Carrot Lady??? My peep doesn't give me carrots

[Spotsrock]

What is all this reference to our peeps as 'Carrot Lady'? my peep never gives me carrots.

She scratches my itchy bits and looks after my boo-hoos (I'm a teeny bit accident prone but my peep says it's to be expected at my age) and gives me mushy-stuff-in-bucket when it's cold and I sleep inside, and kisses my nose, even when it's muddy, but she never gives me carrots.

Sometimes there are carrots in my mushy-stuff-in-bucket or on the floor of my bedroom when I come inside to play, does this mean that my peep has put them there?

She says I'm not allowed carrots or other 'treats' coz I used to bite and kick and once I reared up and went for her head with my front hooves. My peep says that I am dangerous when I'm hand fed 'treats' (I think this includes mints and apples as well as carrots) as I get aggressive and demand more.

I was a baby then and I haven't bitten or kicked my peep or anyone elses peep for ages. When do you think I will be allowed 'treats' again?

I am 3 and can go round in circles now, without corners and everything, I can move between walk and trot without my peep even carrying a whip, though if something scares me I rush into her arms and if she doesn't get out of the way I could knock her over, I forget how BIG I am now!

My peep says I've learnt this much without 'bribes' so I don't need bribing now. (confused, are 'bribes' infact a sub variety of 'treats'?)

I'm refusing to open my mouth for my bit as my big sister Beau told me that when our peep taught her to wear her bridle she put syrup on it, I think syrup would be a 'treat' (or maybe a 'bribe') so I might not be allowed it under present rules.

I actually quite like my bridle, it's like my headcollar but sooo much smarter, my peep says I can't go out with the others in the big house with wheels until I will wear my bridle and she doesn't understand why I love my saddle and boots but won't try the bridle.

How do I tell her I'm a big girl and can be trusted with treats (and ideally bribes as these sound interesting) now, or is she right and shoud I wait till I'm a bit bigger?

As I'm on my peeps account she will read the answers before me. Any opinions on the 'treat/bribe' situation please?

 

[Baileyhoss]

Ok, are you listening. I am classed as a big boy now, due to the fact that my mum smacks my bum for spooking and being silly as she says, big boys shouldn't do that.

I have survived the whole getting treats, then treats withdrawn & am now allowed treats again.

Here's the thing. When you act like you really really really want a treat and box them with your nose and maybe nibble at their pockets or snatch the treat and possibly get their fingers you will quickly find that treats are withdrawn! Kicking and biting on purpose are a big no no anyway, has no one explained that to you?

You need to play hard to get, and be very gentle with your person. What never ever fails is if you put your ears as forward as they will go - stare and her and whicker quietly. This will assure a treat and probably cuddles too.

Then there are the little foal people. They always come with carrots, but you have to be ultra gentle with them, they have little hands, which smell like carrots, but if you nibble them, you'll never get another one to come near you again. They also provide cuddles, but you have to put your head down to them.

Now, carrots don't always come from the hands, sometimes they appear in your bucket. Do not question why or how, they taste the same without you having to perform for them.

Bribes on the other hand are completely different. Do not trust them. You might have your day planned and your person will want to change your plans, perhaps by taking you our of your field or even going for a trip in the lorry. If you argue they will sometimes produce a treat, but don't be mistaken, this is actually a bribe, which tastes very similar. If you accept this bribe, you will find that all of a sudden you have a headcoller on or you are in the lorry!, you will not know how it happened. You have to be very careful with bribes.

Does that help?

Mr B Hoss.

 

[FigJam]

I agree with Mr Bailey Hoss- the ears forward and whickering works a "treat" (geddit?!

) and always guarantees me something, even when my carrot lady says they're "all done", she somehow manages to find something else for me!

I also find that a leg waggle works wonders, especially if you curl your head down then look up with big eyes through batted eyelashes!

Although I get a bit confused as she says "aw, cute" when I do it in the field, but then growls at me when I do it in the stable as she's trying to do my girth up?!

Wish she could make her mind up!

Just be careful to never be greedy and lunge for the carroty yumminess or they'll be taken away again and that would be awful.

PS- do you know who's EVEN better than the carrot lady?! Carrot man!!!

He doesn't come to visit all that often, but when he does, you get carrots, apples, pears, turnips, polos... everything!

And the best bit is he doesn't make you do any silly circle work or jumpign over stripey poles (although I do enjoy that I have to admit, spookypony you are daft not to, it's waaaaay better than silly circles, I show my disgust at that by doing my best giraffe impression!) in exchange for the goodies.

Happy munching,

Hopalong x

 

[Mistyrocks]

I agree with everybodies suggestions, but also looking longingly at carrot lady is good even with a very floppy lower lip, I have that skill mastered, I even do it when I have just jumped, then peepz go awwww she tired and give me pats and carrot yummies...

hope you get carrots soon ps make sure you never get barge peepz for carrots then you get none and then it's not very nice

Breeze xx

 

[Theresa_F]

Well you blew it so you are going to have work very hard to get them back. I never have been anything but a good gentle little boy so do get nice things from time to time and always when I am being told goodnight.

My big sister Farra takes a carrot from Daddy's mouth and gives him a kiss - sneaky big thing that she is. Daddy is great as he also gives us butterscotch - I carefully suck my one but monster gob just chomps hers.

However, after several years of research, (we are only just 5), we find that the best ones to work on are the tiny squeaky ones - called children. Look at them longingly, gentle sniffs on the head are good and always always take their offerings very gently and never push or fight with the other if you are with another mate.

The little squeaky female gave me hoola hoops the other day and some tuna mayo sarnie - not bad, though I did prefer the ham and pickle she had last week. The raspberry yoghurt was ok, Farra preferred it but then she eats horrible bananas.

My old daddy Cairo used to lift his front leg and beg - worked every time - he also used the advantage of the empty eye socket too - got the sympathy treat every time. He always got flapjacks when he went to our local show from the people there and now I get them as he has gone to clydesdale heaven.

Bridle - I had some nice white paste on my bit at first - all nice and minty and very yummy. I still get a minty cube when I am a very good boy and so does Farra if she stands like a good lump by the mounting block.

Keeping working on it and never ever bite or do anything daft again and you will be in for life.

Stinky and Farra

 

[spookypony]

Oh, I'm so sorry to hear you don't get carrots right now! I agree with the others; you have to make yourself extra-pathetic, or play hard-to-get. Hard-to-get works out as running in circles around your Carrot Person in the field; then they'll bribe you with carrots to get you to come in. I've pretty much stopped running in circles in the field now, but I still get a carrot when she comes for me!

As for other times, wibbly lower lip works really well, as does gentle searching of clothing. It really does have to be gentle though: any hint of teeth, and you will get smacked in the nose and have the treats withdrawn again. I find pulling on zippers, toggles, and pocket flaps really works, especially when we go to the square place with the roof on, where there are lots of Carrot People foals who give me treats whenever the Carrot Lady isn't watching.

Standing on your back feet is never good!

I hope these suggestions help!

Carrots,
the Spooky Pony

 

[YorksG]

We don't ge tcarrots, we get special horse biscuits

BUT we have to be careful and not get greedy, otherwise our people get snappy back and don't give them out!

My big grey numpty cousen has learnt this since she came to live with us, her last people didn't give treats much as she got pushy and nippy.
The best person we have for giving treats is grandad, who is the old lady's person, he only comes to see us once a week and he gives us loads of biscuits

We all like him very much, but are super careful with him, no nudging or pushing and we stand with our legs sloped back round him. The old lady doesn't but they have known each other for a very long time. She used to go out with grandad in one of those awful horse eating wheelie cart things (they frighten me a lot and I try and run away from them before they eat me too!)
The Young Appy