These are the kind of visions that dance around in Echo's paranoid little brain..........
That very disturbing image is a lion riding a pony at a Chinese circus!
Soon as I approached he turned around......
I wanted to take pictures of Echo moving as a handsome three year old but he wanted me to take photos of his breathing holes.
Here are some pictures of Echo doing his circles.
Walk on!
Trot on!
Whoa and change directions.
Walk on!
Trot on!
He's just figured out I have him on auto pilot while I take pictures
He looks at me wanting to me tell him 'whoa'.
Whoa!
Phew!
What a good boy he is. We've been hanging out a lot together after dark. He likes to stand with me and lick my arms.
The BLM has him described as black. But you can clearly see he's a lovely Mahogany bay. Last year he was a Aubergine Bay (eggplant). I can't wait to see next years shade.
7 comments:
He's beautiful, Arlene! He sure does look relaxed with you! I know how much patience and work it takes to get that!
What wonderful pictures of a wonderful young horse. He is awesome. Am happy you got Wildairo's title.
He is a gorgeous boy! You're making all kinds of progress with your mustangs lately.
Congratulations on receiving your title for Wildairo!
He's a handsome boy alright and he knows it. Yep, he's very relaxed with me as long as I don't try to touch him. lol.
Kara,
When I have him behind the gate, (that's the only place I can touch him) he is so scared. He stares straight ahead, mouth tightly closed, all his muscles tense and sometimes his whole body shakes. (although he was a lot calmer when we were alone). I do and say everything I can think of to break the spell.
It's so funny because we get along so well when he knows he can get away. He enjoys my dancing about, singing and doing our little tricks together. (Not to mention the carrots). When I have him trapped I repeat words he knows and I'm so calm and gentle.
I have backed away and given him time to think and to look for me, but he doesn't. He stares ahead and if he thinks he can, he bolts. I have to be careful when I walk away because that wing gate will swing open if he touches it.
The only a few times he glanced at me when I had him behind the gate and it was one or two very quick half looks...it wasn't like he was looking because he was curious because I'd backed away but the glances were like he was seeing if there was room enough to blot.
Kara I have watched your videos and studied the pictures of you working with your two mustangs and Echo doesn't behave like them. Once I got my hands on Wildairo it was like he said 'where have you been all my life'? And we progressed from there.
Echo will come around. I will keep getting him behind the gate and 'force' petting him. Everything has taken so long with him. Not too long ago he was still standing the other side of the corral snorting at Brad when he fed him twice a day. Now he does his 'bump up' before he eats. He was panicking when he did his circles, now he's so good at them.
By the way, I'm so impressed how your doing with your two.
I see. Is there a way to secure the gate so he can't bump it open if you walk away? What about if you stay up by his head where he's used to seeing you, does he still shut off then? I wonder if it would help to lock him in there, then leave him for a while to relax, maybe give him hay, then let him out without touching him a few times. Sounds like he associates that space with awful touching, and maybe if you change his mind about the space, it might be easier to prevent him from shutting off in there? I don't know...I'm just brainstorming. I know you'll get through to him eventually. I do think that they all mature at different times, and sometimes they are just not ready for certain things until they mentally mature a little.
He IS beautiful! I love his little white stocking. My bay gelding has one, too! And, Sunni's color changes. I'll have to try and take some photos!
Kara,
I've been doing a lot of thinking about your suggestion of shutting him behind the gate and keeping him there for awhile. I thought about it before but have been worried he'd try to escape and hurt himself. But I don't think he will. The gate doesn't go all the way to the end so Brad will have to do something to make it into a completely enclosed space. Yes, he shuts off when I'm by his head even though he can see me.
Thanks so much for your help. I know I need to force this issue to make his life easier.
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