Goats

I have yarded the boys for three nights now - counting tonight. The night before that the young boys saw the goats next door (horse eating goats obvioulsy) and froze and ran - actually turn face and re-assess to be technical. I couldn't get them near the yards (which were closer to the goats than not).

Two nights on and they both went in to their yards at liberty. I had used yo-yo (rightly or wrongly) with Maraschino - (his yard is closest to said goats!)..each time he looked at the goats I yo-yo'd him backwards so he looked at me - then asked him forward towards me. Took three yo yos the first night - two last night - and none tonight - yay.

All is quiet in the yards now apart from occasional hay bag banging... that's yanking at the hay so the hay bag swings out and then bangs back on the wall (our wall).

Parelli wise I have been really studying the old L2 booklets and getting everything just so.... ie the one rein transitions - by sliding your fingers down the rope like a trombone lightly three times until the horse bends his head to you.... you close one finger at a time (Indirect rein position) and then walk on... eventually they will slow or go down a transition by pumping/lifting the rein.

I am trying to get everything soft and gentle as opposed to L1 hard and rough on the edges. But also trying to be effective at the same time, assertive but not aggressive....

I can yo you Garbo back and forward one step at a time just by energy and a look now.
He can back by leading from his tail...
He can sniff his tail (can't hold for 10 seconds yet)
Stage 3 booklet has the canter passenger lesson.... hope the track dries out soon so I can try it.