Another good session with Mojo today. I haven’t done much recently due to holidays and other things getting in the way.
Yesterday I saddled him at liberty – he was a little fidgety but stood still as I fastened the girth.
Today I did the same with the saddle and he stood perfectly still for the numnah, saddle and girth. A big fuss, lots of scratches, bridge and treat too – as I was very pleased with him. He actually came and stood by the fence at the far side of the school as that is where I had put the saddle on the fence.
He came to the mounting block and I played with putting stirrups up and down and tapping lightly on his side – not a flinch. We then did some weaving round cones with him wearing the saddle – I threw the stirrups over the saddle to stop them flapping about.
When we had finished the cones and some frisbee following I pulled the near side stirrup down and then threw the off side one over the saddle – he did startle at that but stopped and came back to me.
So I did a few more of these and he was still and seemed happy.
I then took off the saddle etc and jackpotted him. As I put the cones and other things away Mojo mooched round the school.
Then I got the clippers – I borrowed some quiet ones – and he targeted them, let me touch him all over with them off. Then I stood by the gate and turned them on , his head went up and he began to move away – not a big startle as he does with the louder ones. So I switched them off and put a treat in his bowl. Let him sniff them again and gave a treat.
Then went back to the gate and turned them on – he just stood and watched – another treat in his bowl. I repeated this once more then held the clippers out to the side with them on and he didn’t move. More treats in a bowl.
This time last year he was petrified of clippers, fly spray and several other things.
Then I went back to the gate and held the clippers out and he came to me and touched them. A huge deal for him so he got lots of scratches and praise and treats in his bowl and I ended the session there.
Positive Horsemanship. 