No Big Deal Saturday

On Saturday, I made a decision. When I visited My Boy on Sunday, I was not going to catch him and bring him out. It would just be a relaxing day in the pasture, no pressure, like many of you had suggested to me.

With my grooming tote on my shoulder and a small bucket of treats, I entered the pasture. My Boy was right inside the gate and of course, was eager to eat the treats out of the bucket as I held it. I gave him some rubs while he ate. He seemed very comfortable.

I took the empty bucket and walked towards his turnout shed. He followed me there and continued to lick the bucket as I began to curry him with the rubber mitt. He let me do one side, then as I fetched the hard brush he turned away and walked back to the gate and to his other bucket (this one stays on the fence every day for evening supplements.)

I left him alone to contemplate why his supplement was not magically appearing into his bucket. I grabbed the apple picker, fluffed up his turnout shed, and tossed some manure piles out of the pasture. I reapproached the gate, he was still there by his grain bucket, but I ignored him. Saturday had been windy and My Boy's water trough was littered with floating cedar twigs, so I used the net to clean them out. He watched me as I worked. After that, I wandered up to the back of the pasture. I then whistled and called him. He actually walked out back to meet me.

I reinforced this by rubbing him and giving him a cookie. Then I turned away and walked back down to the gate. He followed me again.

At this point I sensed my horse was still a little leery, but much more relaxed than he had been the past few times we'd interacted in his pasture. He did not see me as a halter-toting zombie Pony Girl. I left the pasture and walked the fence line to the back side again, calling him. He came up to the fence. I picked him a few handfuls of grass and tossed them over to him.

I headed back down to the pasture and had the thought to go grab the halter and lead, and just hold it on my shoulder as I visited with him. When I headed up to the garage to fetch the halter, My Boy hung his head over the gate and lifted his leg and air-pawed a bit. It was only a couple hours from feeding time and I know what was going on in his equine mind.

When I reapproached him, I visited and rubbed him from the other side of the gate, then slipped the halter on his nose. He was fine, so I took it off,rubbed some more. I then opened the gate. I let the halter hang on my shoulder. I let him smell it. He looked away from me again. I rubbed him, then left and closed the gate. I repeated this a few times, each time I held out the halter out in hopes he would push his nose into it like he used to (yes, hard to believe, but true.) He did not, but, he also didn't turn away from me or resist. I really had no intention of haltering him at all, but on another attempt to put it on his nose, I could just tell that he was going to let me buckle the crown piece. Without a hitch. No pulling back. I brought him out and let him graze, and hand-walked him around the yard. I wanted it to be a no-work day. I put him away, hoping I left him wanting more.

I got lucky with the halter. Had he pulled back, I would have had to work it out, and I am not sure what would have ensued. I am a little disappointed that I haltered him when I said I wasn't going to. My excuse is that I feel my time with my horse is so limited. It's been weekends only this past month, and I just want to make use of every minute we have together. I also felt my whole approach to haltering was different this time. I didn't intend to catch him, so my body language and demeanor were different. I didn't walk out to him and "chase him down" first thing; rather, I was moseying about it. And, he was at the gate, instead of walking away or holding his ground near his favorite standing place. He was more approachable, and seemed almost interested in coming out of the pasture. There was a huge difference in both of our attitudes.

Hopefully, we reached a small milestone. I am hoping to get up there one night this week if the weather holds, just to hang out and groom him while he's eating, no haltering, for real! And then next weekend, we'll see. I really think it will be a day by day process.

Here is what Paint Girl and her guy were busy doing all day:

Nothing like a toasty hot wood stove to keep you cozy all winter! But between her bathroom remodel project and chores like this, the poor girl has had no time with her horses. I miss my riding buddy!

Lastly, I want to thank Carolynn over at a Glowing Ember for giving me a sweet award! It is always fun to get awards, and to give them. However, I couldn't chose who to give it to, there are so many sweet bloggers out there. Just the fact you visit my blog and offer me advice for my spotted stinker make you all deserving of a big frosted cupcake with sprinkles or a tall vanilla latte with whip cream....or something sweet like that!