He is completely mindful and respectful of me in the round pen. He follows me around wherever I go, with a low head. When I stop, he stops. When I move, he moves. When I free lunge him, he concentrates on me (for the most part.....and when his mind wanders off, I get after him and get him going in the right direction again). He halts when I want him to, and will turn and look at me, then walk to me with a low head and licking. So it would seem as though I have established myself as leader with him. But, when he's out in the pasture, he's like a different horse, so to speak. He lifts his head from grazing when he sees me coming, but then goes back to eating. I can walk up to him, and he'll lift his head for a head pet/scratch, but quickly goes back to grazing. Sometimes, after a head scratch, he'll go back to eating for a few seconds then walk away.
:roll:
Just seems like he could care less that I am there. When I bought him, his owner told me he's got loads of personality and likes humans more than other horses...but I am not really seeing that (yet). He acted differently at his old place...was more curious about humans, would meet you at the gate, etc. Of course, at his old place, the horses only had around an acre to graze on. It was pretty much a dry lot. Now, he's got 25 - 30 acres, and six new friends (as opposed to three). He is kind of a loner horse...doesn't "hang with the group" much. He's got one gelding that he seems to be buddies with, but he's always on the fringes of the group, grazing on his own.
I keep thinking things will congeal with time....
(he's only been here for 9 days)