Well, today I decided to do some long-reining. Don't know why really, it truly is not my forte but who cares, I had a go.
I found one long-rein, the other is broken, so I substituted with a lunge line which is twice the length of the long-rein! I put an old moth-eaten roller on Charlot and clipped his reins to the sides of the head-collar. A bit of a bodge job, but it all worked, apart from the roller sliding around the rotund belly and Charlot managed to get so tied up in all the string, he looked like a parcel at one stage. But, he took it all in his stride and let me untangle him without a fuss!
So we long-reined about the school while I tried to keep control giving him commands. He did the most well controlled turn on the forehand, swivelling beautifully on one front foot! As I said, I am not the most expert at this, but we muddled along together fairly well!
Then I decided we would work on "things Charlot is scared of", ie the great unknown. I put my coat on the floor and asked him to walk over it. He wouldn't, walking round and round, sometimes a hoof would touch a corner and he even cat-leaped it so as not to touch it. So. having put out some trotting poles earlier, I took out one to make him trot onto it. He knew exactly what I wanted and jumped it the first time, so I made it wider and soon he could trot over it! Success!
So then mean horrible me, drapes all the coats over Charlot plus some ropes and headcollars for good measure - things trailing about his back legs, the unexpected as well as rustly noises! I have to clear up my other toys, so I lead Charlot about on his lunge rope doing my chores while Daisy rides her horse in the school. Charlot is very good and obediently follows taking it all in but taking great exception when I kick a physio ball under his back legs - he sent that into orbit! I let the string dangle about, the coats fall off and he didn't bat an eyelid! It is all good training, teaching him to read my body language, to trust me and to go backwards when asked out of tight turning areas.
Well you know me, ever the optimist! I picked up both Charlot's front feet in turn over and over again. Just him and me and a lunge line wearing coats with trailing ropes about! He did it! I even took the photos as well! He thought about minding, but I suppose he had too much to mind about so he just gave up and did it!
After all that, I gave him a hug, kissed his nosey, tickled his ears and put him back out with his friends. He had a rather bemused look about him!
