I keep saying Wow, we should have gotten a before video, not just pictures, but video! ( on Black Friday I purchased a great little video camera. I have no excuse now *other than learning how to upload, edit, compress, title, download...overload*). Today I got a call to help halter a coming two year old filly. The situation was not ideal. No round pen, ground slick, filly clung to colt buddy who is four times as reactive, BUT, sometimes you have to do with what youve got! It started with locking the two in the smaller area and positioning the second person at the part of the fence they like to try to jump when they squirted out of the corner. The sorrel colt hid behind the palamino filly in the corner pictured. He figured if he couldnt see me I couldnt see him. I did a lot of approach and retreat with the filly. I mean A LOT. The first sign of a THOUGHT of a shift of weight I retreated. I would use my stick to first just be in her space and eventually touch the ends of her hair, then a quick rub, then lots of rubs. Once she knew I wasnt going to KILL her I separated the colt out so she could focus on me. Rubs with the sticks turned into rubs with my hand, turned into dangling the string off the stick, then neck rubs and face rubs. Thrown is was an occasional roll back and attempt at jumping out. Some more approach and retreat, answered a couple phone calls, checked Facebook, more face rubs. Showed her the halter, more trying to jump out. Made cotten lead into halter like torture device. Eventually I gained her trust and slipped the halter on. From start to finish I was in the pen for 2 hours and 15 minutes. This was the definition of gentling. Patience, persistence, honoring her feelings, confidence, body position, and more patients (there was a moment I maybe began to think can we just rope her. Have you ever just stood next to a horse for almost 2 and a half hours?!? :) ). There were quicker alternatives but they wouldnt have been as safe and I know her first haltering was a positive experience.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Dec 2014 04:48:56 +0000
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