8/30/04 Thistle Starting Training
 
Now that Skye and Herbie are gone, Thuy and Thistle have
come out to my place.
Thistle is two this year, and he needs to start learning a work ethic.
Every time I handle him, he seems to give in to my requests faster and faster.
Last weekend, when I was picking up Thuy, I gave Thistle a refresher course
in trailer loading. It took us an hour, but in the end he got on and off 4 or 5 times
without a fuss ( he just had to learn to respond to the request for forward).
This weekend, when I went to pick him up, once we got to the trailer,
he walked on immediately like he did it every day.
Getting to the trailer and leaving the pasture was another matter, but after one little
temper tantrum, he gave in completely and went like an adult horse.
I'm sure there will be fewer and fewer tantrums once he sees that I am more stubborn and
that it's easier to do what I want than go through fighting it. I also think that he will learn that
he can trust me, which will go a long way when introducing him to new situations.
Quite a difference from Skye, but I have a feeling that once he does something, it'll be
because of obedience and not just being nice (which I tend to like better, because I think
it's more reliable - of course I could be wrong, and I'll get to see how it goes).
 

I plan to carry a whip for a while, just to have a little reinforcement for leading.

 

He's learning to respond well to the whip for forward, but he has no fear or irritation if it rubs or touches him. This lesson he never kicked or stomped at anything I did.

The dreaded fly spray. First just introducing the bottle by holding it against his side.

 

And the other side.... He's suspicious, but obedient.

Now giving him a sniff.  His neck certainly comes out of his shoulders more like Thuy.  I like having that in front of me when I'm riding.

 

He's not a pocket pony, and doesn't seem to crave attention, but I'm big on positive reinforcement, and he's learning that it's a nice thing.

And finally, ok, spray me, especially if you let me eat grass while you're doing it.

 

Just to see reactions, but it appears he's been sacked out before. None of the flapping and bumping against him bothered him in the least.

On his neck, on his back, walking around, whatever. So, looks like some good background, just a lot of refreshers to find any holes.

The one thing that I hope he does get over. He's not sensitive to his ears or face being handled, but he's head/hand shy. Waving hands or ropes around his face bother him and I'd rather get him used to it now, rather than when we're working on bridling.

He seems quite big for a two year old. I hope he doesn't get much more bulk than Thuy has. Although, he's already taller than Thuy, so a little more bulk probably will still look balanced.

I'm leaving a leather halter on him in the pasture, and when I catch him, I put another halter on over that one. At least here he's not backing up to get away, which he did when I first caught him. Here I took the halter off, but put it back on and off again. I'm sure he'll get used to it. It just takes repetition.

Well, maybe he can become a pocket pony. He thought following me was more interesting than immediately grazing...

At this stage it seems like improvements happen every day.

Bob's still not being very nice to him, hence the opposite sides of the hay ring....