Quote:
Originally Posted by Magnum It truly is amazing what love, care and good food will do for a malnourished horse! You have done a great job with him!
How is his personality with you? I too, "rescued" a horse (Brandy, my 10-year-old QH/Arab) and when he was close by, he was extremely friendly. He was on his own in a paddock, and whickered and whinnied for me even when he heard my footsteps (I think that's because I was feeding him. LOL.) Now he's being boarded elsewhere (long story) until I get my barn up (hopefully start building on Wednesday) and I couldn't even get him to come close to me to get some treats, he was too busy munching on the new grass. I think (read hope) that he'll start being affectionate again once he's only with Magnum (right now he's in a herd with about seven other horses) but just thought I'd ask your opinion, since both of our horses would have good reason to distrust people. Sorry for hijacking your thread, and again, excellent job!
Edited to add: (just saw the video of Ethan cantering)
First of all, you must have an amazing seat to be able to videotape and canter at the same time! Wow! And you have captured my FAVOURITE view ... the trail from in between a horse's ears. Again, you've done a great job with him! |
Thanks so much for the kind words. He's like Super Horse. :)
As far as how he acts with me. He's pretty bonded I think. I've had him since August of last year. We've spent a lot of time together. I don't have children, or really any kind of responsibilities but a part time job and a photography job here and there. I can hear him calling as soon as I turn down the short road to my barn. He's trotting or cantering to the gate calling as I pull in. I have driven up there in a friends car and gotten no reaction out of him till I get out and whistle. Then he spins around and comes haulin' butt to greet me.
I tell myself it's because of some magical bond but it's probably the carrot, cookie or apple he knows I'll always have. Although he does come to greet me even when I don't have stuff.
When he's out grazing and I'm in the pasture walking around or taking photos he's never far. He'll keep within three or four feet of me. If he's in a pasture with lots of horses all I normally have to do is open the gate and whistle and he'll jerk his head up and come trotting over to me.
Even in this new green lush grass he'll stop eating and come to see me when I show up.
He wasn't always like that though. It was months before he'd let me catch him. He was leery for a long time. Not spooky or head shy. Just shy in general and nervous. Like he just had no self confidence. Apples and carrots and cookies really help with those issues. ;)
As far as the cantering? Thanks! I've always consider myself a horrible rider. I haven't had any formal training since I was a small child. Then when I was older I got into a serious horse riding accident that nearly put me in a wheel chair for life. It took about seven and a half years to get back into a saddle and here I am.
Cantering along the road, pulling my camera out at a canter and turning it on and fumbling with the buttons, lol. I guess it helps that I trust E a lot and I'm stupid. Hahaha. I have my camera attached to a wrist loop snapped onto my pant belt loop so if I drop it it won't fly off into the woods. It'll just dangle. I guess that's why I get brave.
