Today a friend came round to meet the boy himself.
I caught Charlot no problem, and took him out of his field alone.
While I was shutting the gate, I let him go and he walked off to get some long grass. He decided in the meantime that he was not going to be caught by me and started to walk away. But.... his long rope got stuck under a hoof and so he stopped, swiveled around and looked at me to sort it! I went over and caught him, pleased that I am considered a port in his stormy mind and led him into the shed!
One attempt to eat en route, a sharp "ahem" from me and he led very nicely.
Our friend, Sheena, wanted to learn "animal body language" and its interpretation with sensitive horses - who better to teach her than Charlot!
I took off his head-collar and let him go, asking Sheena to go up and catch him. Charlot would have none of it. She approached, he left, she approached, he left..... until Jo walked up to him and he let Sheena catch him if Jo stood beside him.
Sheena remarked that he completely trusted Jo and me. So Jo asked Sheena to pick up Charlot's front feet, which he did beautifully. Jo then picked up his backs and he was a good boy. Sheena commented that she wondered if Charlot had perhaps been hobbled as a foal which might explain the scars and lumps and bumps on his back legs. Also, she thought he had been hit around the face as he hates it if anyone raises their arms.
Next, we showed Sheena how the slightest body movement can cause a reaction, either good or bad in Charlot's mind. I lifted my shoulders and Charlot reversed speedily up to Jo. I lowered my shoulders and averted my gaze and he would let me catch him again.
After a session, we let Charlot go and play. He headed around the school, comfortable in his own environment and went to play with the cones!
Funny old thing!
