The group of five horses down the road is progressing. A few days ago three of them picked up the cone and held it before setting it down and eating the carrot which was hidden under the cone.
Rolling out the carpet has been very interesting. A mare was the star the first two days, then decided she wouldn’t even lower her head to the carpet. Bummer! While she did not improve the other four did. One of the geldings rolls out the entire carpet on one push.
With the mare I realized the first day she ignored the carpet was the day I brought another carpet for the horses. The second carpet rolls out easily. This did help the other four. After three days of the mare not showing any interest I went back to the original carpet, thinking that there might be a smell on carpet number two that she didn’t like. It didn’t help. About a week later I showed her the fast-rolling carpet again. She wasn’t “gung-ho” but at least she pushed it. The next day I started thinking…why don’t I roll out most of the carpet and set treats on it, easy to see, easy to eat and leave three feet rolled up at the end. Well, wouldn’t you know, that mare loved this new variation of the game. And, when she got to the rolled up section she happily pushed it with her nose. Yippee! The following day I left just a few feet flat on the floor and a few treats in view and I rolled up the rest. She soldiered on.
Can’t believe that after quite a few years of rolling out the carpet that this is the first time I ever presented treats on a flat carpet. Dah!
Most of my playing down the road has been in the barn, but the mare has had three trips to their arena. Today she was a pro pushing the big ball. She loves doing it. Her owners are helping me teach her two types of bows. One of them has a foreleg bent with the knee on the ground. The other bow is with both front legs stationary and the head coming between the legs and under the belly. I’ve mentioned having a pedestal for the horses over the past month AND it looks like the horses down the road will have one soon. The owner actually created our first pedestal. Now, seven years later, his horses will have one. Once the pedestal appears I’ll increase my campaign for two pedestals. Several of the five horses get along really well. I can picture a pair of them out in the arena taking turns playing. One will chill out on the pedestal and the other will be free doing something amazing. They might even learn to act out verses to “When You’re Happy and You Know It” and “The Hokey-Pokey”. I also have plans for a second equine orchestra.
Meanwhile, back at Winsong Farm we’re playing around with the line dance. Last week I put on the tape with Nancy Sinatra singing, “These Boots were made for Walking”. Wow! What a beat! Zelador loved it.
During the coming week three horses will move in for the winter. Their owners are heading to Florida with other horses. One of these three is a pony. Can’t wait to meet her. She’s nineteen-years-old and everyone says she’s so nice. About ten winters ago we had a pony here during the winter. He was 14.2 hands high and about that big sideways, too. I rode him bareback all winter. He was so warm. I won’t be riding this pony, but I will be playing games with her. There’s nothing like a pony to brighten up the winter months.
