#51 - Just walked over and caught Teddy today

Finally this seems to be paying off - today I was expecting a big session with Teddy and I ended up just walking over, he met me quarter of the way, I put the lead rope around his neck and hooked the swivel clip to his halter. As simple as that. I led him to the front gate, coaching him along a tiny bit at the start, then walked the half length of the property. I gave him heaps of rubs and let him go. He just hung around for more pampering. That seemed like such a high point that it was a good place to leave the session.

Tomorrow the farrier is coming after work so this should be a good test. He's a new farrier as the old one had his license suspended for the next 18 months and cant get out here anymore. Once Teddy's feet have been done I will be back into training. It seems like a good time as his calmed down a hell of a lot (as you can tell from the last post photos).

I hope it all goes well with the new bloke. Fingers crossed.

#50 - Teddy Time! ... a photographic journey of about an hour

#49 - so far so good

The last week Teddy has improved a lot with his head issues but he is still a work in progress.
I've managed to do it on my own and with a lead rope laying across my shoulders. He is still suss on the lead rope though, you can just tell.

He's seeking me out every day so that is great and he had three children giving him heaps of attention on Sunday, which he loved a bit too much.

The weird weather has brought the bugs out and he's got a fair few bites on his neck and sides so I will watch him with that, but I have been letting have nudie runs so i have no-one to blame but myself.

Also, because I am not feeding him and adding vitamins and minerals to his feed I brought him a salt lick on a rope and and Saturday's rain dissolved the whole thing! What a waste of money.

#48 - Joined Kyneton District Adult Riders Club

I joined the Kyneton District Adult Riders Club this evening which I am sure I will get a lot of benefit out of. My friend Sam and I were lucky to get in as there are limited places due to number capping which they do so membership has the most benefit for all members. for me it seems like great timing too.

The main reason I have joined is to get a lesson every month with a qualified instructor which will compliment the ground and saddle work I have been doing myself and the private lessons I have been considering taking next year. The reserve where it is based is just across the road from my place, within walking distance, so I wont need a float for Teddy in the dry months (the use the Kookaburra Park indoor in the wet months) and we will be covered by insurance while members.

The club hold events throughout the year and they seems like a really great group of people. I recognised one of the members from getting around the traps so I think that I'm starting to fit into the Kyneton community.

The Kyneton show is on next week and as my friends and family will tell you I'm determined to get a ribbon at the Royal Melbourne for anything! as my personal badge of being "country!" The club will be holding a comp at the show so it will be a great opportunity to see them in action.

I think it's a good move for both Sam and I as Sam is getting back into the saddle after having a baby. I'm sure we will enjoy it.

http://home.vicnet.net.au/~kynarc/index.html

#47 - Spring fever!

Teddy has been much better and things have been going well the last four days. I try to touch him everywhere first before touching his face and he is completely fine with this (loving it really) but still gets head shy if you go straight for the face. He's back to seeking me out and not fearing me again so that has to be a good thing.

We have a new cute game where I just wiggle my fingers in a scratching motion but I don't move my hand and he moves his face around in the places he wants a scratch. It been great because now I know of some new places right on the top of his head that he really likes to have scratched and it's a great reward for him.

I've also discovered that heaps of people's horses are going nuts lately because we haven't had grass in so many years and all this rain has brought a bumper load of spring grass that has them all razzed up! It's good to know I'm not alone. Besides he's not really razzed, its more head shyness/fear based issues I am facing. Ive gotten used to the natural state that is just plain Teddy the Punk.

I'm looking out to the paddock from the study right now and he is herding the poor cows (they don't much care for him when he does that!) and running around so he's getting exercise and having a play which is great. I like to see him playing and he and the cows are fatties so the exercise is good for them. though I should get him a friend over christmas so the cows can get a break. But then maybe I'll have two horse chasing cows LOL!

#46 - Message to a friend on Teddy

Thanks for the message and your concern. I welcome any advise and wont give up. Today I went out and had carrots in my hands for him and the cows. I got to the cows first so gave Chapelle a carrot and Teddy came up behind me. I knew he was there and turned around gently with a carrot out for him and he literally was shaking in the front legs for a moment. I am not sure if it was a fear response or flight but I just stood there and he didn't run, he just hung around and was a perfect guy after that, like there was no threat at all. I had my hands all over his face and not a problem and then he followed me back to the house. Even when I went over to give Mercedes a carrot he was not pushy or anything but I did feel a dominant air about him. Fickle bloody horse he is!

The only other person I have seen try to catch him was Sam when I first got him and he was stand offish with her too. Not to the extent he is now but he wasn't to this extend for me then either. I do agree that this is probably a dominance thing as I cant see how it could be a fear thing. The only other thing I this is it is from that bridle I brought and used twice. That is the only connection I can make as it happened directly after the first time I used it on him and he was behaving strangely that day as I was riding him - actually both times I used it. My first thought was to have his teeth checked then I realised that when Pol did the assessment on him about two week prior he was completely fine. I used his regular bridle then and always in the past without a problem but when I bought the saddle I realised I had left my bridles in Sam's float so I just brought a $60 one there and used it on him twice (I was too impatient wanting to ride!).

I will spend a couple of weeks to see if i can get him past it before attempting to put his old bridle back on. If he acts strange with that then I know its something else. I know he is a punk and he has attitude, which really isn't that bad, and even after rearing up a few times on me yesterday i then cleaned and oiled his hooves and he was fine. It's just around his face he acts a shit. Otherwise he is doing great with peralli and has been good with me on him. Better than I even expected. But what is with the leg shakes? I wish I knew. It's got be baffled. He's getting fat too with all this spring grass too and I've got heaps of it so I want to be able to exercise him. Ahh well! what's a girl to do?

#45 - I just want to give up

I'm sick and tired of a lot of things lately but when it comes to Teddy I just want to give up. I try and try and as soon as I think I've gotten through one thing another thing appears. And then I end up back at the catching problem again.

It has rained here for days so I haven't been able to work with Teddy after work. Two days pass and he's worse than he has ever been.

Now he rears up every time I go to halter him. I keep reassuring him and I get it on him eventually but I am always in danger as I have to get my arm around his head and then when I go to put the band around his nose he freaks, gets a terrified look in his eyes and rears up. Today I backed up into the gate trying to get out of the way. Thankfully it wasn't the electric fence.

So now I have a catching and haltering problem. Every time I think I'm getting somewhere I discover I'm getting nowhere. I've left a halter on him now (not a string one) - may as well just admit defeat by doing that.

I'm just so sick of it.