all in a moment

Everything withs horses is timing, a second to late reacting or a moment to fast and it all changes. Having good timing or good reactions, knowing exactly when to release pressure on a rope or step away from a horse makes all the difference in what they learn and how they react.

It was the brown boys turn to come home today. He was amazing all things considered. But a different horse from the grey girl. Where i think her pregnancy drives her to be searching for food constantly to grow the baby. The boy being young is still very curious and likes to check things out, rather than put his head down to eat. He's already becoming more friendly, sniffing anyone hands when you reach through the stock yards. He learns fast already this morning he had figured out to follow the lead rope to relieve the pulling on his face when asked to move forward..

Again when we first opened the stock yard gate he just stood there, scared to leave the yard where he felt safe and step into the unknown. Unlike the girl though he was busy looking around checking everything out. Even once he had taken those brave first steps he continued to analyse everything, dropping his head and licking his lips ( a horses way of showing hes thinking things through) and taking everything in.

The stockyards are set up within a small paddock raceway. So once we had him out of the yards we practiced leading him within this space. It was all going well until going past a drain he got a fright and galloped forward. In that moment everything changed, i suddenly had a loose wild horse. But to my surprise as soon as he got away from whatever spooked him, he calmed and walked quietly to the corner of a paddock.

This is where you just got to stay calm. Slowly i just walked closer. He watched but stayed still. When i was near enough i stretched out a hand to him, and he watched and slowly stretched forward to sniff. Just as he was about to step forward i stepped away. He came forward and i continued to draw back until i had a completely wild horse following me through his own will. Even when he got a second fright he continued to look at me and follow. Then just like that i could reach down and pick up the rope again....

After that little incident the journey home was easy. He just followed me, no trying to escape, past the peacocks, chickens and dogs, he followed. Always watching just taking everything in.

Now he's safely home and in a stable. That to was no drama, after all to him going into a stable was no scarier or alien than any other things he has seen in the last few days. They boy unlike the grey girl will be stabled with my domestic boys to help show him the way in his new life. During the day he'll be out in my newly constructed wild horse paddock, and their to the domestic boys will be company and hopefully also keep him in line and stop him from becoming to cocky or stallion like in behaviour.