Nice and Easy

So now that Rooster is doing better I am adding a new concept to his routine:)! I dont work him everyday since he is a youngster and before the only time I could touch him was after he had a nice workout to get him less reactive. Well I know he is ready so this morning I haltered him(which in itself is a huge accomplishment i try not to forget:) ) and groomed him in the barn. It went great he stood to be groomed(which involves his biggest fear of being touched), and i picked his front feet. Back feet we are still working on so it wasnt the time. Then I fly sprayed him which he handled with minimal movement. He is very defensive of his sensitive areas so i decided to do some ear work! In the past i could touch his ears but not apply pressure or grab them. So we did some face and neck softening then moved to ear softening. The key with Rooster is that he doesnt feel trapped. So I touch ear when he softens and lowers his head I let go. It took him no time for him to let me squeeze his ears relaxed with his head down. Then more brushing which he stands for but hasnt decided he enjoys yet:) then out to pasture. Another huge accomplishment is that he lowers his head to have halter removed and keeps his head low after it is removed. He also stands to make sure i am done and walk away before he leaves! This is such a great thing for him. I cant believe he did so well straight out of the stall! This shows me huge improvement and i know this routine added a few days a week is really going to get him enjoying me more! Sorry no pics I was flying solo this morn:)

Getting Caught Up!

Since Roosters arrival he has really improved and is growing up! I am so proud of him!

He has now had his feet trimmed, ponies, trailer loads, is learning to tie(he is a reactor and pulls back), and is pretty sure that being touched by an evil human isnt the worst thing that could happen to him! We are in no rush to start him undersaddle so until he really shows us he is ready we are just strengthing the building blocks! He is sooo smart and willing it is proving to be a great experience!Here are some recent pics that will get us caught up to where we are now!

Rooster Arrives

About a month ago I got a new addition that will hopefully become my additional horse! No offense to Jessie(my mare) but i really need a hormonally balanced partner to help me train horses and maybe be a rope horse or ranch competition horse:)! He is Playgun, Peppy San Badger bred and I fell in love when i met him. The catch was( there is always a catch and a challenge with me) he wasnt really halter broke and you couldnt touch him. Unless of course you thought it appropriate to chase him into a corner and physically restrain him to halter him. Not my method of course but to each there own:)!He was herded onto a cattle trailer as a weanling and then turned out in his current situation. He had been captured(i use this term because that is how i would describe how he has been handled)only to be dewormed and castrated. I purchased him a month ago so i have some catching up to do but it will be an amazing transformation that i have to keep record of. Each horse teaches me something new and i cant wait to learn from this guy. Pics above are from his first night home!