At the end of January I started working with Kye doing tricks and liberty.
Yesterday he went to the jingle bells and rang them…repeatedly! He loved them. He didn’t want to leave them. The noise he made with the bells was huge! And THIS is the horse that first met the bells in February and was afraid of them. YES, AFRAID. He wouldn’t touch them. He stood about three feet away and wouldn’t get an inch closer. I’d stand at the bells, jingle them softly and extend my hand towards Kye (with a treat). He would stretch his neck and sneak the treat.
Over a period of time he would not run away when I draped the line of jingle bells (on a long piece of leather) over my forearm. As usual, there was a treat for Kye in my hand. He’d stretch his neck and barely be able to get his extended lips on the tidbit.
I’m sure that he talked with the boys at night, “I got NINE treats for almost getting close to the bells. How many treats did YOU get for ringing them? None? One?!!!”
I told Bill about his bell-crazed horse. His comment, “With Kye it just takes time for the coin to drop.”
I muttered… “a LOT of time!!!”
