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| Rory spotted me sitting in the field and was a little concerned. |
Rory's been busy growing and eating. In the last week or so I've been adding some in hand work to his trips into the barn (for breakfast) and back to the field. Mostly strengthening stuff rather than manners stuff, though we're quick to get little manners lessons should he step over the line in any way. Already he'll walk with more energy so I'm not constantly asking him to walk on - I'm enjoying that. We spent a couple of weeks trotting the alley between paddocks that we must travel to get from his field to the barn. I started by trotting the full length and stopping at the end, then I would say "whoa" and slam on the brakes without giving any cue with the lead - Rory was expected to stop with me, and after a few false starts (stops?) he got the idea. Then I started slamming on the brakes randomly along the alley. At first he missed every time because he wasn't expecting to stop partway, but then he figured out that he needed to stop whenever and wherever I did. We now trot down the driveway and back up every morning - twice today, once before and once after breakfast. He's getting really good at getting into the trot when I bounce a step before actually starting to run. The driveway has a bit of a slope - uphill on the way back, naturally. So I'm getting tired, and slowing down anyway when we hit the steepest bit, but Rory is pretty good about slowing his trot and staying with me if I can puff out an "easy" or tug a bit on the rope.
Rory still seems little to me. I was looking at him in the field the other day as he was standing by the big monster horse, and he looked small but not tiny any more. I think it's because I'm still looking down on the top of his bum rather than across the top.
He's quite a character sometimes - not as bold as brat was/is. I decided not to ride last week and went out into the field with my stool and sketchbook and sat down near brat who was off on his own. The others looked up as I walked across the top part of the field, but they forgot about me. Brat eyed me, grazed away, grazed across in front of me and eventually (by happenstance of course) found himself nibbling the grass at my feet. He got a bit of carrot and then grazed away once that was gone. Brat and the others ended up at the top end of the field as they went for water. Afterwards Rory noticed me sitting in the field. He didn't recognize me and did the giraffe "what's that?" and "do you guys see that?" as the others all nibbled on the grass ignoring me. Eventually he cautiously came down the slope, but far away by the fence, stopped and looked, went back up the slope on an angle, working a bit closer. Before he could muster the courage to come over by himself his sister saw me and came to see if I had anything for her and Rory fell in behind. I think he would have reached me eventually, but it's definitely not in his character to poke his nose carelessly into new things.
I must measure him soon, and see just how big he is.
Oh yes, my shoulder is almost completely healed. I avoided doing certain things with that arm for a good bit, and still don't do certain things (like sleep on that side - which is HARD! ) but at least I can brush my horse with that hand again.
Rory still seems little to me. I was looking at him in the field the other day as he was standing by the big monster horse, and he looked small but not tiny any more. I think it's because I'm still looking down on the top of his bum rather than across the top.
He's quite a character sometimes - not as bold as brat was/is. I decided not to ride last week and went out into the field with my stool and sketchbook and sat down near brat who was off on his own. The others looked up as I walked across the top part of the field, but they forgot about me. Brat eyed me, grazed away, grazed across in front of me and eventually (by happenstance of course) found himself nibbling the grass at my feet. He got a bit of carrot and then grazed away once that was gone. Brat and the others ended up at the top end of the field as they went for water. Afterwards Rory noticed me sitting in the field. He didn't recognize me and did the giraffe "what's that?" and "do you guys see that?" as the others all nibbled on the grass ignoring me. Eventually he cautiously came down the slope, but far away by the fence, stopped and looked, went back up the slope on an angle, working a bit closer. Before he could muster the courage to come over by himself his sister saw me and came to see if I had anything for her and Rory fell in behind. I think he would have reached me eventually, but it's definitely not in his character to poke his nose carelessly into new things.
I must measure him soon, and see just how big he is.
Oh yes, my shoulder is almost completely healed. I avoided doing certain things with that arm for a good bit, and still don't do certain things (like sleep on that side - which is HARD! ) but at least I can brush my horse with that hand again.
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