March 10, 2013

Yesterday I attempted to catch Cooper again.  He was much more receptive and let me run my hand down his back several times, but he was still not letting me get a rope over his neck.  After about 10 minutes of playing “catch the pony” my friend, and teammate, Carol Ann called to chat.  I mentioned I was in the middle of attempting to halter Cooper and, Carol Ann, knowing the barn set up, which includes ways to quickly section off the barn yard to keep multiple ponies separated, suggested I shrink his area up until he is forced into the barn.

Brilliant.

So I strung up a piece of tape from the barn door to the fence.  And then I strung a second tape from the other side of the barn door to the fence, but I left this piece laying flat on the ground.  I then walked around the barn and Cooper slowly moved ahead of me and into my snare.  I pulled up the second piece of tape and closed him in.

Score.

Almost.

He put his head under the tape and scooted out under it.

Drat.

So I lowered the tape, and tried again.  This time I didn’t even get to pull up the second side before he strolled into the barn like it was no big deal.

I closed the door, and slipped him into two halters and let him have grain.

When I put him back out, I left the two halters on, and attached a long line to the top, breakaway halter.

He is improving.  He is letting me touch him more when he is loose, and I feel if he had a halter on it wouldn’t have been much of an issue.  He is also starting to really enjoy treats and gobbles them up more readily.

Standing in the barn yard, munching away.

Reward – you get grain!

He stands so nice in cross ties, and enjoys a nice brushing.