Tommy Update

I thought it was probably about time I gave you an update on Tommy's progress.
On the 1st September I set the following aims:

1.       To be good for the farrier to have all 4 feet trimmed.

2.       Continue with the practice so that he is calmer for his headcollar to be taken off.

3.       Be able to catch him in the main part of the field when he is not wearing a headcollar.

4.       To continue putting the thin summer sheet on his back and try doing it up.

5.       To use conditioning spray in his tail.

6.       To start teaching him to be tied up.

7.       Introduce him to the hosepipe.

8.       To continue to build his confidence more.

9.       To increase his experience eg: seeing tractors, more new people etc.

10.   To give him lots of love and cuddles - which he loves

 

I didn't expect to achieve these aims in a certain period of time, these are longer term things which I would like to achieve.  The farrier is coming again next week so I hope that he will be able to trim all 4 of Tommy's feet this time.  Tommy is really very good to have all his feet picked out now, he is not snapping them up quickly anymore which is another step forward!  He has certainly got used to having them done in the same order every time which has helped with our progress too.
 
The Blue Cross are coming the same day for our first check.  I hope everything goes well.  Tommy still has his funny lumps (hives) which he absolutely loves having scratched and is now getting his winter coat quite quickly.  He is good with his headcollar and definitely getting more confident when I put it on or take it off.  He is not so worried about the strap going over the top of his head!  Tommy is also getting much more used to me feeling his ears to check he is warm enough.  He is still unsure if I enclose his ear in my hand but I can feel one side easily!

I have put the summer sheet on a few times again and he seems happy enough.  Unfortunately as I have been ill and he is often wet  I haven't had many opportunities.  He is fine walking about on the yard in it and is not worried by the feeling of it moving.  As he was getting good with this I tried putting a turnout rug on, whilst he was in the stable, which I bought second hand for him.  He was so good  I was amazed but the neck of the rug is too big so it won't be any good for him.  It is just the putting on and taking off which makes him a little nervous but I think this is just practise.  I am now confident that he will be fine.

We have had a week or so when Tommy has not been his usual confident self recently.  I think it started the day we had lots of rain and thunder and lightning.  Although Chesney and Basil hardly notice this Tommy was unsure about the hammering rain.  I wonder if it is because in the past he has been able to hide in a field shelter.  I don't have a shelter because the horses have always come into the stables for the day or night and I don't think they would use it.  Since then the farm behind us has been doing a lot of work and Basil has had his tooth out.  This means that the routine which we had settled into has been seriously disrupted.  I have also been ill so Tommy has not had quite as much attention as he was getting :(  Basically, he has just been a little more nervous again and unsure about things.  


In the last 4 or 5 days he has been fine again though which is a relief.  So much so that I have started teaching him about being tied up.

I have managed to catch him once in the field without the headcollar on since my last update but he had a week or so when he was nervous again.  Although, I am not sure that he doesn't think it is a good game to walk off!

The steps for the next few weeks are exactly the same:

1.       To be good for the farrier to have all 4 feet trimmed.

2.       Continue with the practice so that he is calmer for his headcollar to be taken off.

3.       Be able to catch him in the main part of the field when he is not wearing a headcollar.

4.       To continue putting the thin summer sheet on his back and try doing it up.

5.       To use conditioning spray in his tail.

6.       To start teaching him to be tied up.

7.       Introduce him to the hosepipe.

8.       To continue to build his confidence more.

9.       To increase his experience eg: seeing tractors, more new people etc.

10.   To give him lots of love and cuddles - which he loves 

Did you see yesterday's vlog ' One day ... in September'   on my You Tube channel.  
Horse Life and Love.  Please check it out and SUBSCRIBE.

You can also follow me on Facebook and Instagram for updates on Chesney, Basil, Tommy and Daisy.

Until next time!

Jo