Training~ Day #3

What a great day with the new horses! We went down to do the chores this morning and spent some time playing with and petting Nika and Rootbeer. Trent wanted to try to put a halter on Rootbeer so we slowly introduced it and slipped it right on him without him even flinching. After Nika let us pet her and she calmed down we were able to put a halter on her easily as well. I attached lead ropes to their halters and let them out into the big pasture for the day, figuring we could catch them easier with the lead ropes dragging. Several times throughout the day the kids walked out to catch them and pet them. Trent has Rootbeer so trusting that he can rub him all over.

And Rootbeer is even rubbing him back.

He hasn't found a spot that he doesn't like to be rubbed.

Trent has even taught him how to pick up his front feet. Just look at that sweet eye, low head, and quiet demeanor. I think he is loving the attention as much as Trent is loving him.

They worked on leading and did very well.

Alexis has pretty much taken over Nika. She was really excited to work with her and has done a great job as well. Today we started with lots of petting, some pressure work, and got a halter on her very easily. After a couple of sessions of petting Alexis went back out this afternoon to work with the lead rope.

She rubbed her all over with it, wrapped it around her and swung it around. Nika did very well. She has finally gotten to the point were she will let us approach her without too much fear. She still has that leary look in her eye, but slowly she is beginning to trust us. Lots of hand feeding and 4 leaf clovers have helped.

She worked quite a bit on leading as well.

And lots more loving and petting.

Mr. Solomon has been pretty much ignored this week since those new horses came to the farm. Good thing he is such a good boy already.

After supper we decided to ride the horses out back as Grace's little mice died this morning and she wanted to bury them in the special place she buried her kittens last year. All of the horses were in the back pasture so we had to walk out to get them.

Alexis wanted to lead Nika out back and Trent wanted to lead Rootbeer for their first trail experience.

Alexis tied a saddle bag on Nika's back just to see how she would respond~ she did just fine. Before we left the pasture we even sprayed flyspray on everybody and the two new ones did better than the old horses that forgot what it was from last year.

It was a beautiful night to take a ride.

The other horses were so mad that we left them behind.

The horses and the kids did amazing! Nika and Rootbeer just plodded along with us and didn't get scared of anything.

I know the pics are blurry but they were the first ones of Nika and Rootbeer in the corral so I couldn't delete them. Grace and I quickly buried the little mice before the mosquitoes ate us up and we headed back home. What a great ride! Grace always says "I think that was the best ride we ever took!"