What can we do in fifteen minutes...

That's what I was thinking when I was walking down to the barn. I knew I only had fifteen minutes because we had to leave for town in an hour and I still had horses and cats to feed for the night. I thought back to flipping through my friends coffee table pattern book and the suggestion for timelines therein. The suggest halter on-off and friendly games. That's kinda what we did...

Gingo was in a very good mood again today and he was anxious to meet me at the gate, he even nickered. He was trying to thrust his head into the halter nose band before I was able to get it in position.

I massaged his neck for awhile as the top part is quite tight on both sides. He was kinda iffy about that, he would lean into my hands sometimes and he also kept trying to back up. I think he might of been a little distracted with the hope that I had treats and he is used to having to get out of my space before recieving food. I did some other friendly game around his head and tail, he still wasn't very interested or concerned.

Then I asked him to put his head down, at first he had us both backing all over the corral, but I was patient and persistent. He finally yielded slightly and I rewarded him with a release. We did this several more times until he finally put his head all the way down to the ground and kept it there a bit(he was a rather preoccupied looking for the treat he expected to find on the ground after all, "thats why I have to put my head down right?" haha).

We tried to do lead by the leg, but he got a little confused. He was trying to do spanish paw(LOL) and he wouldn't put his foot down. It was funny because he lifted his foot right at p1 he just didn't want to put it down! I kept dropping the rope while he was paw vigoursly so he kept thinking that was what I wanted! Finally when he happened to put his foot where I wanted it I dropped that rope and I understood. I used the rope to hold each of his front legs up for a little while and he was fine with that.

I asked him for a couple of 360 degree forehand turns. One side is about as near perfect as you can get, the other...well I'm thinking I might need to bring a key maybe he would pay a little more attention to that.

That is where I ended our session, although when he followed me to the gate I jump at him and rubbed him rubbed him. This time he only flinched a little. I waited and he licked.