Evie met the Tarp last week...... its a bright blue one that we had bought cheap for covering the stall front with our $$$ harness, etc in the tack stall while at the Worlds. Its , ohhhhhhhh, around 10 x 8. I had Eve out in the aisle way practicing ground tying and grooming her. After picking up all four feet, I looked for something to get into so far as letting her see yet MORE scary things. There was The Tarp. Just laying there, all folded up on top of the shavings bales. Looking ever so innocent , it only interested Evie for a few seconds . Then I unfolded it. Well THAT was more interesting and “maybe a little scary, mom ??”
I laughed at her and her reactions like I always do- one because she's a hoot and two, to not let her see that I am scared of it in any way. Therefore, she hasn't a reason to be.... This has worked for nigh on 38 yrs and still works w/ these high flight babies.
I held it UP and down, watching her the whole time. Eyes got BIG, and she lifted her head WAY high,but not leaving- when it went UP but was instantly boring when it was below her line of sight. So we went UPPPP some more, and I shook it this time- THAT got some attention, but only til it stopped and she realised it was only making noise, and not attacking her. By the end of this short session, I had it laying on her back, as she was looking for hay treats on the aisle floor.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....what ELSE ?? I took it off her and put it on the ground " walk on Evie" and over she went- NO hesitation what so ever. We walked over , around and back over again... nada. This was fast becoming boring for ME, let alone Herself. She wanted to put her nose down to check it out and the end result was pawing it , bunching it way under her tummy, and then having to turn all around again in order to paw it some more - What grand fun this was !!
I pulled it away and she was mystified... HOW?? So I flapped it down again, and the fun was on. Pawing, stomping, trying to pick it up w/ one's teeth ended up w/ a hole in the middle ( poor little tarp !).
Then Glenn showed up and HE flapped it about some, we played " Peek a BOO !" with it and Glenn 'hiding' behind it > THAT was wonderful fun- and Evie thought one of the rules of the game was to flap her front leg at this thing that kept having Glenn appear , saying ''Peek A BOO !! Eve !'' He'd flip it up over his head again really fast and voila ! Glenn was GONE. Took a few times for her to realise he Was there after all- and all one had to do was walk up to him, and stick one's head over top of the tarp to find him ! This whole thing had me laughing so hard - Glenn too; he could barely get his '' Peek a Boo's'' out right. Evie thought all of this was great fun and wanted to carry the tarp off with her in her teeth. Nooooooooooooooooo- the tarp didn't wanna go live in Evies' stall over night, and she had to leave it behind. Now, when we go past it, she wants to go pick it up and take it with her to the pasture . <> And I thought the tarp was going to do her in mentally.... Nope, she just thought it was FUN. <>
Try as I may, its getting harder n' harder to find scary things for her. Moving vehicles still startle her some but thats because she's not been around them much. This year of showing will get her past those. Oddly enough, when we showed at KILE..... the trucks/ trailers n' cars did not phase her. Here ? HA- they are coming to get HER, and her alone ! She'll get past this too..... eventually.
I held it UP and down, watching her the whole time. Eyes got BIG, and she lifted her head WAY high,but not leaving- when it went UP but was instantly boring when it was below her line of sight. So we went UPPPP some more, and I shook it this time- THAT got some attention, but only til it stopped and she realised it was only making noise, and not attacking her. By the end of this short session, I had it laying on her back, as she was looking for hay treats on the aisle floor.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....what ELSE ?? I took it off her and put it on the ground " walk on Evie" and over she went- NO hesitation what so ever. We walked over , around and back over again... nada. This was fast becoming boring for ME, let alone Herself. She wanted to put her nose down to check it out and the end result was pawing it , bunching it way under her tummy, and then having to turn all around again in order to paw it some more - What grand fun this was !!
I pulled it away and she was mystified... HOW?? So I flapped it down again, and the fun was on. Pawing, stomping, trying to pick it up w/ one's teeth ended up w/ a hole in the middle ( poor little tarp !).
Then Glenn showed up and HE flapped it about some, we played " Peek a BOO !" with it and Glenn 'hiding' behind it > THAT was wonderful fun- and Evie thought one of the rules of the game was to flap her front leg at this thing that kept having Glenn appear , saying ''Peek A BOO !! Eve !'' He'd flip it up over his head again really fast and voila ! Glenn was GONE. Took a few times for her to realise he Was there after all- and all one had to do was walk up to him, and stick one's head over top of the tarp to find him ! This whole thing had me laughing so hard - Glenn too; he could barely get his '' Peek a Boo's'' out right. Evie thought all of this was great fun and wanted to carry the tarp off with her in her teeth. Nooooooooooooooooo- the tarp didn't wanna go live in Evies' stall over night, and she had to leave it behind. Now, when we go past it, she wants to go pick it up and take it with her to the pasture . <> And I thought the tarp was going to do her in mentally.... Nope, she just thought it was FUN. <>
Try as I may, its getting harder n' harder to find scary things for her. Moving vehicles still startle her some but thats because she's not been around them much. This year of showing will get her past those. Oddly enough, when we showed at KILE..... the trucks/ trailers n' cars did not phase her. Here ? HA- they are coming to get HER, and her alone ! She'll get past this too..... eventually.
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