Well the BO said that really Sol is a rescue horse because I rescued him, so they'd try to work out ways to make it financially easier. She said she thinks he needs to stay with me because he needs the human contact and is bonded.
Of course, I also am paying board and she needs boarders who actually pay, and I am consistent, so there is that bit that may influence her opinion there. :p
Anyway, today we tried lungeing again. The vet told me he knew how. I'm onto him!
Unfortunately he has decided that he doesn't really have to obey me. Oh boy. He went right into it for a guy who keeps a horse there, and kept going after the guy handed the line to me. He followed all the cues flawlessly.
But of course once he left and I tried to turn Solomon, it was back to the old "I'm going to just face you no matter what" pattern. I tried being a lot more harsh but he just raised his head up so I couldn't reach him. Grr.
So we worked on "Stand" again. This time the whole time with the whip. And this time when he moved while I was saying "stand" to face me, I made him back up, saying "back" the whole time. Backing up is a lot harder for a horse than going forward. Eventually he got the picture and I managed to walk all the way around him while saying "stand" and holding the whip. I figure the more he gets used to obeying me in one way, the more likely he is to obey me in another, and it is a part of him lunging, as I want to get into position for his cues.
It's frustrating that he was willing to obey someone else and not me, but I'm sure it was my fault. I was too soft on him at one point while trying to lunge him, so he decided he could be in charge there.
When we were done however, I took him up to the washrack even though there was a tie-post free. He stepped up on it without resisting me, which is good since the last couple of times he planted his feet and tossed his head. He stepped off it to follow a lady who had pellets, so took him right back up on it (again, no resistance, yay) and put him in the cross-ties to do the rest of his grooming. So it's frustrating but we will get it down. Part of the problem with him lungeing is that he doesn't like doing it with his left side to the outside. He also doesn't like being mounted from the left. (???) It's easier to get him to stand for mounting when his right side is facing you.
The hot pot place my friend took me to let us take home watermelon rinds for the horse. Awwwh!
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