Update on the ponios

Recently I haven't done much with the horses, but i've still noticed a difference in them. Especially Ditte.

First and foremost, the ponies have lost weight while Sofie have kept it, so that's great! Then, the weather became so bad i had to blanket Ronja too for the first year we've had her. Looking to buy more blankets for her and Sofie, but dang, that's expensive compared to not needing them.

And then there's the behavior. I've started using a start button when taking the blanket on and off Sofie, so now she's much calmer about it. Ronja don't like the hind leg straps, so I try doing the same with her, but I need patience for it and I can't say that i'm doing as well as the ponies, so that's hard. The start button for Sofie is when she's quietly eating her müsli. When she stops to lift her head or look at me, i'll stop whatever i'm doing. When she's eating again I continue. This way, she can be in control while I still get it done and it will be easy for mom to do too, since we always fix blankets while the horses eat.

Ditte have probably had the biggest change though. The food anxious, claustrophobic horse with seperation anxiety will gladly go into her stall and stand calmly in there. She get a carrot while the others get müsli and then she's content. She can also now go outside with only one of the others in the morning without a problem. And the claustrophobia? She's so calm inside her stall I think it's safe to say she no longer struggle with it. Mornings are still hard though. After Ronja began needing a blanket the routine changed and I can't do as much to make Ditte feel good with it as I could before, so she's stressed in the morning until she know she's no longer stuck in her stall. Oh well. I wouldn't expect her to even get this good, so one stressfull time a day with 23.55 hours to relax is quite good.

We do still have problems though. Ronja is always stressed while in her stall. Don't really do anything, but you can see it. Ditte would've been freaking out if she felt what Ronja do, but Ronja stand calmly and act normal. The reason she have always been good with beginners is her incredible ability to handle stress and pain without showing :broken_heart: I don't know how to help her though. With Ditte consistency, getting other issues better (more mental ressources free) and the wrap/carrot routine we have helped. With Ronja I don't know what her other problems are though. I can't tell you what's causing her the stress. Outside she's so happy. So soft. The tension never quite leave her eyes, but you can see she's happy. Her energy is happy, soft and appreciative of life. While she's inside, I feel nothing but anxiousness coming from her. The same I stress i feel from school. The overwhelmed feeling you can't help. I can't help it in myself and i can't help it in her, so what am I supposed to do?

I would appreciate suggestions on what may be causing her tension in life, both related to being inside and in general. But, even though that's a problem, I have to they're all much happier than they were a year ago. There's progress, even if we have struggles we still need to overcome. Even if those struggles are big and feel impossible to overcome. I've overcome seemingly impossible struggles with them before, why not do it again?