06/24/2024
Floki Update: Floki is one of the most sensitive horses that I’ve ever seen. The first time I met him he was so terrified that he ran circles around me rather than back and forth across the farthest end of the huge pen he was in at the time. As I mentioned previously, he was pretty suicidal. Even so, I was sitting in his pen the next day, and a week or so later he was standing beside me (albeit about 5-6 feet away) to act as a wind break when I was shivering like an aspen leaf in a hurricane, and standing behind me for protection when things got chaotic. Still, additional progress has been slow (in my estimation) because the only touches we’ve had are caresses on his nose and chin as he takes alfalfa from me, and the occasional gentle lipping when I don’t get my fingers out of the way on time.
I finally had a trainer start working with him (and me) because he’s quickly getting to the point of needing his feet done, and I don’t want a traumatic situation for him.
In his first session working with Floki, I stood over to the side and kept talking to Floki, trying to reassure him that he was okay. Honest to goodness—that poor horse looked at me (not Jimmy) and I know he was feeling betrayed. I sat with him afterward (our safe activity) and offered him alfalfa, but he only took a couple of bites and then went to stand in his safe corner. I felt so horrible that I almost called the whole training deal off. How can I betray the horse that I love, the one that relies on me for safety and reassurance? But those hooves….
Jimmy (the trainer) made great progress in the next two or three sessions, and today he was able to get a rope (open loop) over Floki’s head, and gently pulled until we got a few yielding steps—three times! I was able to scratch him from his forehead to his nose, and on his neck, shoulder and back with a lunge stick. I was also able to get my hand (holding the lunge stick and scritching) to within six inches of his face before he leaned away. I was so happy that I almost cried! Somehow, it seems like so much less when writing it out, but trust me—it was HUGE!
