Progress
This afternoon I implemented phase 2 of Sharing Territory by sitting on a bucket and taking a container with molasses-laden treats and a journal with me. I set my stuff up and walked up to Gunny to feed him a treat. He was standing in his feeding spot because normally I would have been feeding him at this time. So I journalled and he stood on the spot looking at me.
Eventually he came over to investigate. He nudged me and nibbled on my notebook a little bit but was pretty reserved about everything. I had decided that I was going to treat him as a shy horse unless he got blatantly pushy. So I reminded myself of that fact and waited for him to start nuzzling things again. I got up and picked up my stuff and moved over about 6 feet or so and sat back down. Surprisingly, he didn't follow but sniffed and pawed at the spot that I had left and eventually headed back over to his feeding spot and stood. I waited for a little while and then walked over to give him a treat to thank him for giving me the space. I went and sat back down and journalled some more but he didn't come back again. The whole time he was standing there tossing his head, doing some pawing, and licking his lips pretty much constantly.
When I started to get cold I packed my stuff up and walked out without looking at him. I didn't want him to think that I was trying to get him to stand on his feeding spot so I didn't treat him again before I left.
After I put my stuff away I returned to feed him his grain. Tonight was night 5 and either something gelled or the new approach is working splendidly or both. I had decided to just step back to create space if he was reaching forward with ears not forward rather than asking him to back up. Tonight, he didn't pin his ears at all. There were a few times that his ears went out to the side, but for the most part he kept his ears forward or brought them forward really quickly and kept them that way as I brought the feeder to him. As he was eating out of the feeder he was noticeably more polite about how he was eating. When he started pushing down a little harder I would take the feeder down and away. Every once in awhile I would also lift up on the halter and take the feeder down and away at the same time.
Overall everything was very low key and harmonious, so I am very happy compared to last night's frustration.
Eventually he came over to investigate. He nudged me and nibbled on my notebook a little bit but was pretty reserved about everything. I had decided that I was going to treat him as a shy horse unless he got blatantly pushy. So I reminded myself of that fact and waited for him to start nuzzling things again. I got up and picked up my stuff and moved over about 6 feet or so and sat back down. Surprisingly, he didn't follow but sniffed and pawed at the spot that I had left and eventually headed back over to his feeding spot and stood. I waited for a little while and then walked over to give him a treat to thank him for giving me the space. I went and sat back down and journalled some more but he didn't come back again. The whole time he was standing there tossing his head, doing some pawing, and licking his lips pretty much constantly.
When I started to get cold I packed my stuff up and walked out without looking at him. I didn't want him to think that I was trying to get him to stand on his feeding spot so I didn't treat him again before I left.
After I put my stuff away I returned to feed him his grain. Tonight was night 5 and either something gelled or the new approach is working splendidly or both. I had decided to just step back to create space if he was reaching forward with ears not forward rather than asking him to back up. Tonight, he didn't pin his ears at all. There were a few times that his ears went out to the side, but for the most part he kept his ears forward or brought them forward really quickly and kept them that way as I brought the feeder to him. As he was eating out of the feeder he was noticeably more polite about how he was eating. When he started pushing down a little harder I would take the feeder down and away. Every once in awhile I would also lift up on the halter and take the feeder down and away at the same time.
Overall everything was very low key and harmonious, so I am very happy compared to last night's frustration.
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