Today I took the new cart out to meet Rumer. I was very pleased with her reaction as it was definitely eye opening but she didn't hesitate to come right over and investigate it. (Unlike Percy who did a very impressive trot around the outside of the paddock with his eyes popping!) I just pulled it into the paddock and she followed right along, getting closer and closer to it. Pretty soon she had her nose all over it as I walked and so I turned and did loops and circles so she could see and hear how it moved. Sometimes it turned toward her, sometimes it turned away from her, but she never left it. And this was without the clicker! I do think it shows a great maturity on her part and shows a clicker trained pony who isn't afraid to investigate scary things (to give him credit, Percy did finally stop showing off his fancy trot and came over also).After a couple turns around the paddock, she seemed to be comfortable with it (eyes showing more curiosity than concern), so I clicked her as she reached over it. And that opened a new chapter. "Well, if you want me close to it, I can do better than that," she seemed to say. She walked right up alongside me and I clicked again. Pretty soon she was walking along with me as the cart bounced along behind. She got clicked several times for this! Then I turned it to face her and managed to bump her with one of the shaft ends on her chest for an immediate C/T when she stood. So I worked the shaft back along her side, tapping her with it on her shoulder, C/T, and barrel, C/T.
Originally I was going to leave it in the paddock for them to investigate but whenever I stopped, they just wanted to eat it. I guess I will have to take it out to them regularly and maybe leave it where they can see it but not reach it!
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