Thurs 30 Jan...harry leads!

So..harry has not had a finger on him since the day I put the halter on. What with the clinic, then doing my mare, and working lots in my day job...and then my husband having an accident (damn mountainbike bucked him off!)...Harry has been left to his own devices.

Until this morning!

I brought him into the stable yesterday and he spent the night inside away from his mate. To keep his mind on me not Jazzy.

I was greeted this morning with a loud neigh when he saw me, and his expectant eyes waited for hay. Not likely! Work before breakfast my friend!

I went into the stable, leaving the door ajar in case i needed to make a quick exit (unlikely, but you never know right!). I stood quietly talking to him, and slowly was able to inch up to him and attach the lunge line to the clip on his halter. Took less than 5 mins of slow quiet work. He did get a fright immediately following me clipping it on, and spun round very quickly but my reactions thankfully were just as quick and I was able to catch him and turn his head towards me before his butt hit my line of fire!

He very quickly smelt some grain in my pocket, and was just about in my face like a *real* pony lol, stretching out and sniffing out for treats. Now this is a first!!!

At the end of our last session he took one handful of nuts, but that was it. Now he's actively seeking it out. Don't want to teach him to nip or anything, but its handy for rewards right now.

Ok..enough chit chat. So I decided that today I had two aims. One is to teach him the beginnings of leading/yielding to pressure on the halter. The other was to touch him on the neck (so far on lhy his face has been a comfort zone).

So I figure that common sense says that if I turn his head his feet will follow, and then he knows what I want. Voila. Accomplished first try. Ok, so we go back the other way, voila, does it again. He is very happy to yield to me turning his head and his feet follow. Im quick to praise him when he moves and the second his front feet move, I release the pressure on the lead and he knows he's done good.

After 2-3 mins of this, I decide to stop for a break and give him treats. He decides this is all good, and lets me scratch up between his ears and play with his forelock. I wind it into a bun and imagine him all plaited up lol. I think he will look quite smart..maybe I'll tell everyone he's my new German Riding Pony stallion..freshly imported....