The plan was that I would get my teeth done and then follow that up with a nice pedicure. Good things that plans are changeable.
I met the equine dentist, he was a very nice man. However I just was not ready to get my teeth done. I lost my brain heading down the alley. Sedation did not even make a difference. I did get further down the alley and did it in finer form than I ever have to date. While Another was disappointed she did say it was another learning opportunity for both of us. She also gathered some more information about some of what is going on with me.
There were two farriers out today. The lady did my feet and the gentleman held me and rubbed my face. I was told I have very nice feet and that they have been well taken care of. Another was very pleased at how I responded to them. She said that the way I acted she would have thought that I had been around them a lot.
All three of my new human friends said I am a good boy, not mean at all. They all also agree with Another that I have been taught to have some very bad behavior.
There is a plan in the works to help me learn not to challenge the lead line....I worry when Another plans, it usually means more work for me.
All-in-all Another told me it was a productive day.
"It's the little things that make a big difference"
More thinking about the lunge. In 2007 I spent the summer working with Quincy. We would go on long walks around the stable, lunge, tie, and work on manners with his feet. He was very spookish at first having been in pasture with little work for a couple of years. My goal was to help his former owner get back into working with him. Quincy did awesome, and then one day pulled the lunge and got away. He did it about a week later while we were crossing the road, saw some nice grazing and wanted it NOW. Then he did it a third time later in the summer when he was being led to the "fat pen".
ReplyDeleteWhen he first came to RWA he was led from pen to arena with minimal evidence of the lunge. Kira, Becky, Heather, and myself would lead him. Then he lunged away from Kira and Becky.
Once he started on Thyrol-L he became very agitated. It was also suggested by an animal communicator that he was being harassed someone at night. His good temperament disappeared and he became angry and unfriendly. His lunge became persistent when taken out of the pen.
In getting his history from the former management of the rescue, the "lunge" was considered a serious issue when working with him.
So, it was evident in 2004. Was better in 2007. Was better in June of 2010 and then got much, much worse by August of 2010.
There it is, the time line of the "lunge".
Thanks...
ReplyDeleteWas the cougar around during any of that time?
Weird thing is that the sedation, that should have made it hard for him to walk straight, had absolutely no impact on him. What that tells me is that he is an adreniline junky and that can be addressed.
He only does it when he is out of his "safe" spot-the fatty pasture. In fact yesterday he took himself right back to his pasture, leaving belly deep grass. It is the way he has learned to deal with nervousnss, fear, and simply not wanting to do something. I think it goes way back to his beginnings as a baby...it is wild horse behavior. I have a friend who is a "rouge horse" specialist who will be coming down to see the squirrel act. He will bring his ginormous horse Smoke and pony Q past some of his lunge spots. Smoke won't tolerate shenanigans and Q won't be able to lunge away. So I am going to do the prep work for Q learning to pony.
Since I can't get him to other horses, we have brought other horses to him. I am working on figuring out just the right horse to pair him with to help him along.
I know this can be successfully addressed, it will just take time, persistance, and some unusual approaches. Quincy is doing better, he just progresses slowly