Important Lesson
Legacy is showing signs of growing a bit shaggier in preparation for the onset of winter weather. That same growth hasn’t been as noticeable on the others yet. “Legs” doesn’t hesitate for a second to walk over to the fence to command our attention when there is something he wants. On this day, he was getting tired of being wet, and wanted to go in the barn for the rest of the evening. It was the day Cyndie returned home, so we were able to give them all a chance to get dry.
I don’t like it when he approaches when I am not at a gate. The top wire and the third wire are electrified. We have not witnessed them getting shocked by the fence yet, but I’m confident they know about it, one way or another. Still, I don’t want him to accidentally get bit by it when he is focused on communicating with us and neglecting to pay attention to the fence between. I would rather it happen only when he is being mischievous with the perimeter of his confines.
Last night, well after dark, I was walking Delilah on a leash and Cyndie was putting hay out for the horses as she was bringing them in from the big field for the night. We were up the driveway a bit, and Delilah noticed Cyndie’s head lamp moving about in the distance. The dog walked up to the fence to investigate, but got too close and received a shock. She let out a series of yelps as she ran off in a circle around me.
That scared the horses and they ran out of the paddock before Cyndie had gotten the gate closed.
It was the second night in a row that Cyndie was caught in the darkness when the herd startled and ran away in a thundering escape. She said the previous night was a result of some exclamation I made up at the house when I stepped out the door to greet our single surprise Trick-or-Treat visitors. Oops! I got so excited I scared the horses.
They were neighbors we hadn’t met yet, who took advantage of Halloween to come up and say hi, so I was thrilled.
Our horses are showing signs of being comfortable with their new home, but they continue to be quick to exercise their emergency response reactions. Cyndie is learning to make sure she is highly visible when she is inside the paddocks with them after darkness has set in. That’s an important lesson, because I don’t think I can be trusted to keep from doing something that might end up startling the herd while she’s in there.
Relative Something 
They receive all this amplified that’s why, and they are getting used to the place and almost every new noise will make them get in flight. But in few months they will get used to the barks and some other noises. Our horse Sarnac was like that in the place we have him and after four months, he is so used to the place. He was in paradise before, without noises at all, but the sound of the wind and the birds, and here we are close to a main highway, so imagine all the noises, trucks, buses, cars, people, but he got used to almost everything. Here there are 6 cats and a dog always around, he was very scared of them at the beginning, now he ignores them. I have also desensitized him of some noises generated by us and different kind of energy generated, as for example open and close an umbrella in front of him, the noise of a whip! The noise and the energy of two swimming tubs, this is fun and they get very confident. You are doing great!
Dunia
November 2, 2013 at 7:32 am
It is reassuring to read what you wrote, Dunia. We will remain vigilant and be patient as they grow more familiar with every sound around here. This morning, Cyndie did some fabulous work desensitizing the horses with Delilah. We are feeling hopeful. Your support is extremely precious to us. Thank you!
johnwhays
November 2, 2013 at 11:56 am