We started this session just chatting about Astuce and how getting a halter onto her is a struggle. Unlike Anah, Astuce is more introverted and not as easy to read. She needs a quiet approach that honors her No. Knowing when she is saying No is the challenge.
We spent some time just meeting the new herd. Four donkeys have arrived into Anah and Astuces environment over the summer and this will have changed many things as the herd settle and work out their relationships with each other, and also with Esther and David. Odette has had a problem with her shoulder and hip due to a little accident. Time and the Osteopath have sorted her out and she is getting better. At about 11 minutes we started a little exercise where we imagine ourelves in the body of the donkey and see what we feel.
A couple of minutes later one of the doneys barges past David, and we talk a little about the reasons for that, and at 15 minutes we talk a bit about how the new donkeys will need to settle and release any tensions and changes regarding their new environment, and let go of any grief about leaving their old home.
Then we start to work with Astuce at about 17 minutes into the video, first with approaching her and seeing when she is engaged and focused and when she says we are close enough. When she moves off, we did a little bit of ‘Creative Reaction’ practice and talked about thoughts and feelings around the halter.
You will see at about 31 minutes I find my Present Moment and then wait for Astuce to acknowledge me and give me some focus. When she approaches I get present with her and see how she reacts. After a little while she licks and chews, accepting the feeling.
At about 34 minutes I start to offer touch, regarding her. Astuce offers herself gently and softly and we need to match her energy when we offer ourselves to her.
About 39 minutes Astuce and the herd move away and we have a little talk about thinking levels and looking for the reactions.
We go back to the herd who are in a different place now and do some more approach work, not only with Astuce but with the other donkeys too. All the time Anah is supporting everything. Then Astuce and I have a conversation about the halter and she allows me to halter her. She releases any anxiety about the halter through yawns at about 52 minutes.