I have a very itchy pony. He's shedding like mad, despite the cold snap we're experiencing, and I spent ages this afternoon following directions from Max as to just where he needed me to dig in.
It happened by accident. He's not loving being groomed right now, so I decided to see how he'd be with just scratching on his withers with my fingernails (he loved it when he was a young lad).
Oooh! Head strained up, lips all a-quiver, then back stretched out and up on back hoof tippy toes. I kept scratching until he stopped, turned suddenly, and nudged his side with his muzzle.
"What?" I asked.
He had a little rub there, and then looked at me blinking.
I cleared the loose hair from his mouth, and then gave him a hard scratch where he'd indicated.
"Ah, that's it! Keep going!"
Then another turn and point, another nudge. New spot to scratch!
Then backing up and moving sideways to guide my fingernails to the next spot.
After I'd collected great wads of hair from the straw, my hair, my mouth, Max's mouth, I put on his head collar and took him to the school. First order of business was a roll, then a big shake, which left us in a cloud of hair and dust.
We did some work over trot poles, did some work on transitions, did a bit of spook busting with the big umbrella, and did some just hanging out together, too.
I've decided I'm going to take my hula hoop in this week for a bit more spook busting. It makes a noise because it has ball-bearings in it, but I think it will be interesting, too, to see if I can get him to step into it and out of it again.
Brought him back to the yard after about 40 minutes, and tied him up as his box was being cleaned.
He was a bit fractious, so I got him a bucket of water, figuring he'd be thirsty after the dusty school.
"There Max. Drink!"
He obligingly put his head in the bucket and drank with gusto.
Passing body said "Your horse is so well trained!" with admiration.
Wow! I never thought I'd hear that about Max! I'd be more chuffed if I thought it was true. He didn't drink because I told him to, he drank because I know him well enough to know when he's thirsty, and I just provided what he was looking for.
It was quite good though, because my reply was, "Stand back, because when he's done, he's going to give us a shower."
He did. Head up, extravagant nod and those in the vicinity got sprayed.
Interesting thing, too. I've been working hard on teaching Max not to be so lippy with clicker training. It works a treat in his "nip" zone, but he will still go for me when following loose, and occasionally just because.
We had one argument about it today in the school, and after making him back up and away from me, I turned my back and walked away from him, and sat quietly on the bench. He meandered around a bit, picking things up and dropping them, and then walked over to me, settled his muzzle on my shoulder, opened his mouth... and did nothing. Just rested his teeth against me, wrinkled his muzzle up and down, but nothing else.
"You're a weirdo!" I said to him.
"Not. Just playin', see? I wouldn't really bite you. Much."
Back in the yard, I was a bit wary because two children were fawning over him, and I was keeping a watchful eye in case he got a bit mouthy. He was a perfect gent with them, but would still tug at my shirt if I got in close.
I asked the kids (they know Max well) if he'd ever nipped at them, and they both said he never has.
So it's just me, then.
I'm wondering now, if this is a lack of respect thing, but I really don't think it is. I think he fully understands the concept of not nipping, and thankfully he is well behaved with everybody else, but when it comes to me, it is just a bit of mischief. I guess maybe he sees me as a peer rather than the boss of him, and to be honest, I don't really have a problem with that.
Will think on it though, and take advice, because I don't want to be encouraging a vice, nor blurring any lines for Max. Think it's not a vice though. Think it's just Max being Max, and that's exactly what I want him to be.
It happened by accident. He's not loving being groomed right now, so I decided to see how he'd be with just scratching on his withers with my fingernails (he loved it when he was a young lad).
Oooh! Head strained up, lips all a-quiver, then back stretched out and up on back hoof tippy toes. I kept scratching until he stopped, turned suddenly, and nudged his side with his muzzle.
"What?" I asked.
He had a little rub there, and then looked at me blinking.
I cleared the loose hair from his mouth, and then gave him a hard scratch where he'd indicated.
"Ah, that's it! Keep going!"
Then another turn and point, another nudge. New spot to scratch!
Then backing up and moving sideways to guide my fingernails to the next spot.
After I'd collected great wads of hair from the straw, my hair, my mouth, Max's mouth, I put on his head collar and took him to the school. First order of business was a roll, then a big shake, which left us in a cloud of hair and dust.
We did some work over trot poles, did some work on transitions, did a bit of spook busting with the big umbrella, and did some just hanging out together, too.
I've decided I'm going to take my hula hoop in this week for a bit more spook busting. It makes a noise because it has ball-bearings in it, but I think it will be interesting, too, to see if I can get him to step into it and out of it again.
Brought him back to the yard after about 40 minutes, and tied him up as his box was being cleaned.
He was a bit fractious, so I got him a bucket of water, figuring he'd be thirsty after the dusty school.
"There Max. Drink!"
He obligingly put his head in the bucket and drank with gusto.
Passing body said "Your horse is so well trained!" with admiration.
Wow! I never thought I'd hear that about Max! I'd be more chuffed if I thought it was true. He didn't drink because I told him to, he drank because I know him well enough to know when he's thirsty, and I just provided what he was looking for.
It was quite good though, because my reply was, "Stand back, because when he's done, he's going to give us a shower."
He did. Head up, extravagant nod and those in the vicinity got sprayed.
Interesting thing, too. I've been working hard on teaching Max not to be so lippy with clicker training. It works a treat in his "nip" zone, but he will still go for me when following loose, and occasionally just because.
We had one argument about it today in the school, and after making him back up and away from me, I turned my back and walked away from him, and sat quietly on the bench. He meandered around a bit, picking things up and dropping them, and then walked over to me, settled his muzzle on my shoulder, opened his mouth... and did nothing. Just rested his teeth against me, wrinkled his muzzle up and down, but nothing else.
"You're a weirdo!" I said to him.
"Not. Just playin', see? I wouldn't really bite you. Much."
Back in the yard, I was a bit wary because two children were fawning over him, and I was keeping a watchful eye in case he got a bit mouthy. He was a perfect gent with them, but would still tug at my shirt if I got in close.
I asked the kids (they know Max well) if he'd ever nipped at them, and they both said he never has.
So it's just me, then.
I'm wondering now, if this is a lack of respect thing, but I really don't think it is. I think he fully understands the concept of not nipping, and thankfully he is well behaved with everybody else, but when it comes to me, it is just a bit of mischief. I guess maybe he sees me as a peer rather than the boss of him, and to be honest, I don't really have a problem with that.
Will think on it though, and take advice, because I don't want to be encouraging a vice, nor blurring any lines for Max. Think it's not a vice though. Think it's just Max being Max, and that's exactly what I want him to be.
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