>>>> I agree with you about confidence. Tyra is just like Runa. Not afraid >>>> of stuff or people, but she even runs from baby Roka in the pasture! >>>> Lilja is very confident in the pasture, and out and about, but if she >>>> doesn't know a person, she shuts down if they pressure her.
That's Angie - she's VERY confident around other horses, and "stuff" doesn't worry her either. She's wary about people though. It's gotten much better since she's been here, but I don't expect 11 years of wariness to miraculously vanish in a few weeks. She trusts me pretty well, but you can tell there's still a skeptical edge to her. I'm confident she'll continue to improve - and we have no deadlines for her. I think I could start preparing her to go under saddle any time, but we're in no rush. (Actually, I've sat a saddle on her back already, and she seems not bothered at all.) Gosh, where on earth do people get the idea it's a good thing, to leave the young ones unhandled? Angie's was unhandled her first year, and prior owner was told that all of Fengur's offspring are "hard to train", and so I'm sure that only helped perpetuate things. You take an unhandled baby, kill all expectations for her, and treat her like she's not trainable, and guess what you get... Given that history, I'm really quite pleased she's coming around as fast as she is. I think she got caught up in a self-fulfilling prophecy. For what it's worth, all the Fengur relatives that I've met seem VERY smart. Maybe they all aren't so exceptionally bright, like Maja and Bjola, but they certainly aren't all "hard to train." Not even Angie - I think she's got a very good brain, maybe as good as her sister and nieces. Karen Thomas, NC
