Sunday 24th Jan 2010
I don't know where this month's going! Today, I was feeding in the evening and planned to take D out for a walk. I've been ill and was really tired and almost talked myself out of it but i thought if i only did half an hour that would be better than nothing.
So, on arrival, I caught D up straight away - after a brief investigation of my (rolled up) brolly got his interest up. We went straight out as it was getting late - nearly 4pm. This may have contributed to him being a bit spooky. M was calling a lot today too but D was not his usual confident self. He kept stopping and goggling with his heart fluttering. The first was at the gateway before we left. I waited and then moved him about a bit before setting off. Then he kept stopping going down the first bit of the road - he could see people in fluorescents through Suzie's bit. Again I waited a bit then backed him, turned him, sideways-ed at a trot, approaching and retreating the trouble spots.
At one point, as I indicated to him to come forward thinking the hedgerow would push him into a sideways, he leaped up a four foot bank!! He was towering above my head and had a big leap down! I'm realising how agile D is, also how sure-footed, which is nice. I think he surprised himself a bit with that and a car was coming so we retreated a bit again. After only about 5 mins, he was walking more confidently and by the time we got to Pippa's, he was relaxed. The nice thing was, I didn't feel at all worried or pressured to pressurise D. I remembered not to push him through his thresholds - which you can easily do - he will respond -and it seemed to work.
Once he was relaxed, I opened the brolly which I was carrying instead of a carrot stick. It's a rather posh brolly which I bought for my wedding day, more like a parasol in a lovely powder blue. I was careful not to let D chew it! I took it because the handle has a curved end and the brolly is not too big when opened, bigger than the previous one but not as big as a golfing brolly which will be next!
D did really well with the brolly and I ended up walking with it open on his back, waving it about and rubbing him with it. I also walked backwards twirling it which scared him a bit initially but curiosity overcame him , especially when he got a bit of carrot for "touch it!" What I am realising - thank you to the horseless workshop for teaching me this and reinforced by Clinton A - is how much rubbing D helps him feel everything is OK. A couple of times when I had the brolly on his back he looked worried but when I put my free hand on him and rubbed him, he immediately relaxed. CA says "you can't rub these colts enough!"
When we got back, I tried leaping on D from the ground and made it once when he was downhill but I then slid off the other side - because it was downhill! I tried half-heartedly to line him up to the fence but I haven't taught him bum towards - did all previous mounting with a round block so I just kept turning him until he was lined up. Next project! Saying that, he did stand still whilst I tried to launch myself at him! It's great he's got so quiet about me mounting. Again to quote CA, the more you struggle and huff and puff, the better. That's just as well then! Good boy today.
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