Teddy Log #23 - Groundhog day - but in half the time

Today with Teddy was pretty much like an abridged and milder version of yesterday. The only difference was at the start he played with the white bucket for a while kicking it around, sticking his head into it, almost getting tripped up on it etc. So that was when I applied the pressure. He got a little narky, pinned ears back etc, but it was very half arsed. Then in a few minutes he let me pat him. The funny thing was as soon as I touched his cheek my mobile rang! DAMN!

Today I added some walking around and stopping, teaching him that when I put the carrot stick out to stand still. When I stop he has to too. He picked this up in a flash and even when I took the halter off I walked ahead and he followed me, I stopped and he stopped. He got big pats for that.

After I went in and came back to feed cows I went back over to him, all be it without the halter, and he was fine.

Another good ending.

Teddy Log #22 - Teddy took me on - and lost!

This afternoon I put on my gumboots (yes the pink ones!), my jacket and hat and I headed out into the rain and to Teddy's paddock with a bucket of feed, his halter and lead and my carrot stick (minus the string).

Teddy knows the white feed bucket when he sees it so he headed straight over but I put it on the other side of the little river that has formed between my neighbours property and our dam. This way it was out of his reach. I attempted to catch him but he played the same old evasive game, so I upped the ante quick smart and tipped the feed into his rubber trough and stood a few steps from it leaving a clear path for Teddy to get to it. He waltzed right over but before he could take a bite I blocked him with the carrot stick. He paced around, just out of reach, attempting to get to the feed but I continued to block him every time - this went on for a good 20 minutes. He wasn't giving in and never was I.

I talked sweetly to him the whole time, putting out the halter for him to sniff and nibble etc and telling him that if he were a wild horse he'd have a herd leader telling him when he could drink, eat and play with the girls so now he would have to contend with a new-improved leader in me. He was evasive and shifty by trying to pace rings around me, he tried to ignore me and walk away to get me to follow him, he pretended his attention was taken by a roo pouncing through the paddock but as soon as I looked in that direction he went for the feed. Still I took possession of the feed, talking sweetly too him, and tried to reassure him that I wasn't going to hurt him. I let him sniff the halter and lead etc. He wasn't getting the feed and I wasn't getting the halter on him or able to touch him in any way.

Teddy got fed up after 20 minutes and changed tack. He pinned his ears back and raised his head above me (he's huge compared to me). He was as threatening as he could be, showing me the whites of his eyes and turning his head to the side and staring me down with his ears back and body within inches of me flicking his head at me. But I stood my ground. I looked up at him and softly said, "I don't think so mate."

I continued to talk to him and put the halter out to him. After another 5 minutes of this I took the end of the lead and managed to softly stroked his cheek with it. He still had his ears back and looking at me like he was going to stomp me but he didn't pull away. I continued to stroke his face with the end of the lead rope. After a minute or two of this I allow him to have a mouthful of feed. When I blocked him for his second bite the evasive game started again, but this time only for a minute then he let me stroke him with the lead and then, eventually, my hand.

I wanted to keep the pressure on so I didn't allow him to eat until he let me drape the lead rope around his neck. This happened within a few minutes so I let him have another mouthful. Then I let him loose and stepped away. He went for the feed and I blocked him. He took a few steps back and just looked at me so I stroked his face with my hand, put the lead rope around his neck and put the halter on. I was talking sweetly to him this whole time and when the halter was on I rubbed him between the eyes (his favourite spot), then took the halter off and let him have some feed.

At this stage I took the carrot stick and backed him up away from the feed but he was in a new frame of mind and moved his head to me for a pat. I gave him one, haltered him again and led him to his feed, which he ate. I took the halter off and while he ate I rubbed him between the eyes. He was content.

I pick up the white bucket and my other things and walked to the gate, a fair distance from where he was eating. Then I went back to him with the halter in my hand. He just let me halter him, give him a pat and take the halter off again.

It ended on a good note and I feel Teddy understood it wasn't a bad experience after all. Tomorrow I will probably have to go through it all again. We will see. All I can be sure of is that I better get bloody good and reading his bluff or I could be in all sorts of trouble!

I'm sure I'll be fine.

Teddy Log #21 - Flooded and weighing up my options

Its raining so bad here that the place is awash, the dam is flooded, the run off to the lower properties is like a fast moving river, the cows and Teddy are in the back paddock drenched! Even though Teddy has a full winter combo on he must be soaked after all this none stop rain.

This rain has given me a bit of time to think about my best course of action with Teddy and my horse future. I have come to the final decisions.

Step One - I have decided to put an ad out to sell Teddy and see what happens. In the mean time I will love and work with him as normal and consider getting a schoolmaster for myself which can also be a companion for him. If the schoolmaster comes along while Teddy is with me I will work with the new horse and this will give Teddy some emotional rehab time (he clearly seriously needs this - I'm not sure how he got so messed up but I know how it feels so I can sympathise with him). I can also learn what I need to teach Teddy from the schoolmaster and then Teddy can benefit from that when I pass it on. Hopefully this will work and I can have the two horses on a permanent basis. Horses are herd animals after all so he should have a companion when I am not with him. However, if a loving, educated and suitable home comes along during this process I will consider it, but only with Teddy's best interests in mind. Deep down I still feel I can get us through this.

Step Two - I realise that at home Teddy is secure and sees me (somewhat) as his leader but not enough to trust that I will take care of him outside of his comfort zone. Therefore I will step up my own education and his training. I will ask more from him and put him in a lot more situations that he wont be comfortable in until he develops a higher level of trust with me. This will start tomorrow as I know that the rain will not be the most comfortable of environments for either of us and I am willing to get cold and wet to ease him step by step out of his comfort zone and then step by step back into it with me. I think this will be a true test of whether Teddy's issues are what I suspect, but if they are not I will have more insight into how to move with his future.

Step Three - I will use the week I am having off to do a riding refresher and work with an instructor to find my seat again and build my confidence before getting back on Teddy. It's been a while and I would have liked to have done this with Teddy, and preferably on my own, but I think it will be smarter to do this away from Teddy and come back to him in control. Otherwise he will feel the vibe and feed off it.

I hope this all works. At least I feel I am giving Teddy, me and any possible future owner of Teddy every opportunity.

Teddy Log #20 - off for a ride... but NO!....

I woke this morning all geared up to go for a ride. Teddy was wonderful to get ready etc, I saddled him and checked that all was fitting correctly and it seemed fine. After saddling up I decided that seeing as he is always "on the job" when I put the bridle on him that it wouldn't be fair to ride in his own paddock as this is his sanctuary, so I decided to walking him down the road to the riding centre at the reserve.

Robinson Reserve is totally equipped for horses, is free to residence and I can literally walk him there within a couple of minutes so I thought this would be perfect... boy I was wrong.

Walking along the road we had trucks pass us at 80km an hour and Teddy was totally cool about it. None of the cars or the new surrounds fazed him at all. The only thing he took a second glance at was the weird totem pole thing at the front gate of a neighbours place.

When moving the branches from in front of the entrance gate of the reserve, again Teddy was totally cool about it. But when we walked into the reserve and Teddy saw the other horses, the jumps in the paddocks, the menage etc, he totally freaked out! He started spooking at everything he saw, jumping around, running from one side of me to the other, backing up, rearing a little of the ground like he was bunny hopping ... it was like he was in a hostile war zone and he wasn't prepared to fight.

I know horses are flight animals but there wasn't anything to be worried about. The menage and the 3 other horses were very far away, to the extent that I couldn't work out if they were being handled by men or women, yet Teddy was making a total pork chop of himself. It took me a while to calm him and I was thankful I wasn't on his back (I didn't want to be surprised if he flipped out on the road - a smart move as it turns out!). When he stopped prancing but remained on full alert we walked up to the people and I went in the menage with two women on ponies. I had to walk him around until he calmed right down, trying to act casual while chatting to the older guy lungeing his horse.

Teddy did calm for the most part but it took about 20 minutes and he was still on full alert. By this time I had lost confidence with getting on his back. Also all of his prancing around made his saddle settle and I discovered that the pommel was too low down on his withers for my liking. I will be returning the saddle for one with a better fit.

When we got home - literally the very moment we walking into our drive way, Teddy let out a sigh and was as relaxed and as calm as can be; head down, swanking along the drive by my side and licking his lips.

I should have realised that the pacing he did when he first got here was a good indication that he had difficulty with change and I should have eased him into it more; perhaps just taking him to the reserve in a halter and lead and played some games with him. Or maybe just riding him at home. I guess I have to live and learn. And I also have to consider the fact I want him as a trail riding horse which may prove a challenge.

I'm sure Teddy came into my life for a reason, that we are meant to help each other, but it's days like today that I wonder if I have bitten off more than I can chew.

At least I know that the saddle has to be returned.

Ah well, I love my big punky la la horse so I'm not giving up on us yet!

Teddy Log #19 - ready to ride! Well I am ...

Have bought a swinging fender stock saddle, riding boots and helmet now so I have all that I need to ride. Teddy has a bit more familiarization to do with the area and a check from the saddle fitter, but once that is done YIPEE!

I cant wait.

Teddy Log #18 - He should be in movies!

What a performer Teddy is! I went out to the back paddock yesterday to find him standing by the fence. I call him from the gate but he doesn't move which is very unusual seeing that he is often on the go. He looks at me and sings out a little neigh but doesn't budge from his spot. I think it's interesting that he's calling out to me but not moving. As I get closer I pull a carrot out of my pocket. His favourite! Teddy see's it, nods his head in my direction but still does not move an inch.

I wonder if he is alright and walk straight over to him. He's not evasive like he can be - just stands there. He's not even reacting at all. I offer the carrot and he takes a bite, but again he doesn't move his feet or body. The next bite I hold out of his reach. He stretches his neck but doesn't move his feet and doesn't get a bite of the carrot. He just stands there looking all, "Ah well no carrot for me then".

I start to freak, OMG he's injured himself! He cant walk! He must of hurt his leg! I check him all over but cant see anything. I straighten his rug which is covered in mud and which he hates me adjusting and would normally do a 180 about face, I think that maybe he's hurt himself rolling - he swishes his tail in disapproval but doesn't move. You're kidding - he must be bad.
He reaches his head around for another bite of carrot. Again I put it out of reach and he takes 1 pathetic step to get it. OMG he must be suffering the poor boy!

His ears are forward, his head is low, he's breathing fine... not exactly the signs of suffering. Well lets see then shall we... I walk away to the back fence. After a minute he takes a few steps towards me. He doesn't look like he's limping but maybe he's too slow, I think.

The neighbour in the property behind me pulls up in a car on their land. Teddy pricks his ears up and watches them. He looks find but I think that maybe that lazy stance is due to soreness. I decide that the only way I'm going to find out without causing issue is to ignore him, so I walk right away. He's still watching the neighbours but I catch him sneak a peak. I walk all the way to the front of the paddock and lean against a tree and wait.

I wait 5 minutes before he gives in and starts walking towards me. A nice leisurely walk mind you, no limping, no stiffness, just that cute horsey sway they have. Half way to me he sees me watching and stops and eats grass, almost like he was pretending he really hadn't moved!
I chuckle to myself and pretend to look the other way but watch him out the corner of my eye. His head pops up and he starts walking towards me again stopping about two body lengths away. The whole time he looks perfectly healthy and fine. I watch as he eats a semi circle of grass around me. I say, "Hey Teddy" his eyes shift in my direct as he continues to eat grass, but I get the distinct feeling that if he could speak he would have said, "Oh, its you, I hadn't noticed."

I finally move and give him a pat on the cheek. He lifts his head as if to say "A scratch here would be nice," so I give him a rub between the eyes.

Give the horse an Oscar! He played me like a fiddle!

Teddy Log #17 - saddling up

Teddy and I had a wonderful day trying his new saddle on for size and getting about all geared up. He was excellent in everyway and has even convinced Steve that he's really a 15.3 hh sweetheart. I cant wait to see what happens next.