30th June 2010

Ok, where to start.

We put them all in the small field. I sat down on a rock and Charlot came up for a chat. He was nervous but steadier. I let him come to me rather than the other way around. The nosier Shetlands came up for a scratch so Charlot felt he could manage it a little too.

I got up and he rushed off and I thought "here we go again". I shouted to Jo and Daisy that we had to catch him today as he was not going to get away with this behaviour and we were not going to let it escalate either. I caught Spring, his Shetland friend, and tried circling Charlot to get him to follow but he would have none of it and cantered off to the other side of the paddock.

We decided to herd him behind Spring who was being led out of the field and Charlot turned around to face me. I lowered my gaze and shoulders and went up to him talking softly. He let me touch his face but walked backwards. So I stopped, and again put my hand out to touch his nose and cheeks. I moved closer and caught him by his chin hairs where he stood like old times perfectly happily. Daisy gave me her headcollar and I put it on him with no problems and led him out, with Spring following this time.

Once in the school, I brushed and combed Charlot's mane and tail while Jo drove Spring. He was a bit jumpy but remained cooperative and fairly calm. I stood by his back and brushed that. Jo finished with Spring and we let him go out. We then all looked at Charlot to decide what to do next with him.

So, Daisy and Jo stood on buckets and I asked Charlot to walk in between the wall and them. He was nervous, surprised and alarmed but based on trust and constant reassurance, he did it over and over again every which way. Jo and Daisy would touch his back stroking him and he would jump out of his skin at times. Silly boy!

Then Daisy lay on his back!

She stood on her bucket and laid over his back. She even managed to let go with her feet and he supported her weight looking a bit surprised but not reacting badly. So then Jo supported Daisy's leg and she laid over his back without the bucket and we walked a step forward. Although not totally happily, Charlot did it, looking to me for reassurance that this was normal behaviour!

Then back onto the buckets. I asked Charlot to walk through them each way without flinching or reacting. He had to do it because I would not let him go backwards or do anything else. His leadrope was loose and I would ask him to walk on and stand between Jo and Daisy while they patted him or stroked his back. He did look to both Daisy and Jo independently for reassurance. Eventually after a few attempts, Charlot could walk through, stand on request and not react. His reward was to walk through without stopping and he didn't rush and remained calm.

I took him back to his field and we will put yesterday down to a huge aberration and hope that tomorrow is another day!