This week Zeloso improved his free longeing with each outing. He still enjoys reminding me that: “free longeing means travel along the wall, NOT go around you in a circle.”
He is now able to change direction without getting excited and springing forward. As long as I remember that he’s a youngster and don’t ask for any fancy moves early in our session, he is very happy (and a bit proud) to watch me and follow my instructions. However, if I get a bit cocky and think, “Ah, he’s doing well. I’ll have him change direction after this first walk around the arena.” Well, you can forget it! He totally ignores me and continues doggedly around the arena. Nothing distracts him.
I brought out the medium-sized silver ball and he did NOT attack it, then try to breed it. Whew! He pushed it with his nose a few times then went in search of something else to amuse him. He certainly does not have the ability to focus that Zelador has.
Zeloso is always offering to do things with his front legs, where as Zelador prefers to use his mouth. When I ask Zeloso to get his pink bunny he does pick it up in his teeth, but then drops it and tries to move it with his forelegs. Hmmm…
Bill’s going to put the pin back in the rotating top pedestal (so that it won’t rotate). Once the pin is in we’ll present the pedestal to Zeloso on a daily basis, even if it’s just for a minute. Whenever we’re standing near this pedestal he places a front hoof on it and looks to us for applause.
The Working Equitation Clinic is coming up in May and we’ve started bringing the obstacles into the arena. The boys are happy to be playing with them. The bells are hanging along the arena wall. Even though the Lusitanos haven’t seen them since November they had no problem walking up to them, halting, listening to the ringing and waiting for the cue to move on to the next obstacle.
Maybe for this clinic I’ll have the guts to put some live critters in the pen that the boys have to walk around, then again, maybe not!
