So much is going so well with the mustangs. The ones in the ‘sheep barn’, those four are making good progress. Tovah, new as of Dec 1, now eats alfalfa hay from my hand. Will not spook if i walk past her, moves by my hand/body signal more-or-less comfortably into the training area (36x36) for private tutoring.
Steve has learned not to bolt out of my hands in a halter and leadrope. He is more confident in being bound to me by a rope. So now, he gets to go outside his corral on a halter (very briefly, then right back in).
Rizada put her nose through the halter’s nose ring…like 20 or 40 times in a row, for treats. We’ll review that and then will start draping the halter over her poll, (and then off, and then over and then off and then over) and one day soon, she will be getting dressed in a halter and learn to lead.
And Fae, my little sweetie, will stand anywhere i toss her rope over a panel rail and let me pick up all four of her feet. She still is a bit ‘halty-starty’ on a lead but she’s ALMOST 'there’.
I need to mention that i have the 8 mustangs in pods of four. I feel that they are emotionally more comfortable that way. Also, each pod has a large-ish corral and are free to move as far away from me as they need to, when they need to. I do not move their feet/establish dominance/become their fearless leader in a roundpen/move them until they joinUp….none of that. I present myself in as grounded and positive demeanor as i can and offer them approval and food when they come around. I think that by being the sole provider of alfalfa they work quite hard to figure out how to get what they want.
As of a few days ago, the four in the ‘horse barn’ (Ajax, Sinnerman, Warlock and Whisper will all come into the 36x36 ‘stall’ with me in it. AND! Ajax will let me close him in with me …all alone. In fact, the way i’ve set it up, he PREFERS to be alone with me….LOL. Here’s how i managed that: I opened the door and let them watch me place some alfalfa hay in there, then i stand back and let Ajax walk in, (being the most bold, he always is first to approach). I closed the door behind him and went and sat quietly in the corner and watched him eat for about five mins…THEN i get up, walked over and open the door allowed the other three to come in and gobble up all ‘his’ hay. Did that setUp two times and Ajax now prefers to be alone with me.
i can move my hand along Ajax’ cheek but am not quite to his tag string yet. I hope to get there one of these days as it’s in front of his ears and tighter than i think is fair over his big chunky cheeks.
Sinnerman, the wild one, will sidle up to me and take alfalfa hay from my hand. He still is jumpy, but not the reactive-as-heck guy he once was. Which makes all the other three a LOT more serene lately. What is sort of funny is that Sinnerman, who is obviously the big man in this group, will not approach me directly/head-on to take a handful of hay, he moves sideways, doesn’t make direct eyecontact until i wave the hay at him and say his name. Then, after i ask, he makes eye-contact and steps sideways to me to take a handful of alfalfa. He used to grab and run!! Now, he reaches out, takes, and steps back quietly. Tis a big advance! So…perplexing to me is the intention of him. As the clear leader of this group (and possibly from having been top-stud in his herd?…or at least a dominant position in a bachelor group?…for 10 or 12 years!) he understands the value of the correct approach to another top personality? Maybe i’m giving myself too much credit here….but i think this is the it-of-it. And it’s FASCINATING!!
Warlock really really knows his name, and if the other two big geldings have their mouths full, he will come up to me when called and take a handful of alfalfa. As soon as they each become willing to be in the training stall with me all alone, i feel i can move along pretty well with him. He is smart, but being low-man in the group, he is wary.
No mention of Whisper because Sinnerman still won’t let her near me. He owns her. Some day soon, i will be able to enclose Sinnerman inside the stall…maybe with Ajax… and be able to work with her …comfortable and not alone in the company of Warlock. I think all i need is to get some alfalfa from my hand into her mouth once. She def makes some serious eyecontact. She also knows her name. I have a feeling there is a good deal of intelligence behind those eyes of hers.
