31st August 2010

A day of days!

Caught, harnessed up, long-reined and then "wore" the green cart with Jo supporting it.

Then...... we put the shafts through the tugs and Charlot pulled it around the school.

Then..... Jo stood on a bucket as if she was the same height when sitting in the driving seat and waved her arms about.

Then...... we put a lunge line on Charlot, and attached the breeching and traces and he pulled the cart around the school.

Then ...... Jo got in the cart very slowly and sat there.

Charlot did nothing.

So, then ...... Daisy walked Charlot a few steps forward and stopped.

Charlot did nothing.

So, then ...... Daisy walked Charlot around the school and stopped. Jo got out.

Charlot was unharnessed and given an apple for his efforts.

So, then ...... we all breathed out!

WHAT A DAY!

Wooooo hooooooo!

PS. I cried!

30th August 2010

I give up! Well I don't.

I just don't understand.

Today, Charlot was his usual happy little self.

Is it me? Is it because I am ill and I give off vibes that I cannot trust him?

Is it because Daisy (eldest daughter) was in my place while I manned the camera?

What? What?

I dunno.

Jo caught him. He was harnessed up and Jo did some long-reining. Although a tad trotty, Charlot was much calmer and listening to instruction. He was far less bonkers and flighty.

So, Jo, with the help of Daisy, put the shafts of the little red cart (which we know doesn't fit) into the tugs and they led him around absolutely fine. No panic attacks and no bolting out of the shafts.

Then Charlot was led around the school with the green cart (slightly heavier and bigger and a better fit). The shafts were not put through the tugs but he could feel them against him and was pulling, with the help of Jo, if required.

The differences today:-

I was not handling him
We had a companion in the shape of a Shetland pony, Floyd in the school too
The radio was playing - Kylie and then Steps! Ugh!

I just don't know. Today was a completely new day and Charlot didn't put a hoof wrong, even lifting them up one at a time for Jo at the end.

She massaged his tense nervous bottom and we tied him up to work with Floyd.

So, Charlot knocked over the buckets to amuse himself without jumping 10 foot into the air.

Answers on a postcard.....

28th August 2010

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.......

We had such high hopes now dashed down again.

Jo caught him (my broken ankle stops me walking on uneven ground like a field). Charlot was first up and enthusiastic about the prospect of work.

He led nicely into the shed where we put on his harness. A bit jumpy at first so Jo did some long-reining to calm him down. It became very obvious very quickly that Charlot was not in a calm frame of mind. In fact he was fast, on his toes and not very helpful.

With me at his head, Jo positioned the red cart and he pulled it for a few steps. It doesn't fit, we know that so Jo had brought the bigger green Hartland cart. Charlot jumped out of it, I let go, and he bronced off around the school with his harness on. We caught him again, and with the help of carrots tried to put the shafts in the tugs again. No deal. Back to square one.

Plan B. We put fencing posts on his sides to emulate the feel of shafts and he was long-reined with them around the school. Charlot didn't mind. He was happy enough.

To finish on a good note, we put the green cart back along his sides, without putting them in the tugs, and asked him to walk a few strides forwards (get a carrot piece) and turn the corner (another carrot) and then down the long side (another carrot) and then halt (final carrot).

We flung his straps over his back - he flinched and jumped every minute but we continued to de-sensitize him, massaging his tense little bottom and generally trying to get him out of this mood he had brought upon himself.

Today was not his best day. We struggled to finish on a good note.

1st August 2010

"There was a little girl

Who had a little curl

Right in the middle of her forehead.

And when she was good

She was very, very good

But when she was bad

She was horrid!"

Ok, so he is a boy but this rhyme could really be written about Charlot.

So, off we go again.

I have a broken ankle. I know, I know, stupid, but I do. When the witches stop stirring their cauldrons widdershins, maybe we will have a chance at this training lark!

Charlot did not want to be caught. "No thank you" he said as I hobbled after him. So, I gave everyone a piece of carrot except him. Well, that caught his attention and he decided that having a head-collar put on was fair exchange for a piece of carrot.

I led him to the school - he seemed calm. Jo went to get some petrol for her car so I tied Charlot up to a haynet and he tucked into it enthusiastically. While we were waiting for Jo's return, I gave him a brush, concentrating on his mane and tail and getting the last of his winter fur out. He stopped eating to watch me brush him. His new winter coat is beginning to grow in now and we haven't even had summer. I even plaited his mane as an experiment. It looked smart if a bit odd!

So, Charlot was harnessed up and long-reined for a few circuits. As he remained calm and happy, Daisy took up her usual rickshaw business and followed him with the little red cart, banging about so he was used to the noise behind him. No reaction, so they attached the cart to the tugs, with Jo ready to pull it quickly away if required while Daisy led Charlot.

He pottered about the school, reacting to nothing, and happily walked a few circuits with the cart following him, being given constant reassurance from Jo and Daisy.

Mission accomplished, Charlot was unharnessed and tied up with his haynet at the door while we drove Floyd, his Shetland friend. Charlot watched with interest. He is a funny lad. He managed to get the rope around his head, chickens around his feet and he did nothing.

So Jo led him back to his field, picked up all four feet while he stood quietly and we seem to be back to normal.

I think this was a good day!