Progress!
@rockymouse maybe they were thorough, but if I had a chip scanner handy I’d check myself just to be sure!
@Libby2563 if you’re going to make bad decisions, they might as well be big double-sized ones 
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That mane makes me want to grab a hairbrush. Always found it hard to resist the urge to get grooming when they are not yet ready to accept it the hardest part of starting from scratch with them. You look like you are making really good progress with these two who probably just never learned about any of that before they came to you as opposed to being scared from bad handling.
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You and me both. I was gently tugging at Ernie’s tail tag this morning, hoping it would come loose, but no dice. He seems to be the more well-handled of the two - he willingly picked up a front foot for me, and he’s not bothered about being touched around the ears or tail area. If he gets uncomfortable he just moves away, no aggression.
Bert, on the other hand… he’s the whole reason we ended up just dumping them out of the trailer into this paddock, for threatening behavior over being touched. His communication is very clear - no means no, don’t push it or else. I wouldn’t dream of attempting to touch his tail tag at this point that I was permitted to touch his neck and shoulder this morning without so much as a hairy eyeball is a major accomplishment.
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Maybe watching Ernie accept you will be a help? They seemed pretty close when they cam off the trailer.
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Bert, on the other hand… he’s the whole reason we ended up just dumping them out of the trailer into this paddock, for threatening behavior over being touched. His communication is very clear - no means no, don’t push it or else. I wouldn’t dream of attempting to touch his tail tag at this point
Bert looks a lot like a mare a friend of mine got from a feedlot in Virginia. She’s in her teens though and we’re pretty sure came from the Amish. She wants to be friends and be a good girl but also she really just doesn’t trust people. She will follow me around if I have a carrot. If I don’t I can sometimes pet her forehead or on a good day, her neck, and if by some miracle I can get a halter and lead on her, she is very willing.
And while my friend hopes to turn BB into a good trail horse (BB does trust my friend more than she does me), my friend will also be fine if BB never turns into more than a very pretty pasture pet.
I need to go dig out a photo of BB, just to compare to Bert.
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On unhandled young ones, I spend hours doing the TTouch
Stuff around their face, neck and ears if they let you.
TTouch can really help break down the distrust and fear.
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A pretty big breakthrough was made yesterday -
Bert had an itch and nominated me to scratch it. He went so far as to move INTO my hand when I stopped and moved back, which is a neat feeling on an avoidant horse like this.
I was also able to get my hands in Ernie’s mouth to look at his teeth - he was fine with me doing the arm underneath the jaw and over the nose maneuver - and in my non-expert opinion they are both young 2yo’s. Oh, and he knows how to pick up at least one foot
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BRAVO. Over the hump in a week…stick a mane brush or comb in your back pocket to be ready…that picture makes me want to groom him soooo bad.
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I bet you could become their BFF with one of those rubber Groom-it gloves.
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Ooh, that’s a good idea!
I think a mane brush would get me blacklisted right now 
but I have been meaning to take a curry with me. And I need to start carrying around a halter and rope.
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I wouldn’t start with manes either, tempting as it may be. It doesn’t feel as good as a scritch on an itchy spot or wither scritch.
SusanO had a great idea regarding the curry glove. 
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Thunderstorms, mud and rain this week, sooo… Here’s some dirty baby headshots. I can now pet them fairly easily, but the weather is gross and I have company this week so they are getting off easy for a couple days.
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Living their best lives at the mud spa.
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Thankfully, they don’t seem to be the kind that want to be covered in it head to tail.
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Bert looks quite proud of his fancy facial mud blobs!
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this made me tear up and my heart swell for Bert and Ernie. I am so glad that found a soft landing with you.
And all that chrome and I LOVE Bert! I am rooting for you Bert !
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Yet.
They don’t seem to be the kind that want to be covered in it yet.
That’ll happen with the next thunderstorm.
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