Sorry I havent posted in a bit. I will try to do better:)!
This evening Rooster got to build on his tying skills:)! When he first came to me I was told they tied him to the trailer to try to get him to load and he pulled back and layed down on his side and flopped like a fish. Needless to say he retained that this behavior got him out of what he doesnt want!(Not that I blame him):)! Soooo after a lot of groundwork and ponying work to teach him that pressure from a halter doesnt mean flip out he is coming around. We spent a ton of time with him "tied" with sort of a pully so we could hold the rope(for a quick release if needed) so he didnt kill himself during these tantrums. All of our hard work and his hard learning is paying off. Now dont get me wrong he occasionally resorts to pulling back but comes off the pressure quickly and is realizing it is way to much like work to act like that. This can be a VERY dangerous habit for both the horse and people so it is one we will nip in the bud.
Anyway, tonight he practiced standing tied alone and while being desensitized with the rope and plastic bag. Not long ago he would freak if you approached him while tied. I was so proud of him tonight and he tried really hard. I see his brain working and transforming him into a different thinking horse. Unfortunately I dont have pictures of desensitising since hubby was off riding his horse. He learned to stand perfectly! There is something about this horse I am really drawn to. Afterward we did grooming and then went on a walk and picked blackberries. Rooster is now a fan of fresh picked blackberries. Hope you enjoy the pics!
