Observing

November6

So finally, by this morning, Astar walked right into the pen with NO hesitation for his breakfast. We were able to shut the gate behind him and let Muchkin in the yard to eat. This afternoon I went out and we took a nice stroll around the yard for about 15-20 minutes. I stopped periodically and gave him scratches, rubbed his ears, etc. I was even able to switch sides pretty easily…without much fuss.

Then my friend Kaite got here to drop off feed and he was even interested in her! Which is great because they’ve had some “disagreements” in the past and he hasn’t always liked her. At any rate, we moved about the yard talking about the lesson with you on Tuesday and why he was in the yard, etc. Astar pretty much stayed with us wherever we went. He even, at one point walked into the pen all by himself with no reason to really go in (wasn’t time for food).

We planned on riding and started getting out the tack and walking it over to Damien and Blue. Astar was following and watching the whole time. In fact at one point he startled himself with a container he was biting at (it made a crack noise) and he went trotting off. And before we knew it, I looked up and he was peering around the corner at us…still watching. He just couldn’t help himself… BOY WAS HE CURIOUS!

I had to run in the house so I asked Andy if he would come take some photos and try to capture Astar watching. Well… as soon as Andy came out, Astar was WAYYY more interested in him than us so Andy missed the shot.

BUT he did watch most of the time and there is one shot in my photos that shows him watching as we un-tack.

I am assuming since he’s super interested in being with us that the next step is to get a halter on him…. yes? So I am going to start working on that.

Baby Steps

November3

I came home a little later than usual tonight so I didn’t get to mess with Astar much. However, Andy came home first and describes this: Astar met him at the gate, waited for him as he pulled in the drive and then came over to the car and met him. Andy scratched him and said hello and Astar was just hanging out. When Andy fed, Astar started to go into the pen then freaked himself out because the gate to the pen bumped his butt so he opted to NOT go in. I think this is friendly game with the pen panels and gate….what do you think?

My trainer, Jen Hall, suggested that I sit on the steps of the porch with a cookie and see if he will make the effort to come to me.  If he does, he can have a cookie…. I will try the cookie thing….maybe in the morning when he can see better.

The Dream

June14

So I had a dream last night / this morning about my horse.  Astar and I were at a Parelli playday and there was I sitting on his back in my favorite black western saddle…. he and I were just hanging out with me on his back and he was Mr. calm, cool and chilled out.  Mary Lou (from the group) walked up to us along with a couple of others and smiled, saying “Wow… you’ve got no bridle on him and he’s just hanging out.”  My response was simply, “He WANTS to be with me.  It’s absolutely wonderful!”

And that has stuck with me all day today and put a smile in my heart — He (Astar) WANTS to be with ME =)

A Walk in the Field

April6

Today was a short walk in the field with Astar.  I wish so much that I had more time to devote to him, but I have to take what I can get and do what I can do.  When I walked out today I had cookies, my savvy string and a brush.  I was able to walk right up to him, pet him, brush him and put the savvy string over his neck and then go for a nice little stroll… all while out in the big field!!  Didn’t need the round pen to catch him!  That is progress.

He’s getting to where he acts like he wants to leave and the quickly changes his mind.  It’s so fun to watch!

The Invitation…After a 7-year wait!

March29

Thursday, March 25th was a day I will always remember!  My mom was visiting and she was helping me refinish the new conference table for my office.  We brought everything out to the porch and set up to get started working for the day.  I look up and I see Astar coming around the back portion of the round pen, walking AWAY from his friends [the rest of the herd] and he is walking right towards me.  He stopped right in front of the fence, staring right at me and asked me to come out and play!

— If there hadn’t been a fence, I believe he would have continue walking straight up to where I was on the porch. —

My mom says to me “I think Astar wants you to come play with him”… to which I responded “I believe you are right! Oh my gosh!”  So I went inside and grabbed my boots and came back out – Astar is still standing in the same spot, waiting.  “oh, I’ll grab a cookie,” I thought and in I went back into the house to grab a treat for him and when I came out…. still standing waiting for me.  He hadn’t budged an inch!

I walk out to the gate and he greets me there with open arms!  He was ready to play!  I gave him a pet and we walked to the round pen.  His energy was one of eagerness and pure joy… he really wanted to be with ME!

We played for a bit and I even got him to pick up his foot for a few seconds.  I even gave him some hugs and we just hung out.  At a good stopping point, we walked out of the round pen and I melted my way out the gate.  He watched me leave and even walked back over to the pen as if to say “Are you sure we can’t play some more?”

What a HUGE blessing and what a great reward for such a long wait….7 years!  It was soooo worth it!!   What a day!

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