Training Tanka takes Time

We got a cold and cloudy day here but I am determined to work with Tanka every day that I can. I desensitized to the bag on a whip and he is doing better. I had him follow it out from the home pen and then got it to within about 2 feet of him on his sides. I think my timing was good today.

I also worked on touching and rubbing his face, the top of his head and his ears today.

Then, I left Tanka there to eat near the flapping bag.

I brought the bareback saddle pad out and put it on him with no fuss. I made sure he was comfortable and it was tight enough not to move if he got a little wild.

I ducked out of the pen and called a girlfriend who talks a lot:) I kept an eye on horse and walked around the outside of the pen. Tanka followed me here and there around the pen. So cute.

Tanka also looked at the pad every so often like "Is that thing still here?"

I finally got my friend off the phone.

I ducked back into the pen.

Gave him lots of rubs all over and tugs on his bareback pad on both sides.

I tried to push his hip over and he started to turn his butt toward me so I ran him off. I got back over to Tanka and rubbed him some more. Then pushed on his hip and he yielded.

Tanka followed me around the round pen some more. Still so cute.

I talked to Tanka and rubbed and tugged on the saddle pad. Since he had been doing fantastic and the session was so relaxed, I decided to walk him to his home pen with the saddle pad on.

He saw the halter and stepped over to me. He almost really lowered his head but when I said "Put your face in." he said "Okay".

I took the bareback pad off once we were into his home pen. I took of his halter and called it good.

This is why it takes time to train a horse. Well over an hour and we didn't get to several things on my list :) Which is fine but just saying it takes a lot of time to train a horse.

I totally enjoyed every minute of it.