watched Flashās body unravel a bit. At first he wouldnāt rest a leg, but his joints kept bucking and his head kept bobbing. It was like I was watching his nervous system trying to ground into āIām safeā, and then the coping patterns heās developed for himself over the years would sn**ch him right back out. I was watching the angel and the devil on Flashās shoulder pulling him back and forth from grounded to flight mode.
Joey just facilitated gently through it all.
It was captivating to watch. And as I left them to their moment, I kept checking in out of the kitchen window to see them still at it half an hour after Iād walked away.
Gradually Flash has settled more over the week. Joey is inviting him to play, but heās still not sure how to let that part of himself out just yet. Heās trying.
But he can now be walked up to and caught in the big paddock.
I intend to leave him to let down with the herd a bit more, before asking for him to participate mentally in any training. I think there is still so much more to unravel in him yet, and a herd of grounded horses is the best place for him to start.