Monday, May 21, 2012

Shiloh's in Training

Every morning #2 goes out, catches Knightmare, and ties her up. Shiloh follows her mother.

#2 catches Tori, and ties her up, so she won't interfere.

Then he gets our rope halter and goes about catching Shiloh and putting it on her.

Shiloh is not very cooperative, but doesn't know which way to run yet.

Once haltered, #2 spends about 20 minutes playing tug of war with Shiloh.

The first day it was an almost constant battle. The second day, she was beginning to understand that as long as she didn't struggle, the rope didn't pull.

Today was day three. She stood most of the time without struggling. She's a quick study!

Husband found a halter that will fit her tiny head today, and he and #1 wrestled to get it on her. Tomorrow's lesson will be the first with a lead.

More importantly though, she will have numerous lessons throughout the day whenever any of us go to give her some loving. Just a gentle hand on the halter, a tilt of the head, and let her go. She'll soon understand that the halter won't hurt her.

2 comments:

  1. Interesting! Does Knightmare get upset at all this? What does Tori do? I am just wondering if they are responding to the baby in distress or if they know you all will not hurt Shiloh. You son looks very tall!

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    Replies
    1. Knightmare is very calm and quiet through the process. She was a little upset with Husband and #1 trying to put the halter on Shiloh. (Too much manhandling). But once she saw what it was she was fine. As long as they're not separated she's fine.

      Tori runs. Tori loves to run. We let them back into the pasture on Monday (they've been in the yard for a while now), and she took off like she'd been stung by a bee. She ran the perimeter two or three times, kicked, bucked, reared, skidded to a stop. Just stretching her legs. Shiloh and Knightmare try to keep up with her, but it's pretty hard on Shiloh's little legs. Thankfully Knightmare is a much calmer, slower horse.

      Anyway, if we left Tori loose when we started to work with Shiloh, Tori could stress her out, and we don't want that.

      #2 is taller than #1, 6'1" and still growing. He towers over me these days, lol.

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