What A Good Boy

I am so pleased with Charlie......that probably means something will go wrong. But so far all is good.  He seems to be really enjoying his 'work'.  I don't really like using a cavesson....I find them heavy and unnecessary, so I am just working him off a head collar.  The last 2 days he has been wearing a poly pad on his back with a surcingle. It hasn't been a problem at all.  He has got the hang of 'lunging' very loosely. As in he's picked up the going round in circles.  At the moment we only have trot and whoa.....but the other pace commands will come in time.  We have been carrying on with the 'follow me' games, and getting used to the mounting block.  He is happy to stand next to it, while I lean over him.  Soooo tempting to slide a leg over.  But not yet.
Today I lead him up to a pallet that was laying around.  He sniffed it, then walked over it.  Family Pony here we come..............

Proud in grown up clothes.

Hunt the Poo, and Charlie starts Work

This week we have mostly been playing Hunt the Poo.  It looks the same as the beech leaves that are covering the minis field. Its like one of those hidden object games.  And I'm not complaining about the sun, but having it shining in your eyes does not help. New Years Day was a particular challenge, having had no sleep!!!

And so today Charlie officially started his training. I am not planning on rushing anything.  It will take as long as it takes. There is no time limit, and I don't want to skip a bit.  Also I have no set plan.  We'll see how it all goes.
Today I simply got him out, tied him up the gate (Yes Yes, before you all start shouting....I did use baler twine), fitted him with a lunging cavesson and spent 15 minutes in my 'school' asking him to move out and around me.  Which he did beautifully.   Then we finished off with a little "Follow Me".  I walk, he follows, I stop, he stops, I change direction, yes you guessed it. The object is to keep him glued to me. Finished off of course with much petting and a parsnip!

Pony Girl 1 - Charlie 0 A Lesson Learned

So, on Monday Charlie and I had a fight.  I could see it coming.  So far he has accepted rugs, detangler, mane trimming and having his tail dunked in a bucket of water and severely agitated.  But he has been pushing the boundaries a little. 
 This is all to be expected.  First he was taken off his mother too young and was bottle fed. Next he ran partially wild in a small herd of colts and was only gelded this year.  He is very clever and cheeky though, which will make teaching him fun. I certainly do not want to spoil that cheeky, curious nature.  But I need him to see me as his herd leader. Even above Lulu who is the alpha mare.  (I swear she has balls hidden somewhere||).  Check out the video to see how he and the 14 year old Daisy over reacted when Lu was taken out of the field the other day.

Anyway so in the interests of bonding, I have been taking Charlie out of the field and just getting him to follow me and stop when I say etc.  All rewarded with a treat or a face rub when he gets it right.  I am using a Parelli halter, as he is strong and the last thing I want is to let go at the moment.
Its been going ok ish, but he is frightened of the gateway (must have had a shock as its all electric fencing), and has been trying to leg it the moment we get back in the field.
It all came to a head Monday, when he stood right up and pulled back.  I have a long rope so I pushed him out to the end of it and sent him in circles.  For a moment it must have looked like a classic cowboy scenario.  Handler planted while horse paddles in the air, leaning back on the rope. I tried again to have him stand while i removed the halter, but up he went again (no patience!!).  So I drove him out and kept him moving round in circles until he began to show signs of submission.  Lunging should be a doddle now.
Finally he stood still to be let loose. 1 - 0 to me.
Tuesday I let him be as Lulu escaped whilst with were moving the fence back and then looked a little collicky, so Jo took her in for a bit.....hence the vid of him and Daisy having a meltdown.  Its the most Daisy has moved this month!!
Yesterday I had a hospital appointment, 90 miles away, yes the joys of the dodgy lungs and dicky ticker!
So today was test day.  Had Charlie remembered his lesson?  Hell yeah!  He greeted me with a little whicker.....i think he must have read the book that tells horses how to communicate with humans.  It says a whicker is worth a month of bad behaviour!  But he was as good as.  Nice walk round the next field, through the gate with only a whisker of hesitation, and stood like a rock for me to remove his halter.