Personal Space

When I first got to the farm, I couldn't find the horses, so I figured they were probably in the woods.  I heard them a few times as I took my walk (I figured what the heck, I love walking in the woods and I can use the exercise).  I think they thought I was stalking them, and I suppose in reality, I was.

So they ran out of the woods and led me a merry chase and when I came back to the pasture, there they were.  Jewel:  What are you doing?

Abbey and Storm:  Where have you been!  We've been waiting for breakfast.  (as you can see, Abbey does not really need any breakfast).  She gave me a little nicker when I showed up, though, which she does not generally do, and it made me smile.

She wanted to hog me again today and drive off anyone else who was going to get any treats, so with her I worked on the "You stand over there, I'm talking to Storm now" game.  (she got clicked and treated for standing a respectful distance away and 'supervising')

I also played with Jewel some more.  Game One:  You do not poke me or my pockets for treats. When you back off and don't shove your nose at me, you get goodies.

But heyyyy, look at THIS!   Vee (you can see the winged V on her forehead really clearly here!) was VERY interested in the fact that I am giving out goodies to someone other than "my" horses.  I tossed a treat at her and for the first time she picked it up and ate it (with the head-bobby nomnomnom that's good! action).  And then she was extra extra interested in what Jewel was getting, come up very close to me, but she wouldn't take anything out of my hand. Yes, that is Jewel's nosey nose in this picture, and the photo quality for both of these is terrible because someone was investigating my phone/camera - pokepokepoke.   Back OFF!  Good girl.

Vee was even relaxed enough to make silly faces.  THIS IS HUGE PROGRESS WITH HER!

So then I fed everyone their ridiculously tiny amount of grain (seriously, no one needs it, especially with all the trick or treating).  And Storm and I played Game One (stop nosing my pockets! and step back...) because she is getting a little pushy and spoiled.  I put a neck rope on her and started giving her some cues with that:  turn toward me, and back.  Then, I started teaching her to Walk On (this is a lunge command that both my horses know, but we have never free-lunged).  She really, really did not get it and she acts sometimes like her feet have roots.  I'm not sure if this is an unconfidence thing, or what.  I got her moving off going to my left without too much problem but she was majorly stuck going to the right - soreness thing, or something about my cue?   When she finally walked off toward the right, I gave her the magic peppermint and we called it a day.

Abbey, I thought I'd try the beginnings of free-lunging with her, and she was like, "Oh, right.  Okay." and she moved off and got clicked and rewarded.  That was all.  We are going to keep things interesting for Ms. Smarty Pants.

All in all, a gorgeous fall day and walking through the woods I couldn't help but think, I want to ride!!!!!!!    Maybe soon.