Mules man...

So Cecil has been home for a few days and I have been trying to work with him every night.  It has been pretty hit or miss not having a round pen to reinforce the fact that he has to listen. 

He would be fine if all people would just die and leave him alone.
He still tries to escape anything like work, and if I move to fast between 'steps' he has very dramatic meltdowns.  I am slowly figuring out that he needs time to process each step before we move on.  We had a few bad days where I spent HOURS working with him, and it was just gross and yucky.

Yesterday was his best day.  I focused on really making the release downtime as long as I could. I brought the horses into the shed and put up the aisle chain to keep him out.  I grabbed his halter and lunge, and then I just stood there. I waited until he was calmly looking at me with his head a bit low (and took pictures).

Wild child


He is softer in the body here.
When I walked up to halter him, he did not flinch or turn at all, which was my first sign that he needs the extra processing time.  In the last few days, he has tried to run away when first haltered.

We then practiced targeting on me - hunting me up - as I walked around.  Each time I would move, wait for him to line up, then extend my hand.  The correct choice is to softly touch it with his nose.  Everytime he tried or took a small step in the right direction - I would step out of his space and be still.  I kept still for as long as he would keep his focus on me.

Attention elsewhere

Good Focus


When he would look away, I would ask him to move - to lung at the walk in a small circle until his ears were focused on me.  Then I would stop and put out my hand for a bump.  If he tried he got his release and break.

We did that maybe 10 -15 times and I called it a day.

We end each session with gate practice.  On a loose lead I walk to the gate, he stays behind me and waits, I walk through and line up with the fence on the other side.  When I cluck Cecil walks through and pivots to line back up with me. All on a loose lead.

His ears are so expressive!

He was awesome.  So we walked over to the shed gate and did the same to go back to his friends.  He was even better.  Then I videoed it and since I did not have two hands, we lost our straight line, but he stayed with me and quietly figured it out.

The best fist bump. 

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