Another day of audacious brilliance from Max the Magnificent!
I reintroduced the hula hoop today for some clicker training in the school. Max hadn't seen it since his pre-op triumph, so I thought it would be a good way to get him focusing again. I thought we might have to go right back to square one, but no, not so much.
A few raised eyebrows at the yard "What are you going to do with that?" but it was eager, interested questioning rather than sceptical. Some at the yard are grudingly coming to understand that there is method to my madness. What Max will do for me is beginning to speak volumes.
We started off with just touching the hoop, holding it at my waist level, then raised above our heads. Max was obliging. Then on the ground, and he did his old trick of picking it up in his teeth and giving it a shake.
Then I rolled it away, and asked him to touch again. He trundled after it, picked it up and gave it a shake.
Then more exuberant hoop tossing, way up so it landed with a bounce. Still Max would amble after it, all snaky necked and give it a good rattle.
Then we tried a bit of one foot in, then out; other foot in, then out. I showed him first by moving his feet for him, saying "foot" (maybe have to come up with a better command, but no matter). After being shown, I stood, placed my foot in the hoop and took it out again, then said, "Max, foot."
Blow me down if he didn't paw the ground and then, whether by luck or judgment, place his sweet little hoof into the hoop and out again.
Goodness me, what a standing ovation he got for that! He was so enthusiastic about the response that he had to pick up the hoop and give it a mighty shake. The shake was, in fact, so mighty that the hoop left Max's mouth and slipped over his head and slid down his neck.
We froze, looking at each other in startled surprise, Max still as a statue "What the...?"
"Oh Max! That's BRILLIANT!" I enthused, and gave him a big ol' jackpot of ponynuts, which he ate eagerly, then snorted and nodded his head with the joy of it.
I carefully removed the hoop, telling him quietly that he is quite possibly the most clever pony to ever grace the earth with his presence, and then with a final flourish, held the hoop up at head level and gave him the "Kiss" command. He gingerly poked his nose forward, through the hoop, to meet mine. We had a smooch, and an extra strong mint was offered as his final prize.
I think we were only at it for about fifteen minutes or so. A very short session, no real exercise, other than jogging after the hoop, but it was definitely good enough for me. The boy is well on his way to being back on track, and he really does seem to enjoy learning new things and having a think. I so enjoy watching him work stuff out and I really do think I'm blessed with a terribly clever pony.
The final big whoop for today was having a check to see if he needed undercarriage cleaning. I haven't given him a clean since last Friday, so crouched down to have a look. Bonus number one, Max was not even slightly bothered by my investigations. Bonus number two, he did not need cleaning! Hurrah!
I reintroduced the hula hoop today for some clicker training in the school. Max hadn't seen it since his pre-op triumph, so I thought it would be a good way to get him focusing again. I thought we might have to go right back to square one, but no, not so much.
A few raised eyebrows at the yard "What are you going to do with that?" but it was eager, interested questioning rather than sceptical. Some at the yard are grudingly coming to understand that there is method to my madness. What Max will do for me is beginning to speak volumes.
We started off with just touching the hoop, holding it at my waist level, then raised above our heads. Max was obliging. Then on the ground, and he did his old trick of picking it up in his teeth and giving it a shake.
Then I rolled it away, and asked him to touch again. He trundled after it, picked it up and gave it a shake.
Then more exuberant hoop tossing, way up so it landed with a bounce. Still Max would amble after it, all snaky necked and give it a good rattle.
Then we tried a bit of one foot in, then out; other foot in, then out. I showed him first by moving his feet for him, saying "foot" (maybe have to come up with a better command, but no matter). After being shown, I stood, placed my foot in the hoop and took it out again, then said, "Max, foot."
Blow me down if he didn't paw the ground and then, whether by luck or judgment, place his sweet little hoof into the hoop and out again.
Goodness me, what a standing ovation he got for that! He was so enthusiastic about the response that he had to pick up the hoop and give it a mighty shake. The shake was, in fact, so mighty that the hoop left Max's mouth and slipped over his head and slid down his neck.
We froze, looking at each other in startled surprise, Max still as a statue "What the...?"
"Oh Max! That's BRILLIANT!" I enthused, and gave him a big ol' jackpot of ponynuts, which he ate eagerly, then snorted and nodded his head with the joy of it.
I carefully removed the hoop, telling him quietly that he is quite possibly the most clever pony to ever grace the earth with his presence, and then with a final flourish, held the hoop up at head level and gave him the "Kiss" command. He gingerly poked his nose forward, through the hoop, to meet mine. We had a smooch, and an extra strong mint was offered as his final prize.
I think we were only at it for about fifteen minutes or so. A very short session, no real exercise, other than jogging after the hoop, but it was definitely good enough for me. The boy is well on his way to being back on track, and he really does seem to enjoy learning new things and having a think. I so enjoy watching him work stuff out and I really do think I'm blessed with a terribly clever pony.
The final big whoop for today was having a check to see if he needed undercarriage cleaning. I haven't given him a clean since last Friday, so crouched down to have a look. Bonus number one, Max was not even slightly bothered by my investigations. Bonus number two, he did not need cleaning! Hurrah!
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