HHO's "Bear" project pony...

[Michen]

I love that you're cantering too

Lockdown has sent me demented!

 

[Michen]

Another evening of torture for Bear whilst Bog takes life easy... ?

 

[ycbm]

Hehe, and to think the slating the poor fella got from the other half of HHO when he was in his winter woollies with awful shoeing.

He is a brilliant mover, the few times I've trotted him under saddle- wow! Doesn't feel like a pony at all.

I'm really holding my breath as I write this but you own two horses and there's only one of them I would have bought at four at all and only one of them I would buy now, and him I'd bite your hand off
for ..........

.

 

[Michen]

I'm really holding my breath as I write this but you own two horses and there's only one of them I would have bought at four at all and only one of them I would buy now, and him I'd bite your hand off for ..........

.

Boggle says thank you ? he looks forward to heading north. We can do a good price..

 

[ycbm]

Boggle says thank you ? he looks forward to heading north. We can do a good price..

Sadly Bog has too high an opinion of himself ?

But that's why you love him so much, isn't it?

My bestest ever soulmate horse is the one in my avatar. He had the heart of a lion, but was badly put together and had a back long enough for two people to ride him at once ?.

.

 

[Michen]

Sadly Bog has too high an opinion of himself ?

But that's why you love him so much, isn't it?

My bestest ever soulmate horse is the one in my avatar. He had the heart of a lion, but was badly put together and had a back long enough for two people to ride him at once ?.

.

Ha! They sound familiar eh... I love him because he is loyal and has a level of engagement with you as a person and life in general that I've genuinely never seen in another horse. Love the braveness etc too but I think it's the engagement thing that's really special.

Still, 2.5 years ago I'd have told you I hated his cocky attitude and his opinion of himself but that's because I wasn't skilled enough to see how to channel it

 

[ycbm]

You could be describing Tetley. He just loved life, and people. If you turned him out in a field with jumps in, he jumped them. I still miss him more than a decade later.

.

 

[Michen]

Bear is begging for someone to rehome him. He is truly sick of my gleeful attempts to challenge him and would very much like someone to come and pick him up. ASAP.

A windy day so what better than a tarp. He couldn’t have been less bothered even when he first saw it, his initial reaction as videoed was just to get his greedy chops round it (I’ve never known a horse eat quite like he does).

A few videos for anyone bored enough to watch him. Oh and in case you all think I’ve lost the plot (I have).. I’m not doing this in the hope he will then not spook at a bit of haylage wrapper in the wind, I don’t really believe that kind of despooking works, but I do think there’s value in the stuff I’m doing with him currently as he just seems generally more confident with life and more relaxed all round.

 

[SEL]

One of the mud cottages is being replastered on the lane to our yard and the wall is protected by a big flapping tarp. Me = very smug at the tarp flapping desensitized horse walking past it without issue.

Then she teleported sideways at a robin in the hedge.

 

[Michen]

One of the mud cottages is being replastered on the lane to our yard and the wall is protected by a big flapping tarp. Me = very smug at the tarp flapping desensitized horse walking past it without issue.

Then she teleported sideways at a robin in the hedge.

ha! Exactly. Bear seems to really dislike crows....

 

[thefarsideofthefield]

How to Gift Wrap a Connie ?

 

[HashRouge]

Just remind me how big he is Michen?

I can't quite believe those tarpaulin videos. I'm trying to imagine doing something similar with my 27 yr old Arab and I'm fairly sure it would end up with her flattening me and having a complete freak out! I wouldn't be surprised if he makes a bold XC horse after all if he can cope with something like that!

 

[scats]

Love him. I’m pretty sure Millie would drop dead in terror if she saw that tarpaulin come towards her!

 

[Michen]

Just remind me how big he is Michen?

I can't quite believe those tarpaulin videos. I'm trying to imagine doing something similar with my 27 yr old Arab and I'm fairly sure it would end up with her flattening me and having a complete freak out! I wouldn't be surprised if he makes a bold XC horse after all if he can cope with something like that!

He is about 15hh, maybe 15.1hh

Yes he looked at it for a few seconds on the floor and that was that. Didn’t bat an eyelid with it whatever I did, there was no build up to him having it flapping around like that!

Funny chap as he’s certainly not a bombproof plod!

 

[Michen]

Love him. I’m pretty sure Millie would drop dead in terror if she saw that tarpaulin come towards her!

Bog would be ok if I asked him to jump it but if I wrapped it over him like that I think he’d be very pissed off!!!

 

[Cloball]

Read the video title as Bear trap and giggled ? nothing to see here.

 

[sheep]

Love the tarp pics!
They are so funny with what spooks them. E.g. my newbie had zero issue with me fishing stray bits of electric fence tape (not switched on I hasten to add) with a schooling whip while on board and generally doesn't mind machinery, bikes etc. BUT he is really freaked by manhole covers. Which is made even funnier by the fact that I work for a manufacturer of said item!!

 

[Pinkvboots]

Just remind me how big he is Michen?

I can't quite believe those tarpaulin videos. I'm trying to imagine doing something similar with my 27 yr old Arab and I'm fairly sure it would end up with her flattening me and having a complete freak out! I wouldn't be surprised if he makes a bold XC horse after all if he can cope with something like that!

One of my Arabs would freak I don't think I could ever get him to accept it, I have tried similar with him and he gets marginally better in that session then if you try it again he goes back to be terrified so I gave up years ago

 

[Roxylola]

I think all of this builds trust that you dont ask him to do something he cant, so when he is scared of whatever and you put your leg on and say it's ok, he trusts that it is ok because its always been ok. Spooky horses will always be spooky, all the tarps in the world wont change that, but it will change the way they react next

 

[MuddyTB]

Wow, that is amazing. My TB wouldn't go withing 10m of a tarp.
Just LOVE Bear and his cheeky ways.

 

[Rosemary28]

I love how smug he looks in the second video, "Yes, I'm a very brave pony, nothing bothers me!"

 

[palo1]

I think the reason he may be looking and feeling more relaxed and confident is that as a 'working' breed he may feel happier with a job to do, problems to solve. I have had several young horses that improve immensely when given plenty to think about and become more difficult if just left. It's just a thought but he looks very happy in these videos. The devil makes work for idle ponies and all....

 

[Michen]

I think the reason he may be looking and feeling more relaxed and confident is that as a 'working' breed he may feel happier with a job to do, problems to solve. I have had several young horses that improve immensely when given plenty to think about and become more difficult if just left. It's just a thought but he looks very happy in these videos. The devil makes work for idle ponies and all....

Agree. Feeling very lucky this eve!

 

[palo1]

Wow !! such a smart pair!!

 

[ElleSkywalker]

I really want to wrap my cob in a tarp now ?

Love the grazing pic, do you think the boyz will be able to go out together when Bog able to or do you think Bog will bounce Bear about?

ps I spot a familiar back end in the first grazing pic ?

 

[Michen]

I really want to wrap my cob in a tarp now ?

Love the grazing pic, do you think the boyz will be able to go out together when Bog able to or do you think Bog will bounce Bear about?

ps I spot a familiar back end in the first grazing pic ?

I actually think Bear may bounce Bog about!! Bog makes a lot of noise but it’s Bear that’s doing all the instigating of annoyance at the moment ?

Really hope so, I’d love Bog to be turned out with someone eventually but understandably no one wants to risk it because he’s such a known terror. However as long as he’s not next to another mare when turned out with another horse (Bear) he should be ok...

 

[Michen]

Bear cuddly cuteness levels earlier. What a dobbin. He actually pooed whilst lying down, not sure I’ve ever seen a horse do that!

Quadbikes tonight. Not bothered at all.

 

[sky1000]

Oh my! Well you may think he is second to Boggle, but it's pretty clear what he thinks about you

 

[Upthecreek]

Gosh he’s adorable. He’s pulling out all the stops to make sure you can’t ‘bear’ to part with him.

 

[NLPM]

Aww, I am reading about Bear for the first time and he's lovely! I especially love those last photos. And what a great yard... I'm so envious of your facilities.