Colorado Moon's Debut with Sean

Sunday, 6th Aug was a big day. Like a lot of big days, it consisted of something many may think of as small. It was the first day I let Sean take a cart full of hay up into the corral with the horses since "Moon" has arrived here.

It was a pretty big test for Moon, although she probably didn't know it. She just saw breakfast arriving. She is a very big, strong horse and she has been pretty pushy since she got here, on July 10th. I have worked with her nearly every day to help her learn basic manners: respecting the personal space of anyone near her, backing up on cue, standing still when asked, etc. These are basic safety things that every horse needs to learn.

Colorado Moon has also gotten very good at lowering her head on cue. This is an important thing for a horse to learn because when a horse's head is low to the ground, the horse is usually pretty calm. A horse eats with its head down. A horse is not in flight mode when its head is low. So teaching a horse to lower its head on cue can actually calm a horse down.

Yesterday it seemed like Miss Moon was ready for this first test. Sean came out with me to the barn, he loaded the cart with hay, and we went up to the gate. Moon likes to take possession of the gate whenever anyone approaches it. So opening it and allowing Sean to go in was the first test. I have been working on helping Moon back up when the gate gets opened because her first inclination was to step forward into the face of the person entering the corral. Not a safe thing at all!!

Moon was great! As soon as I opened the gate, she stepped back, out of my personal space. I turned toward Sean and motioned him in and in he came. He took the cart right up to the bins inside the corral and put the hay in them. Moon was very good. She did not get too close to Sean while he put the hay in the bins.

What a great day! Maybe it doesn't sound like much, but it is to me. Moon is learning the safety basics she will have to use the rest of her life in her interaction with people. And these are the first baby steps in her being safe for Sean!

Nancy