Scout.
He's still a cute baby.
He's enthusiastic (and did I mention cute?)
He's very kissable.
And he could totally be a rock star.
He cracks me up. He'll come up and do something he knows isn't acceptable, all the while mouthing, "I'm a baby I'm a baby, don't hurt me!" Do all babies do that? I figure he'll grow out of it in a year or so.His mama on the other hand, she didn't have me laughing today. I feel like she may be more than I have the patience for. Don't get me wrong, she is NOT a bad girl. But she shuts down when she's worried. Just closes her eyes and stands there. Which requires great patience. My gut reaction is to startle her back "awake" but that's what not to do. I need to wait her out, show her it's not scary, and build her confidence. And find some more info on how to train a horse like her. I'm going to rent the Parelli horse behavior DVDs. I know there's some good info there. Any other suggestions?
The little guy is just too cute! With horses that shut down - they've sometimes just been "forced" to do things, or punished when they try to do what someone wants (but don't do it "correctly") - to preserve their sanity they shut down - some horses act out instead. I rarely use food treats with horses, but with a horse that is disengaged (I have a mare that started out like that) food treats can spark their interest and start building a relationship. Horses that are shut down are usually not pushy about food treats, in my experience. Good luck and keep us informed!
ReplyDeleteKate,
ReplyDeleteI think you've got a good idea there. I was pondering clicker training today. She does like treats, but she's not usually pushy about them. They get her animated and interested, which is really great.
What a cutie. You will win her over. Never had one like that.
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