I spent a very happy sunny Autumn afternoon with Sóley the Foalie introducing her to little bits of carrot that I had bitten off for her.

She seems much calmer in this new field and much more open to suggestion, which is why I offered her a little bit of carrot when I went to check on them all.

To date, Sóley would gently take the carrot and then spit it politely on the ground hoping I wouldn’t notice.  Possibly like me with Brussel sprouts!

So I had rather given up and put it down to the fact she is a baby and maybe the carroty taste isn’t of any interest to her.

But perseverance is my middle name (actually it isn’t – it is Susannah after Muriel Denison’s book “Susannah of the Mounties”, so you know).

And when giving Hetja and Lilja their daily carrot, I would always offer Sóley one fully expecting to see it quickly appear by my feet.

I was very nicely surprised to see no carrot by my foot and even better, there was the sound of happy chewing and then even asking for another piece.

It is always good to have magical (a treat) up my sleeve when training.

One can achieve a great deal with bribery.

I think it also helps to have excellent role models too and lucky little Sóley has the very best.