He's not just pretty, he's smart!

Well, at least it isn’t raining today. Much. Funny how a little drizzle now feels like a dry day. Very chilly breeze though, after the mildness of the weekend.

I’m trying to get Max and I to adjust to what will be my new schedule come February, so am showing up at the yard earlier, spending less time fawning over my boy (though he still gets a check and his marmite on toast first thing), and am working him a little later each day, so when it comes to working him in the afternoons instead of the mornings, he’ll be nonplussed.

Well, he’d be nonplussed anyway. I think this is more for me than him.

I was thinking about setting up a regular rota of what kind of exercise we’d do on specific days, but soon gave that up because that’s just not the way I work with Max. “If this is Wednesday, it must be longlining!”

Depends on the weather, how I’m feeling, how I’m dressed, whether I can be arsed to change from my muck boots to my cold (stored in the car) riding boots, whether the tack room is locked, whether Max is stiff in his hinds, whether I feel his belly is too wet and muddy for a girth or roller, what kind of mood he’s in, what we did yesterday… like that.

I changed my mind three times this morning. I was definitely going to ride him again, then no, I would longline instead, actually, maybe some groundwork in hand.

In the end, we did loose work for about half an hour, and really enjoyed it.

I’m trying to get Max to carry his head a little higher when loose instead of mooching along, and he seems to be getting the hang of it now. I walk along beside him and lift one arm and snap the fingers, saying “Head up, Max!”

He was looking a bit startled and confused by this. He’d lift his head no trouble, but stop moving forward.

So then, with hand still up and fingers still lightly snapping, I’d coax him to “walk on”.

We had a few rather shambolic attempts at this, then I watched as Max’s eyes began to show me that he was getting it.

“Right. So you want head up and walk on. Oh, I see! Yes, I can do that. Pony nut? Looky! I did it again! Pony nut?”

Not perfect, but this was only our second session of trying, so I’m pretty happy with the progress. He’s a clever boy all right.

So on with directional instructions using pointing as well as voice.

This is really just to keep him interested with new stuff, and help me figure out our communication, too.

I’ve started adding motions with voice commands, and he’s starting to pay attention to them. Very good for “walk on”, less good for changing direction.

Eventually I’d like to get to the stage where I can stay in the centre of the school and direct him with voice & body, but that’s a long way off.

What we did manage today, though, was trot poles with me not having to trot over them with him! A first!

He was in his head collar, and we went over side by each a few times, then we walked over with me at a slight distance from the poles and Max going over by himself, with a lot of fuss and praise afterwards.

Finally, I set him up at stand facing the poles and asked for trot. Off he went, over the poles, having figured out that’s what I was getting all enthused about, and there ended the lesson, with a big jackpot for Max.

Let him have a bit of a mooch and a roll afterwards, while I tidied the school, and then back to his box for carrot stretches, lunch, and fresh water.

Really pleased with us today. Lots of co-operation and laughter. He’s also got the “Gimme a kiss” thing down pat, and is regularly offering me his nose so I can plant one on him. Funny boy!