Update 10/12/2008

And we're up! =) He was a VERY good boy. Flopping on him every evening last week paid off. I would go out in the dark after school or work and make him stand next to that big blue bucket in order to earn carrots. Then I started rubbing his back, rump, and then leaning farther and farther over until I was laying across his back. Lots of carrots were consumed during these activities. But it worked and he go so that I could lay across him from either side and he didn't care.

Need to work on "go forward" now since tapping with the heels and verbal cues resulted in a hesitant backwards. =) I had to reach down and pull on his halter to get forward, and hanging forward off his neck isn't necessarily the best position. LOL Got on and off about 5 or 6 times, and he just stood there. VERY good boy! He was way more mellow trying all of this at home as opposed to in a new, scary place.

He is a very sweet horse and he does try to please. You can tell he's *trying* to figure something out if he doesn't quite get it. Like when I was trying to get him to go forward, and he was like "...?? back?? step to the side??" He's very bright though and he catches on quick. Tonight I took my dressage whip and would stand next to him and say "walk" and then tap him on his butt. He figured out what I wanted REALLY quick (like in 3 tries) so that I could walk up to him and he would stand there, until I said walk, then he would walk away.

He's adjusted well to being by himself and the new place. He LOVES the barn!!! Wussy... I thought he was supposed to be some tough ranch horse. LOL He's in there quite a bit, especially when it is windy or the other day when it was snowing. He was quite happily all tucked in there, dry and warm the few times I checked on him. He's been laying down and sleeping in there at night. Tonight it took me a bit to find him in the dark since he was laying with his head toward the wall (not the opening) and I was just searching for the "darker" shape until he heard me and moved to stand up.