Things Tony is OK with:
-Gunshots
-Fireworks
-Dogs
-Farm Owner (FO) mowing the lawn
-A large cut-out bull (working equitation obstacle. Didn't phase him one bit).
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| Despite his face, he was totes fine with this. Charge! |
-Trailers
-UPS trucks
-Round bales in the field
-Working through puddles when the arena floods
Things Tony is not OK with:
-The neighbor cutting his lawn
-Grass that has changed color
-Things that have been moved without his permission (jump standards, the neighbor's construction equipment, the tractor, etc)
-Hammocks
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| Terrifying pony-eating hammock! |
-The rock wall that has been on the outside of the arena for 3 years now (he's getting better about that one. Still spooky though)
-Cows across the road
-FedEx trucks
-Round bales on trailers
-Crossing raging rivers (or 6-inch wide streams)
-Whatever else Tony has deemed scary on a particular day
We've worked through a lot of these things, and he is significantly more reliable than he used to be, but he is still a weird guy. He used to have a huge bolting problem (trainer G said he was the worst one she's been on). Now he only occasionally does the spin and bolt move, and he usually doesn't get far. His neck is so strong, that when the problem was at his worst, I could have both hands on one rein attached to a curb bit and his neck wouldn't move (he also has limited feeling in his mouth, but that's a story for another day). You can't just unbalance him like you can with some horses.
As flighty as Tony can be in the arena, or when he has to do any "real work," he is Mr. (mostly) Reliable on trails. He's had a few moments out there where he panics, but overall, he enjoys hiking up and down mountains and adventuring through the wilderness.
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| Adventure awaits! |
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