Tanka

First, Pony Baloney is still a challenge. However, I do feel like we are making progress. I think Pony and I need to spend some quality time and I will make that happen. He is improving but this is going to take some time and some effort. He was a nervous wreck yesterday but I tried to end on a good note.

Next, Tanka the wonder horse is doing good. The trainer/neighbor told me to start taking him out to the mail box so he has a job. We did that yesterday and it went pretty smoothly. He put his nose down to the asphalt to see what the road was made of. So cute. I had Hubby operate the gate so that we wouldn't have to but today, I will be opening the big driveway gate with Tanka.

The family came to see Tanka and MIL and FIL were taken back to when they had a sheep ranch. Very sweet. They were impressed with Tanka being so stout.

Trainer is suggesting that I start putting things near the round pen like a tarp, plastic bags, different things he might see on the trail. I can do that starting this today. I also have a giant ball he could play with. There are some pool noodles in the shed that I could get out.

The trainer also wants to put his blanket and his saddle [just a cheap saddle to practice with that she has loaned me] on the rail when she comes over tomorrow so he can come up to it and sniff it on his own terms.

She thinks he will be ready to ride before I know it:) We shall see. I need to get a hold of my friend to see what saddles she has for sale and see if any are suitable. She sold one recently for $175 which is doable.

Tanka the new horse

Tanka still has a bit of snot sound in his nose but was feeling his oats when I took him out to the round pen today. He was upset that his friends had left and was whinnying and looking. Then, he was a bit pushier as I was leading him out. I think I handled him pretty good on the pushiness and I did ask him to stop and let him look at the goats and the other areas we were going through. This is all new for him.

We got to the round pen and I asked him to wait until I got in the gate and then invited him into the pen. I got his halter off and stood outside the pen and then I shooed him and he took off bucking and farting! I shooed him again so he could do it a second time. I figured he had some pent up energy and would probably do just that.

Then I went into the pen and asked him to walk ...whoa...turn...walk....whoa...got him to pick up all four feet.

Hubby picked up all four feet as well.

Called it good for now.

While he was out of his pen and I have Hubby home today, we put down a rubber mat and a tire feeder for feeding him in his pen. I'm worried he will eat sand since we are living on a sand dune here. I've been making sure he has plenty of grass hay to eat so he doesn't scrounge too many crumbs from the ground but this set up should help and I won't feel the urge to overfeed him.

For now, we are waiting until next weekend to get plywood for the sides. Not supposed to be too windy and no rain/snow. We have relatives in town and I have three houses to clean this week. There's only so much my muscles can do.

I will probably go out and ask him to move his feet again later and put his halter on to ask him to back, move forequarters and hindquarters. Just to make sure he thinks I am the one moving the feet around here.

Slow motion

First, I'd like to say that Tanka is not feeling totally well but he seems to be doing okay.  He has a bit of a snotty sound to his nose.  I've talked with several people and it does turn out that there is a virus going around.  Keeping an eye on him for sure.

I went out to Tanka's pen ahen he was taking a break from eating.  I rubbed him some and then went over to the gate to ignore him.  From the corner of my eye I see him move one foot forward.  I walk away a bit further but no more action.

I come back and rub his face and saunter away again.  He once again slowly moves one foot forwards.  I move away and he moves one back foot forwards.  He stands there so I go back and rub his forehead and I saunter away again.

He did another slow motion step towards me and then another one and stops.  So cute.

He finally did make it all the way over to me after a number of back and forths by me.

I love this horse.

Shelter

I'm going through horse withdrawals. Yesterday, we put up the shelter for Tanka and today I had to work so no horse training nor horsey time for two days.

Tanka and I were hanging out the other afternoon. I turned to ignore him and out of the corner of my eye, I see him think "Maybe I'll go over to see her." He got about a third of the way and stopped. "I don't know, should I or shouldn't I?" He came about one third of the way more....stopped, mulled it over and then he decided to come the last 10 feet and say hi to me. So cute. I was ever so pleased.

Hopefully, I'll be able to go out and work with the horses some tomorrow. I still have to protect the electrical cord for the heated water bucket before I can take Tanka to his new pen with shelter. The shelter has a roof but I still need to buy plywood for the sides. Even so, this pen is in a far more protected spot so he will be out of much of the wind even if he doesn't have sides on his shelter.

It will be nice to have Tanka where I can see him out my back window.

Peppermints

Not really training related.

So, I come home this afternoon and two funny things happened. I went to Sonic Burger for lunch and they gave me a bunch of peppermints. [That's not the funny part.] I decide that in Black Beauty or Smokey or Sea Biscuit or some such book I've read about the trainer giving the horse a peppermint.

Tanka is nickering when I come in the gate so I decide to let him have a peppermint. He was suspicious but took it. Then he lifted his nose high into the air, put his lip up, showed all his teeth and got the funniest look on his face. I was laughing so hard.

No, he doesn't want another one.

Wiseguy thought they were great.

Pony Baloney said he'd take another but they weren't his favorite.

So, I go into the pen with Pony and Wiseguy so I can try on Pony's new halter. Why is there a mini horse with horns in the pen? Wait, that is Obie Wan Kanobi the giant goat. Is Brownie eating leaves under the mulberry tree? Rosie, no, don't do it, stay. I have 4 goats creating mayhem. They've pushed the heated water bucket to one side [I knew I should have refilled that his morning but it was too cold to use the hose.] They are darting from their pen out the hole into the horse pen. I told the dogs to round them up and they did!

On the note of training, Pony started to play a few games. I cut him off, reached out to pet his neck, slipped an arm over and tried on the new halter in no time! Victory is mine.