Here I am at the pondering pole. I was not very happy to be there. Another tells me that it is important that I learn to relax and stand patiently. She also says I need to not fight pressure on my halter. I am good about being tied, but not good about standing quietly. So I danced, pawed, and tried to untie myself.
I even tried to push the pondering post over. That post was not moving at all. I was stymied at every turn.
I even gave Another the "I can not believe you are going to treat me like this face", it didn't work. Another did her chores and kept an eye on me. I kept an eye on her and every time she looked my way I pouted. I did not like this at all! Finally I just stood there I knew that I was not going to get loose and Another was sticking by her guns. As soon as I was still for a bit Another came and turned me loose.
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This is the lip that I gave to Another when she was walking me back to get my treats. I hope it made her feel really bad.
"It's the little things that make a big difference"
Another does a lot of pondering. Often she does it while sitting in a pasture or riding one of the horses. She says that it is important to take time to breath and think. Another says that it is also time for me to start learning to ponder.
What do I need to ponder about? Another says I need to ponder about slowing down, being with my human (but then again who is my human?), most of all I need to ponder about giving to pressure. So I am going to the pondering post to learn that I can do all of those things. While I am there Another reads a book and hums. All of this is to get me ready to pony off another horse. Seems that I will be having a visitor soon. Smoke will be coming to help me learn to pony. Smoke is a big draft horse and I won't be able to pull him around. Once I get the hang of it then Another will use one of her smaller horses to pony me with. Seems that it is important that I learn to move from pasture to pasture without being a squirrel.
I wonder how long I will have to ponder? Hey, that was pondering wasn't it? See I am already practicing.
"It's the little things that make a big difference"
I haven't seen Another since Thursday night. While my treat buckets arrived every day like she promised, they were not brought by her. She finally came back tonight and personally brought me my treats. I let her know that I was very unhappy about her being gone so long. I walked to my treat bowl nicely and waited for her to dump them in. I then pawed my bowl, gave my "I am so not pleased" tail swish, and wouldn't smooch her.
Another explained why she was gone. It seemed like she had a good reason, but how can I trust her not to leave forever? How do I know that I won't be forgotten? Another said she would come spend the day with me tomorrow. She says that we will come to an understanding about how things will be between us.
This photo is of my rear...as you can see the hair is growing in, just like Another said it would. It seems that if she tells me something that is the way it is. While I am still sceptical of things I am beginning to trust her more and more.
"It's the little things that make a big difference"
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"
Good morning!
Today I have an appointment with the equine dentist. He is going to make my smile lovely. Another says he is a really nice man, I will reserve judgement on that. She says he will give me a shot that will make me feel woozy, calm, and happy while he works on my teeth. I don't know how calm I am supposed to be with someones hands in my mouth.
After my teeth are done I get my feet done by Another's favorite farrier. My toes are getting a bit long and a nice trim will make it easier to teleport...errr I mean walk nicely when I am working with Another.
After my foofing I am going to be put in a pasture with Sir Darby. We both have to watch our weight and we have a bit of history that is similar.
Another says this is a big test for me...she is asking me to walk all over the ranch. She also told me she believes I can do it, I just have to decide I will. Another told me about the horse she sees in me, she says that it is up to me to be that horse because I will be happier. She says it is who I really am but I buried him deep inside long ago and that when I let the real Q-tip shine through I am awesome. I know she is right. When I am my real self I am something and soooo happy. She also told me that once I am my real self I get to pick a new name. I wonder what I should be called then?
Well off to get mentally ready for this test. No squirrel routine or teleporting for me today. I don't want to let Another down.
"It's the little things that make a big difference"
"Doesn't matter to me how long he needs, I'll be here until breakfast if that's what it takes." ~Buck Brannaman
Another practices this statement much to my irritation. She never starts anything with me if she doesn't have the time it takes to finish it.
Working on my treat manners has taken up to an hour on occasion. Once I learned that she would wait my tantrum out I stopped. I thought I would give the tantrum another try yesterday, I haven't had a treat tantrum for two weeks, I thought I might be able to get it sooner with a good fit. No such luck...she made me walk farther and stand nicely before I could have my treat. Then when I made a snotty face and pinny ears after she gave it to me she took it away and made me walk some more. She insists I remember my proper treat manners. I thought that maybe I could give her my irresistible look, no dice. Another told me "Q the irresistible force has met the immovable object, so just use your manners." I decided that my treats were worth having manners for and did as asked. In fact tonight I was a perfect gentle man and got my treats much faster.
She is setting aside two days to work on my Arab teleporting trick next week. She said that she has all week 24/7 if needed. I wonder if she means it...would she really stay at it 24/7 if she had too? I did hear from the horses that she has spent the night out at the ranch in the winter with a sick horse, so maybe she really would. Another told me that for me to get a forever home I have to learn to lead nicely and not do my "squirrel" routine. For some reason it seems that it is important to humans that I pay attention to them when I am on the lead. I try, but things are just so interesting out there and humans can be boring. Another has taken to making odd noises, sudden movements, and waving stuff at me to make me pay attention to her at all times. I wish Red could see her when she flaps and makes chicken noises...it seems people in Washington are weird.
"It's the little things that make a big difference"
Today Another planned on putting me in a pasture with a friend. I am not sure why I needed to move since they put a horse next door to me. Another said I would like having a friend. I was busy trying to impress the horse next door so I wasn't listening to anything she said.
Another took me out to the alley so we could make our way to the new pasture. I walked good for a bit and then I lost my mind. Deep grass, horses to sniff, deep grass, a wheel barrow, and deep grass. Yep I pulled a few shenanigans the Another made her "stinky face" at me. I managed to escape her, she was using the short line-I never can escape on the long line. I threw a bit of a tantrum, okay a big spoiled brat tantrum, about having to go back to the old pasture. Another made me do some tasks when I got back to the pasture. She wanted me to pay attention to her and forget about the grass and other horses. She says we have work to do with me paying attention to her at all times. Another says that loosing my mind is not a good thing.
Another also felt that maybe I was being asked to deal with too much. Horses being moved, our first walk about outside the pasture, and the tempting grass. Then she remember what Temple Grandin said at a conference, "Bad behavior is bad behavior and there are no excuses."
"It's the little things that make a big difference"
This is the lip that I gave to Another when she was walking me back to get my treats. I hope it made her feel really bad.
