Maraschino knows where the food is

Maraschino decided he would figure out how to open the screen door so he could help himself to the buckets of food just behind it that I had just made up, or the treats I imagine.

He pushed gently against it with his nose and it moved a little, a jumped a little and then realised it was working so he pushed a bit more.
After a while I had to go inside and I left the screen door open - I turned around to see all of his head an neck inside (it's quite dark inside) and I backed him out again, as I did his head went up a little and his ears touched the top of the door frame but he didn't panic one little bit.

Garbo is addicted to these new treats I made. See my other blog for details. Anyway - he opens my hands if they are in a fist to see where the treats are, searches my pockets (all of them), sticks his nose between my arm and body to move my arm out a bit so the search can continue. He is very funny. But very insistent - I need to be this insistent with him.

I decided last night that every time he got a treat he would have to earn it by doing something - we tried head down but that was just not working as his nose just kept trying to follow my hand (up down up down)... so we did back up. So every time I give him a treat now I am going to ask him to back up two steps.

I grabbed four treats so I could reinforce it. He decided ears back would get the treats quicker so I had to pop him on the nose and back him up a few times before he stopped trying to dominate the food from me. Worked great in the end.

He had a very sweet look on his face when I was putting up his haynet of haylage next to him while he was having his dinner and he reached over with his nose and touched my arm. Oh I forgot to say - when I got his halter out tonight he nickered at me when he saw it. Sweet.

Winter is very boring with no online or freestyle but we are half way there nearly. I might go out on Friday to Waimarie which is a big farm with hacks on the races between the paddocks and also a big enclosed arena. If I can feel confident that Maraschino will be ok - but if I give him some food I think he will be fine. Also have to fix two flat tyres on the float. Yikes. Would love to ride on my birthday but it probably won't work out as George will be at work.