Day 5

Having a new horse is daunting in some ways.

Sir Richard had me worried due to his working himself up into a totally sweaty frenzy and making a deep rut where he was pacing in his home pen.

I put him out in the big back pen and put Pony out with him yesterday.

Today I decided to go ahead and put both Pony and Wiseguy the mini out with him today. They are in the little guys pen and his own big guy pen for the night.

Richard did so much better today. Not a sign of sweat. No pacing that I could see. Thank goodness since it is barely above freezing and last night was 8 degrees. The last thing I need is a sweaty horse.

I worked with Richard on the way to and from the back big pen. I mostly had him back, come forward, back, come forward. I did do a few hind and a few front. I bumped him lightly if he lost focus and started lookey looing.

When I stopped and he didn't stop right away, I backed him a few steps.

I made sure I didn't nag and went straight from a small ask on the back to "Hey, back up" since he does know what I am asking for at this point.

I rewarded the small tries at "forward" since he seems a bit like a mule on that coming back to me :) I think he is starting to understand that too.