8th September 2010

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!

1st September 2010

Did the same again today.

It was Daisy's last day at home - back to school in Scotland and not home until October.

Charlot and his friend, Floyd, came into the school. Charlot was harnessed up, did a spot of long-reining the log and then wore the cart, ie Jo supporting the shafts rather than putting them in the tugs.

After a few circuits, as things were looking good, they put to and Daisy led Charlot quietly round the school doing a 20m circle, figure of eight and change of rein. Jo deliberately kept everything to the minimum, hand movements, no whip and very quiet driving.

Charlot was a good boy again, never a flicker. So we unharnessed him, fed him an oatcake (run out of apples or carrots) and put him back into his field.

Job well done.

Onwards and maybe upwards?

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.