Remember when fly masks were the devil incarnate? Now, he comes to me for his fly mask, stands quietly, and lets me fiddle with his ears while slipping it on.
I'm not careful, I put it on in the same matter-of-fact way I do with all the other horses. The other morning, he leaned into it, turning his head and dropping it so I could more easily slip in his ear.
We aren't doing much that is "constructive" in a traditional training sense, but we continue to build our bond.
He will leave his hay and Flash to hang out with me.
He walks with me at liberty in his pasture, sometimes for a decent distance, and I'm able to pull him close with my energy when he drifts.
He has days where he is less brave and days where he is more, but I can always approach him and he always comes right back to me. On his brave days, I walk around him, drape my arm across his back, hug his neck and rub him all over. He cocks his hind foot, turns his head, and looks at me with a soft, amused expression.
I'd love to see a video of you working with him.
ReplyDeleteJust think back on how much he's changed - how much he's opened up to you. Your patience and insight have gone a long way into giving him back his comfort and confidence.
ReplyDeleteVery nice. You've gotten at the heart of it, our horses, and all our animals, should enjoy being near us. If we haven't done that core thing, we've failed. I try to spend every evening, at sundown, walking in the herd while they're mutual grooming. I'm really testing my relationships with them--which come to me and which don't. They don't all come to me every night. I file it away and work on it. I've followed your lead with the treats, but I often forget them. Grrrr. I'm always amazed, though, with the depth of appreciation of animals when humans learn how to be with them and even help them.
ReplyDeleteLove hearing these updates. Tex is learning to be the horse he was meant to be.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great job you're doing with him!
ReplyDeleteRobin
AWESOME!!
ReplyDeleteIt really makes me want to go and learn liberty!!
Woo hoo, Tex!!