Lots of photos today.

This morning Daisy and I worked with Dreki.

Here is the boy himself, happily in his field with his mates.

He is :-

• Easy to catch.

• Easy to lead.

• Stands tied up nicely.
• Easy to groom.

• Likes people.

• Takes an interest.

• Easy to tack up.

(even when his bestie, Efstur, is shouting his head off, telling him to come back. Honestly, such a baby – whinny, whinny, whinny!)

• Leads nicely in the school.
• Reads body language well.

• Likes being told that he’s a good boy.

So then Daisy got The Bucket.

Rewards are given when Dreki doesn”t ask and stands looking straight ahead.  Absolutely no mugging is allowed.

Daisy stood on the bucket.

Reassurance.

Reward.

The bucket gets moved to the other side – Dreki has a good look.

Reward – the theory being reinforced is that good things happen to good boys.

Daisy stands on the bucket again.

And then its my turn.  I put down my big camera, fill my pockets with little bits of carrot and hold the lead rope.

Daisy stands on bucket and leans over Dreki’s back.  Feet off the bucket so he has all her weight.

Dreki has a look to see what on earth Daisy is doing.  I give him a piece of carrot.

We work on both sides.

And then, when Daisy thinks it is the right time (ie safe, and Dreki is happy with what she has done), she swings her leg over.

And sits up!  More carrot, Daisy just sits there, Dreki does nothing.  He has another carrot.  Off she gets.  We both say “What a good boy!”. Saddle off and we call it a day.

One more thing – feets – all picked up nicely, all brushed clean and picked out.  No fuss.

So that’s a first for Dreki – he has been sat on and was a very good boy.  Yay! *** sniff ***.