Slow n' right......

What a gorgeous day - shame I had to be at work, worrying if they were too hot in their covers. I decided in the limited time I had, to spend some undemanding time, as I've noticed Cameo whinnies less frequently and consistently to me than she used to - I'd been getting pretty direct line about 'doing things' to try and do my L2 online before end April (and no I still haven't heard). Then I thought - I could feed them all individually, build their confidence away from the herd AND give some positive reinforcement that it's good to come with me. I have done so little with the twins. I left the buckets and a thin cover some distance away in the paddock they haven't been in for a year or so - quite lush grass patches compared towhat they are on but recently disturbed by a digger, so something for them to think about.



Rafiks whinnied as she almost always does, and came towards me soon as she saw me, followed closely by the twins. Cameo just looked up then carried on grazing. I decided to sit on the trough edge and see what happened and who would come up first. Rafiks came up to about 1m away and stopped, just looking. Then the twins came and stood withher. To my horror I saw fresh blood on Rafikis off fore hoof, and a bit on the near heel -still wet. So I was trying to be very calm and not rush, as Cameo still hadn't come up,but I really wanted to see what Rafiks had done. Then Cameo did come up to see what I was doing - sitting on the trough not being usual for me. So I still sat and rubbed and made a fuss of her.While I was doing that, Merlot and Shiraz both decided to step forward to 'drink' - well what they both did was have a tiny drop to drink then hold a mouthful and drop it all over me!! Who says horses don't have a sense of humour...



I extricated myself and discovered Rafiks had cut her heel on her near fore and coronet front on her off fore - I thought because she'd leaned over the fence. Turned out she' d pulled a sharp branch down,eaten the leaves then got it stuck between her front feet - I know it was her as she's the only one tall enough to reach....just typical of my girl!!



Anyway, as I had a halter on her she went first,so I moseyed in Z3 towards the bucket and digger 'scar'. She was suprisingly unconfident for her - 3 or 4 thresholds but fine once we got there. We had a little graze on the way back. Cameo was looking and whinnying at me by now -obviously not impressed!



Shiraz decided she was next and thrust her head into the halter. We had a bit of a squeeze through the gate - didn't realise she was that claustrophobic..then she trotted towards the bucket and stopped short when she saw the digger marks and cover lying there. She was hovering on lb/rb-interestingly she turned her head and just touched myhand then took a step back.So we retreated then zigzagged towards it- her muscles were quite tense so we retreated a short way and she had some grass. We approached again,a lot less tense -it wasn't the earth she was worried about it was the cover!! Once she'd had a sniff she found the bucket but wasn't that confident, so bucket and all we retreated a few metres and she was happy to pick up her feet there for me. Cameo was still whinnying on and off , so we headed back and I took thehalter off. Cameo and Merlot wanted to be next, so I offered the halter to Cameo and she took it in her mouth then pushed her nose in - interesting -she doesn't normally mouth it. Well, no approach and retreat for her - I stayed in Z3 and she marched up to the bucket, no thresholds and I changed her cover - I thought she'd be less confident than that - she's normally the wimp and sends Rafiki first!!



Back for Merlot - he was his usual self, halter goes everwhere but on the nose, then he moved softly off a suggestion. he wasn't as claustrophobic as Shiraz and soon as his front legs were in the gateway the head went down for grass! I asked him on and to turn around, and no response, so crept up and phase 4'd on the bum!Just a little jump forward then head down again. Cam would have left the planet if I'd done that to her! He saw the buckets and headed straight for them, but he wasn't that confident, head was up and eye a bit stary, so I stopped him, then we went again. He was happy to eat in the same spot as Shiraz and have his feet done. On the way back, before putting on his cover we practised stopping on a breath out,the same as Rafiki and Cameo know - am obviously trying to keep all the signals the same so it is easier. He's really getting it,and whipped his head around towards me, so he got a bit of carrot.



So, didn't really do much but it still took 2 hours, along with putting up electric tape inside the wire fence to stop Shiraz leaning on it. All stayed with me while I hunted for what Rafiks had cut her foot on -she is such a great patient - moved herself into position for the halter and stood very still while I put cream on. It must have hurt as she flinched but didn't move. Shiraz followed me back to the gate, with the others drifting along behind.



Things to work on:

Cameo - extreme friendly and halter without brace

Rafiks - keeping that big shoulder out of my space

Merlot -keeping that body out of my space -glad he is so much smaller than Vicky's horse Maraschino!

Shiraz -squeeze game and claustrophobia



All -confidence away from the herd