More work with the haflingers…

Today I got worked with two milk jugs with gravel in them. My “spooky” gelding was the champ lol. I round penned him, let him hear it, then I hooked them onto the surcingle, one on each side of him bouncing on his sides and he went around quiet. Then I tied them so they dragged behind his hind feet (by baling twine) and led him around. Then I ground drove him that way. He usually wiggles before I can get him going straight and in the process had his feet all over the milk jugs and he was just a total champ, never even said boo about it. This was all in the roundpen. Then I got rid of the milk jugs and ground drove him all over a 1 acre pasture, walk and trot and he was great. Did a couple of good halt-and-stand.

I flew a kite in the roundpen with him and then flapped it all over his body. No reaction. So A+ for Duke today.

Then I did the mare, she is usually bomb proof but boy those milk jugs got her going! Took about 20 mins to get up to her with them bouncing on the ground. Then I tied one on to her surcingle and let her go around with it bouncing. She got a bit perturbed at first but got over it very quickly. I ended with both jugs on her sides and never dragged them on the ground with her because I didn’t want to risk a freak out without some more baby steps on between.

Then I ground drove her all over the pasture too, and she was super. She is much less wiggly than him. She will go in a straight line where she is pointed better than he does. A for effort for Daisy. Oh I also flew the kite with her, which was far less scary than those damn milk jugs 🙂