Baker training session 20 - same stuff, better results!

I worked with Baker on Wednesday for about 26 minutes.  Dylan was hanging out with me and helping a little, so we took a little more time snuggling and loving on him.  He walked right up to me and followed me around while I was getting ready.  Once I approached him and put the halter on, we weren't that far from the tree, so he walked fairly willingly when I asked him to.  I did have to use a little pressure with the butt rope, but only a little, and only twice.  Once at the tree, I looped the rope through the ring and started to flyspray him.  I still had to do it in stages, as opposed to one continuous spray.  But he settled down much more quickly and fussed a lot less.  I think he only pulled back once, and with very little pressure too!  Since he hasn't been pulling back at all while grooming, I decided to tie him for real for that part.  I used a double quick release knot.  I'll try to remember to take a picture to include in the next blog.  A quick release knot is one of the most common knots that a horse person needs to know.  It allows you to tie the horse so that they are not able to pull themselves free, but you can untie them quickly, if necessary.  A double quick release knot is supposed to prevent a horse from being able to pull the knot too tightly if they struggle hard.  This is a knot that I have just recently learned myself, and I have been testing it on one of the other horses at the barn that has a tendency to pull pretty hard - we have had to use a screwdriver to loosen the knot in the past because she pulls so hard!  So far, she hasn't pulled on it tight enough to find out if it really works or not, but it certainly doesn't hurt to keep using it until we know.  It still allows you to be able to release the horse quickly in case of emergency.  Anyway, as usual, Baker stood very still while I was grooming him.  He did struggle a little when I was working on his feet, and he did bite me once - not hard, but he is definitely testing the waters.  As usual, he got a sharp and quick reprimand.  Once we were done, I untied him and walked him back to Fiona.  She wasn't far, so he was pretty calm walking towards her.  He stopped almost perfectly when I asked.  When I went to take the halter off and asked him to put his head down, he dropped it, immediately, almost to the ground!  I was shocked at how quickly, and how well, he had learned that lesson.  I don't think I've ever had a horse learn that lesson that well!  Even though he has been struggling with the flyspray issue, everything else I have asked him to do or taught him, has gone so smoothly and so much quicker than most horses I have worked with.  I really can't complain!