Banjo day

I've not had time to get my hands on Banjo for more than a week, so I made sure I focused on him after work tonight. Catching him has gotten harder. But once I get him haltered, he's so good. We did some grooming, but he's not relaxing yet. I used the spray bottle with water to make sure he's OK with bug spray and he is just the tiniest bit spooky with it. After only a short time I went with the real spray.

Then we moved to the arena where we started with leading. I place my stick on his withers and first cluck as I move, then tap the stick to keep his shoulders level with me as we walk, instead of him walking behind me. And he gets it.

I'm using Clinton Anderson's techniques for sensitizing/desensitizing -- first the stick, then the rope, then slapping the ground with the rope on the stick. He's a bit prancy with the slapping, but eventually stops. Next time, I'll move the slapping closer and harder.

Yielding the hindquarters is a piece of cake. He has a very nice pivot. Yielding the front quarters is another story. I'm not good with the technique so he's not good either. I quit there and put the saddle on.

No sooner had I put the saddle on when Vicki and Craig stopped by on their bike to see the new horses. I hadn't planned on riding Banjo, but as long as Vicki was there I thought I might as well give it a go. But he pranced around every time I tried to get near his side, so Vicki couldn't help herself and asked to mess with him. She let him spin 'round and 'round until he decided to stop. Same on the other side. Slap him with the stirrups, make saddle noises and off he goes. Eventually he settled down, but he's not ready for safe riding yet. She tried getting him to flex his head to the side and he doesn't know how. It's obvious he needs some boot camp.