Kallibear
Well-Known Member
Roo is 2yrs old, bought over from Ireland last month and had very little (but good) handling. It initially took 3people and a bucket of feed to catch but he's come on in leaps and bounds (sometime literally. He's desperate to play 
)
He leads and ties up well (taught in Ireland). He lets me touch him all over but is less keen once behind his withers, and picks up all four feet with only a little leg waving. He is very quiet, gentle and polite but still a little wary.
He currently lives by himself in a small paddock (still in isolation) and I don't have stables to work with him in the field.
Because of the setting I often work with him loose, but can't decide if it helps or hinders.
It gives him the opportunity to leave if he feels he can't cope with whatever i'm doing. He's lonely and bored so usually enjoys it but still occasionally walk off if it's too much (hates having his tail even slightly pulled for example). He usually comes back but sometimes I have to wait, or go get him, depending on how much he didn't like it. If he really didn't like it (i.e it frightened him) he will avoid me until he's calmed down.
If it's someting I know he won't like but needs done I do restrain him and he lets me do it with minimal fuss (although clearly ready to run away the second he gets the chance). It works well for somethings he needs to learn aren't as bad as he feared (flycreaming belly or having a rug on) BUT if I restrain him for something he's normally 'second-time-round' for whilst loose (like itching his tail: walks off first time, stands quietly next time), he then makes a fuss about it next time he's loose (if that makes sense)
Question I guess is : would you just restrain him at all times and insist (quietly and gently of course) that he accepts everything I ask. It would be quicker! Or should he be allowed the opportunity it moves off if it's too much, so he CHOOSES to accept it, bearing in mind he almost always lets you do it the next time or time after, and seems happier about it that being forced?
I'm in no rush to get things done, have infinite patience for him and he's come on so far already. However someone other day said "why don't you just tie him up" when I accidently poked him (i tripped) and he ran off (he came back)
Roo's usual face when you've done something he doesn't like and is thinking about coming back
)He leads and ties up well (taught in Ireland). He lets me touch him all over but is less keen once behind his withers, and picks up all four feet with only a little leg waving. He is very quiet, gentle and polite but still a little wary.
He currently lives by himself in a small paddock (still in isolation) and I don't have stables to work with him in the field.
Because of the setting I often work with him loose, but can't decide if it helps or hinders.
It gives him the opportunity to leave if he feels he can't cope with whatever i'm doing. He's lonely and bored so usually enjoys it but still occasionally walk off if it's too much (hates having his tail even slightly pulled for example). He usually comes back but sometimes I have to wait, or go get him, depending on how much he didn't like it. If he really didn't like it (i.e it frightened him) he will avoid me until he's calmed down.
If it's someting I know he won't like but needs done I do restrain him and he lets me do it with minimal fuss (although clearly ready to run away the second he gets the chance). It works well for somethings he needs to learn aren't as bad as he feared (flycreaming belly or having a rug on) BUT if I restrain him for something he's normally 'second-time-round' for whilst loose (like itching his tail: walks off first time, stands quietly next time), he then makes a fuss about it next time he's loose (if that makes sense)
Question I guess is : would you just restrain him at all times and insist (quietly and gently of course) that he accepts everything I ask. It would be quicker! Or should he be allowed the opportunity it moves off if it's too much, so he CHOOSES to accept it, bearing in mind he almost always lets you do it the next time or time after, and seems happier about it that being forced?
I'm in no rush to get things done, have infinite patience for him and he's come on so far already. However someone other day said "why don't you just tie him up" when I accidently poked him (i tripped) and he ran off (he came back)
Roo's usual face when you've done something he doesn't like and is thinking about coming back
!).
).
Now he tries really hard but sometimes reverts to having a little paddy if he doesn't understand rather than throwing his toys out because he doesn't want to do something