Friday 24th Sept 2010
Something happened today which blew me away. You have to know Duncs and how reserved and self-sufficient he is to know what a big deal this was, but I will try to explain.
As usual, had very little time. Not even enough time to go out. Decided to get some stuff out and play in the field. I let M out with D but they didn't play, Duncan was fixated with what I was doing. I chucked the big green ball over the gate and he came straight over and started pawing it. Rather gung-ho, I got the big white bag out and chucked that over too. Moet was the one who took most exception to this and both horses galloped off to the back field in fright.
Then....Duncan came back!!! He cantered back down alone, and trumpet called to me with great urgency. My immediate response was to call to him "It's alright, I'm here!" He stopped and stared at me with his legs splayed apart in a scared brace before wheeling back and forth.
I climbed over the gate and D came over and then seemed to calm down to the point that I got the bag and dragged it further up the field with him following me. He quickly remembered the game and began biting the bag and tossing it about, later trampling on it (took a picture). In those moments, it's easy to imagine D to be LBE but his confidence is actually quite fragile and has taken a long time to build which I mustn't forget. I did forget later and opened the umbrella rather suddenly (it was pouring) which gave D palpitations. Project for another day.
We played with the ball, trotting about after it which made Duncs so excited that he ran off and had a rough game with Moet after which he decided the grass was more interesting than me!
I was nearly out of time so I went to find him and gave him lots of scratches interspersed with drawing him to me at trot (not done at liberty before!) He got this nicely, only overstepped the mark with a face twice which I ignored (as in, I didn't get emotional over). I just reiterated a bit more firmly where he needed to stop and that he wouldn't get a scratch or treat until his face was polite!
Wow, I can feel things are really changing now. Duncan has never called to me in 2 years! I'm not sure if it was "Where are you my baby?!" or "Where are you my leader?!" but it felt really good as it told me for sure that Yesterday, I did OK. The relationship is intact. Better than that, we really do have a relationship!!!
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