Life Experiences (So Far)

Since Cisco had never left the acreage he was born on for the first 5 years of his life, he has a lot of life experience to gain. Here are some of the things we can knock of the list for the first 3 months that I have owned him.

• Being inside a structure. He had never been inside anything other than the shelter in his field. The first day he came halfway in the barn and I turned him around and led him out. The second day I used Phantom to lead us in and then lead us around the arena. The barn was much more concerning than the arena. 
• Opening the big sliding door at the end of the barn. This caused a huge splat, legs splayed way out. So I popped him in the stall next to the door and just kept sliding the door back and forth. It took a few minutes before he relaxed.
• Goats, chickens, pigs, and mini horses. If he can see them, no big deal. He'll sniff noses with them. They can be terrifying when they are hiding behind the tarp that covers their shelter. I don't think that he is over them, but he doesn't try to leave anymore.

Cute up close, terrifying in hiding

• Vet day. Got his teeth floated for the first time, and I had them clean the manbits. Apparently he had some chunky gunk in his sheath. He was sedated that day, so I don't know how he will react when I try to clean it. 

Bad picture of a drunk pony

• Farrier days. I didn't expect problems specifically with the farrier, as I know he has always been done regularly. But the first time he got done I had him done first in the day, then popped him in a stall to watch and hear the sounds of the forge and nailing the shoes on. He seems to be a bit reactive to sounds so I thought this might be the best option.
• Clipping. I had done some desensitizing with a small, battery-powered set of trimmers, so again didn't really expect a huge issue. I was more worried about the extension cord. But it was no big deal. Since it is summer, the only thing on his body I could clip were his fetlocks, which he stood perfectly still for. I did manage to do his bridle path, which I wasn't sure he would let me do, a bit of a hack job, but good enough for the first time. A couple more times and he should be good with it.
• Wearing a blanket. He wore a rain sheet for his first blanket, then a stiff fly sheet. No biggie on his part. For my part - he's going to be a blanket destroyer. Well, he doesn't destroy them. Whoever he plays with destroys them. So he will likely be getting all my old blankets that have been in storage for the last 10 years. He won't get the nice things until he can take care of them like the Princess.
• Bathing. Did pretty good the second time he was hosed off. He hasn't really broken a sweat enough yet to do it anymore often.
• Hopping over some small cross-country obstacles in-hand. Up and down a bank, over a little log, and over a tiny ditch.

• Trailering. We got to the new place with little fuss. Still have lots to work on with this, but we are on the right path.
• And of course, starting to be ridden.