Wild thang....I think I LOVE you!

What a dream Cha’cote is. I cannot believe how light and responsive he has become. Just a week ago, he didn’t understand the components of a send, and was basically just moving away from strategically placed pressure. With the sun setting a few minutes later now, there is just enough time for me to take him out when I get home for about 10-15 min of grazing. The first day I put NO pressure on him what so ever, other than yo-yo so I wouldn’t get run over. Monday, he was a little hesitant to come thru the gate again, but it only took me asking him twice for him to come out of his corral. I asked for more yo-yo and farther away on the 22’ line, a few walk/back up transitions, a semi-send with a half circle and a disengage, and two steps each way of sideways. He was great. Lots of love and friendly game. Last night, he came out the gate straight away, he squirted thru just a bit, but nothing to write home about for sure. I wanted to just try a few little things with him to see what he would do. No expectations what so ever. The results I got………WOW…….. I was totally amazed. Very nice sideways, without a fence, about 20feet in length both ways. Good yo-yo, no more than phase 2 for sure, all the way to the end of the 22’ line. Then…..then…while facing me (first time for this BTW) I pointed and he followed, perfect send at the walk. He circled me 3 times and I disengaged. When I switched the rope to the other hand and just started to raise it to point…..he followed and went. He is so perceptive and clearly has an understanding now that I am not just some tall pile of mushy goo flailing about all the time, that he is to ignore and get used to. Tried each way again, same results, and about 12’ out on the line. When he came closer to me a couple of times and I raised my hands a bit toward him, he yielded away to a bigger circle again. All this and he did not get upset about a single thing. I think I LOOOOOVE him. He has never pulled on the lead once, and I have never held the line closer than 6 feet to his halter. He is not greedy about the grass, respects my space and my leadership and appreciates my friendship. I am totally amazed. After I put him away, I came in the house and looked at the online self assessment list again. We have completed L1 except for the touch it pattern, driving point A to B from zone2, and sniffing the trailer.

I realized that I have reached our first goal AND by the deadline I had hoped we would. Out of the corral by the end of the month. We made it by the skin of our teeth. So now what?

Well I guess the next logical step is L2. We ARE outside on a 22' line. I have decided to do all the tasks at a walk first, low key, low pressure. He is an RBI for sure. A few traits of LBE/I, but going slow and lots of WAITING are really paying off big. Until he shows me otherwise, I will be using RBI strategies. He doesn't seem scared (at times he is terrified) rather he is VERY non trusting. I think I have cracked the code though and have earned a great deal of his trust, just not all of it. Him being more gentled now, and able to go outside, I am hoping that the RBI strategies that I am using almost exlusively now will gain that extra bit of trust that I am seeking. I would like to get him in a round pen as soon as possible, but trailering must be conquered first.

Hopefully my friend will return my trailer this weekend, so we can start playing friendly with the outside of it.

I stand in awe of the horse, the horsewoman and the horsemanship program.
Savvy On
Michelle