Amanda gave me an update on how Jack is doing. I present to you, "The Mirror Story":
"Sunday night I brought all my tack and I was planning on riding him if he had settled down enough. I tacked him all up and brought him into the indoor. It was later at night, and I was the only person in the indoor (besides my friend that came with me). I started to lunge him and quickly realized he had a bunch of energy, so I decided I'd try free lunging him.
After finally getting him to move away from the door, he started running around the indoor snorting at everything. He passed the mirrors on the long side of the indoor and came to a sliding halt. He was SO interested in the "other horse", which was really just his reflection in the mirror. I tried getting him to run around some more, but he was way too fascinated by the other horse! After a couple minutes of standing next to him while he was watching himself in the mirrors, I decided to just sit at the end of the arena and let him do his thing for a while...only he didn't move! He ended up staying right next to the mirror sniffing, neighing, snorting, and eventually play rearing, for over an hour! He was so confused as to who the "other horse" was!
Now the sad part:
After sitting around for so long I decided it was time to put him away. I walked up to him without the lead rope, and tried to see if he would follow me to the other side of the indoor. He followed until he reached the end of the mirrors, and all of a sudden came to a dead halt and glared at me. His eyes got real big and he was pacing back and forth between looking at the mirrors and looking at me, looking at the mirrors and looking at me. I had to walk to the other side of the indoor to get the lead rope, because at that point I realized he wasn't going to be able to just leave the "other horse".
He's doing much better now though. When I go there right after school to clean his stall he comes to the gate in his paddock when I call out to him as I'm walking up. He's learned who I am and I'm SO happy for that! I'm so excited to see how far i can get with him!
Thank you for everything again, I appreciate it all soooo much!
Talk to you soon,
Amanda"
Amanda - Thank YOU so much for putting work into him! Please keep us updated on how he's doing!
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Now the sad part:
After sitting around for so long I decided it was time to put him away. I walked up to him without the lead rope, and tried to see if he would follow me to the other side of the indoor. He followed until he reached the end of the mirrors, and all of a sudden came to a dead halt and glared at me. His eyes got real big and he was pacing back and forth between looking at the mirrors and looking at me, looking at the mirrors and looking at me. I had to walk to the other side of the indoor to get the lead rope, because at that point I realized he wasn't going to be able to just leave the "other horse".
He's doing much better now though. When I go there right after school to clean his stall he comes to the gate in his paddock when I call out to him as I'm walking up. He's learned who I am and I'm SO happy for that! I'm so excited to see how far i can get with him!
Thank you for everything again, I appreciate it all soooo much!
Talk to you soon,
Amanda"
Amanda - Thank YOU so much for putting work into him! Please keep us updated on how he's doing!
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Ah, yes, the "other horse." My OTTB does the same thing. LOVES that other horse, his "handsome friend." He doesn't rear or kick, no ear pinning. Just enjoying his lifelong friend, the one he just met ;o)
ReplyDeleteI have a picture of my guy "shmoozing" with his "friend" in turnout at a trainer's court.
These guys crack me up, honestly ;oD
TB Dancer - send the pic along so we can post it!
ReplyDeleteMy OTTB does the same thing. It's so funny.
ReplyDeleteThe other horse likely resembles someone Jack "knew" earlier in his life, don't you think? Does he resemble his dam?
ReplyDeleteOr maybe horses are more vain that we though and he finds his likeness extremely handsome and appealing. Just like us?