Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Casey's face

On Sunday, it was sunny, quiet, Casey and Cici were eating their hay when I got to the barn. I gathered up all my STUFF and just brought Cici's halter and a couple of brushes for grooming. I like to let her eat while I groom.

I cleaned her up a bit, scraped off the mud LOL and sat on the rock. Casey came over. He likes to walk right up to me and then begin the nibbling routine. I reached out and started brushing his mane. But he has rules. Sides, butt, tail are okay. Mane along the sides, but under no circumstances am I allowed to brush out his forelock. As I started to brush his mane, he turned and gave me his side. So I worked around him for a while. But that forelock was just so tempting. His face is just so tempting. I keep telling him I just want to stroke his beautiful face, but he has not gone for that.

It felt so good just to be sitting on the rock in the sun with Cici eating at my side and Casey standing in front of me. She would stick her nose over to check things out with me every once in a while. Decided I didn't need to do anything. Ha. I decided that I didn't need to halter Cici and take her away from her hay to play and ride.

But did decide that it was about time that I payed attention to Casey. I know that if I put my hand over his head he gets very defensive and the teeth come out. So I quietly just raised my hand. If the teeth came out I backed him out of my space. When he lowered his head he would then walk in a step. And I'd raise my hand over his head. Before very long he was standing in front of me with his head lowered, licking and chewing.

Next it just gently touch his forelock. Then his face. When he raised up his face with teeth, I backed him. In about 20 minutes of sitting on the rock, in the sun, I was combing out his forelock and stroking his beautiful face! Just by taking the time it takes!

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