Sunday 13th December 09
On a time schedule as dropped R & E at a party and had to go collect in an hour and a half.
D not interested in me but happy to be haltered after I got a bag out!
Poor D so itchy, he could hardly get a few feet without biting himself on his girth and flank areas. (Chatted to S about this -lice? Too hot in rug?)
It was rather a distraction but maybe not that unhelpful as he had something else to think about other than the bag! This week's bag was bigger, a plastic feed sack. D very keen to grab it from me and toss it away. Still working on him giving it to me (had chat at Parelli meet re this. n.b. look for book by Tommy Turvey!)
He was a bit alarmed by the bag at first - fault - I went a bit quicker than last week I think -but having put the bag on him, I couldn't take it off until he relaxed. I remember thinking "you should have taken longer to get to this point but you're committed now!" Then I stood breathing out slowly staring at the floor. D did relax with waiting and, by the end of the walk, I had the bag up round his ears (had a bit of opposition here too but just kept at it). Pre-Clinton Anderson, I would never have been so bold with the desensitising and I do need to remember to go slow. However, the overriding principle is it's the release that teaches which I hadn't really got the full message of before.
Had a bit of tail lifting at the sight of (different) horses again but, as D kept his feet still, I just left hm to look and, after a minute or so, he went off into home of his own accord. Good boy.
No comments:
Post a Comment