So, yesterday I went to see Chief. Boy, is he an absolute cutie!
When I arrived, I ran to his stall - the very last one in the barn - and found him pacing like a maniac. When I stood in front of his stall, he stopped, turned to face me, and looked at me with his big, liquid brown eyes. He held his head so high, I had to practically jump to get the lead rope on his halter. I led him out of his stall with him prancing and we went to the arena/round pen.
I walked him around and he patiently walked beside me, with just the occasional flinch when he saw something that was 'scary'. Now, I was very happy with how little actual spook he has when on the ground. The most he did as a spook with me was flinch, slowly raise his head and freeze while he looked at the scary object. Then, I tugged on the lead rope and we moved on. He loved sticking his nose in the dirt and blowing out of his nose until the dirt scared him and made him flinch.
After examining the walls of the arena, the dirt in the arena, the arena gate, the ceiling, and staring at Cookie for a good five minutes, I asked Chief to trot. He patiently trotted beside me for a minute, - he has an amazing, floaty trot - but then he stopped.
Lesson #1 - We stop when I want to stop, not when you decide it's time.
I made him trot around that arena until I asked him to stop. Man, it took a good five or ten minutes, but eventually he learned that if he stops before I do, he gets to back up until his butt is against the wall, then trot around with me again until I say stop. Thank the Lord that horse is a fast learner, or we would've been there all day. Thank the Lord that I've spent way too much time teaching arrogant horses how to stop, back, walk, and trot beside me and with me, along with teaching them to pivot and listen to not only my cues with the lead but with my body and language, too.
Then, after walking him around in the arena for a little bit - for this part I let him walk in a 'lunging' fashion, just like on a short lunge line so I wouldn't have to walk (lazy me!!). I asked him to do a really, really simple switch of directions, but he stopped, stared at me, and started going the way he'd been going originally. "You did not just do that," I said. I tried again. Same response. I tried again; he did it right. I let him go back the original way again, then asked once more for a change in direction. I got the stop and stare response again. I knew he could do it; he'd just done it a minute ago!
Lesson #2 - You will do something I know you can do, and you'll do it right, and when I ask you to.
I used my hand motions (I train all horses to lunge according to my body language, verbal cues, and hand motions) to ask him to go the direction I wanted him to. He backed a few steps, directly facing me with his head to the sky. I asked him again, verbally with body language, and he licked his lips a bit and obeyed. GOOD BOY! That earned him a treat and a pat on the neck.
After that, I wanted to brush him and pick his hooves a bit. So we went to the grooming stall. Well, we tried to. He stopped, but I clucked and made myself less scary-looking, and he walked right in. Good, good, good boy. He keep seeing the boogeyman and was scared of the cross ties. Eventually, he stood still and I gave him a treat and a pat on the neck.
I went to reach for his hoof, and he squirreled sideways, glaring at me like I was stupid. I moved him back to where he was and, running my hand slowly down his leg, gently asked again. He picked it up, but did the whole tug-my-hoof-out-of-your-hand thing. I held on and made him stand still for two seconds. Release. Praise. Rest. Attempt. Fail. Attempt. Release. Praise. Rest. Once more, attempt. He didn't even lift his hoof (this was all on the same hoof, mind you), and when he finally did, he jumped sideways and slammed his hoof down. I got angry. I know, I know; he's just a baby, he's new here, he's been through a lot... but I was angry.
Lesson #3 - My hand is not scary. You can pick up your hoof. We've been through this before. Pick up your hoof, let me pick it, and no one gets hurt.
We practiced the 'small steps' exercise that I did with Cody. Let me touch your leg. Praise. Let me put pressure on your ankle. Praise. Break. Let me pick up your hoof for a split second. Praise. Let me pick up your hoof for a few seconds without jerking it out of my hand. Praise. Let me pick it up and tap it with the hoof pick. Praise. Let me pick it up and pick it out. Praise. Let me pick it up and put it back down. Praise.
I only picked one of his feet, but I'm glad I didn't decide to do all four, because if he was a bear with his front ones, what would he be like with his back ones? And for heavens' sake, he needs to be let outside. He was made to move. Hes got a big body, long legs, a big head, and when he moves... it's just so graceful. He needs to be taken out on trails, ridden outside often, allowed to run in big, open spaces where he doesn't feel confined. I just felt so bad for the poor little guy because he'd been through so much in the past two days, and then I was getting a little mad at him for not cooperating. So I've decided to go to Victory Monday and Tuesday, and I told Lisa that on Wednesday we should trail ride Missy and Chief. That way, both horses get a break and we humans get to relax and just...
Breathe.
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