Chad's First Field Adventure

So in my last post I mentioned Chad maybe dabbling in a bit of eventing when he grows up a bit more... Well yesterday morning (bright and early before college!) I took Chad for his first adventure through the fields and it looks like we will need to do some field training if we are going to do any cross country! I knew we would have an eventful time when we hadn't even reached the gate and Chad had already planted his feet into the ground, for fear of being eaten by the white fluffy things in the fields. I suppose Chad has never seen a sheep before in his life (they don't seem to have any in that part of Germany!) so for all he knew they could swallow him whole. But we managed to get to the gate, and then walked through quite easily once Chad realised that the white things were all running away from him. I bet he felt well hard at that moment, like "yeah that's right you better run!" haha.
The sheep do not pose a problem now, Chad asserted himself over them successfully, but then we went on to challenge the cross country jumps. Chad spotted a wooden slatted jump a mile away and already decided he wasn't going near it. I'm not too sure what he thought it was, but I suppose when he first saw it there were some sheep hiding inside it so I had to wait until they all ran out to show him to it. After the third jump I familiarised him with, he decided wood doesn't bite. Thank God for that, because he's going to be jumping over them soon!
We trotted all the way to the top of the fields, and had the most amazing early-morning view. When we got back down to the bottom I cantered and galloped him up some small hills which he thought was very exciting. The hills are so good for his strength too, by trotting up them with his neck low and stretching through over the wither, he has to work his back end really hard to get himself up the hill, meaning super strength and engagement in the arena!
I don't think Chad has seen or done anything like that in his life but I'm sure he enjoyed his little field adventure. I think it is so important for a young horse like him to go out and experience all these things for the sake of him becoming quiet, world-wise, and manageable in situations where he needs to turn to my trust to keep him safe. It's a serious bonding experience, trying to convince him that the sheep aren't going to eat him! It's nice to know he trusts me though :)