Paco and Thunder both wear halters! Woo hoo!

In spite of the weather I have been getting quite a bit done. The positive thing about the mud and me not being able to walk normal is it makes me slow down and take my time. I am not sure, but I think have been spending a lot more rubbing time with them. I still have to be careful because my feet get sucked in and I don't want to stress them and have them barrel over me.

I have had the halter on Thunder a few times, and last night he was leading! It was a little stop and start, but all in all he did FANTASTIC!!!! Yippee!!! It is his curious have to know what you are doing personality that helps with this task. Tonite he was even better! Oh how I wish I could get both of these guys on dry ground because they would improve leaps and bounds. They are both real smart (of course! They are mustangs!) and I try to add new stuff to what we are doing, but I know they can do more. And this is where the mud is good...keeps me going slow! :-)

Brian has not had time to check out my progress with them. He was out last night to check the wound on his cheek and Thunder was very afraid at first. Other than the weekend when Beth and Terry came to visit them, it has been just me. Brian is very good with them and took his time to let Thunder get to know him. Next thing I know Brian is rubbing his forehead then they took a short walk around the pen.



THUNDER SAYS: I am not going over there - it is muddy! (Ha ha ha!!!!)



Thunder had a wound on his cheek from the BLM pens, and the swelling would go down and it would continue to drain, then it would plug up and swell back up again. I am trying to get it cleaned out as much as I can and tonite was the night to introduce Thunder to the rag! He snorted and nodded his head, but we finally worked thru it. I put the rag under the nose band of the halter and he was bouncing his head up and down while the rag flapped back and forth. I really expected him to blow up and run a small circle then come back to me (because that is what he does when the pressure is too much), but he just stood there.
I think we had quite a break thru tonite. He has been very protective of the hurt side and I finally got him to let me touch it. I let him know that it was okay for me to put my hand across his nose, and when he stopped trying to get away, I moved my hand away. Once he realized it wasn't going to hurt, he was much better and let me rub on it a bit.
I have a call in to the vet to get some antibiotics for his feed. I did not want to get them started on sweet feed, but we need something yummy to put the non-yummy stuff in.

Here is Thunder sporting his pretty blue rag. :-)



Tonite I wanted to introduce Paco to the halter, even if it was to just rub him with it. I have had the rope all over him and his face and he is fine - the only thing about his face is he doesn't want it touched. I was flipping the halter all around him on both sides and never could get it over the nose. I could not move graceful enough to stick with him. Before I started a very bad habit, I improvised! I got the lunge line out and put the end thru the nose and brought it to me. Oh my gosh! He just stood there while I grabbed the end. It was a little tricky getting it tied, but he decided I was not giving up - and he was right. :-)

The other night I had the black string looped over his nose and I imagined it was a black halter and I thought he looked hot in black! Tonite he is sporting hunter green and he looks hot in this color too! :-)
We did not do any actual walking but we did do a lot of release to pressure moves and he did well.

Isn't he cute...I mean handsome?



I think both of them are doing real good. One will do better at one thing while the other one will do better at something else. Brian says he thinks they will go back and forth but both will be equally great. Nicely said! :-)

Until later....Karen and Tripp who remembers those days!