The Younger Wild Bunch - Week 1

After reviewing Oreo's round penning I worked on getting him to give his hips better. He was sticky on the right side.  He did not want me to touch him so I spent time pushing him around the arena and laying the whip across his back waiting for him to stop, it took awhile but by the end of the session I was able to rub him with my hand and brush him a little with a curry comb. The next day he was quicker to stand.
The following day even though it was windy he let me touch him right away. Oreo is part of the younger bunch but don't tell him that.  He stood good and let me sack him out with the blanket and rope and work on moving his hindquarters with the rope around his neck.
On the final day of the week he did not want to be herded away from his two buddies and in to the training area so I worked him in the pen he was in, disengaging hindquarters, facing up, following, but he did not want to follow me through the muddy gate. I tried the rope around the neck which helped but when he bobbed his head to show submission it would come off.  As I had the halter in my hand I decided to see if he'd let me put it on, he did.  After another 10 minutes of work I was able to get him to the round pen where we worked on packing the blanket and letting it fall off.  He would disengage his hindquarters and sniff the blanket.  He is very curious and progressing quickly.

Oreo

Blue was much better the second day with allowing me to touch him with the whip and rub on him. He would give his hindquarters and pivot around really well but not really step forward.

On the windy day we had to re-establish the previous lessons but on the last day he was once again good about facing up and being rubbed.  In order to help him come forward I put the rope around his neck so as he rotated he could feel a little pressure and figure out how to relieve it. I use about 30' of rope and just lay it over the neck and hold both ends that way it can come off if it needs to and not chase the horse.

Blue

Sampson let me touch him with the whip then the hand a little on the second day then he would leave, but only as far as he wanted to go so I had to work on GO. Each time he left on his own I made him go a little further than the last time until he figured out to stand still.
Of course the next day was the windy day and Sampson was acting scared and jumpy. I could rub his butt with the whip and a little with my hand but nothing further ahead of that.
The following day he still preferred not to be touched so I worked on disengaging his hips and getting him to follow me.

The last day I worked with a rope around his neck and following me, he's still not comfortable with touch and even though I can scrub vigorously with the whip he feels my hand like it's a branding iron.

Sampson has a letter S on his forehead.

Burr started out with suspicion and fear. Day 2 was an improvement. I was able to touch him with the whip and my hand and even rub his face a little.  It was interesting using the whip with this bunch. Sometimes it was on the same side as me, many times across their back and touching the opposite side.  This can be very disconcerting to most horses.  They don't do well with stuff touching on both sides and it is common for them to move away from the whip and run over people.  These guys are very respectful, choosing if needed to go straight forward rather than over me.  Horses can have varying degrees of connection between the two halves of their brain.  This is why it's important to teach everything to both sides.  This bunch all seems to have good connective tissue if not good memories.
Poor Burr did not appreciate the windy day and we spent the time re-establishing facing up, standing still, giving hip and following me. The next day wasn't a whole lot better.  Oh well, not everyone improves every day.  This next week we will do better.

The gang is much braver as a group and very curious.