As you could probably tell from my last entry, I was pretty discouraged about how Dexter and I digressed last weekend. The feeling continued throughout the early part of the week. So much so that I started thinking I wasn't the right person to help Dexter find his way to becoming a safe, reliable equine partner. Once again, he surprised me, and we've been back on track since Thursday.
As excited as I am about getting him home, it is more important that he unlearns his habit of being hard to catch and halter. Since Thursday, all I have asked of Dexter is that he accept the halter willingly. Whenever Dexter would take his typical step back when I approached him to put the halter on, I immediately walked away from him and waited for him to come back to my shoulder. By consistently doing this, each visit has taken less time and he is starting to halter very willingly; better yet, he thinks it was his idea. Every time he accepts the halter well, he gets scritched and treats and tons of loving.
Once I have the halter on him, it takes every ounce of restraint not to attach the lead rope and start doing some ground work. My gut feeling however, is to just let him enjoy being haltered without having to go to work in any way.
Yesterday, I jogged around the pasture and my beautiful boy stayed right on my shoulder - walking and trotting and stopping instantly with me. To me that was far more rewarding than getting the lead rope on him because he was offering this gift to me on his own.
WOO HOO from Tovie & Dexter!
1 comment:
Tovie, I am so happy for you and Dexter. Way to go !!!
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