Trausti is being perfectly obedient, yet worried, insecure, wanting to stay with the herd. I think these are signs of him not being settled yet. I have a feeling if I tried to ride him at this point he would try to be good but be nervous. Its hard to see the signs since he acts so mannerly, will walk quietly on a loose lead when I take him to the washrack etc. But he reacted when the water tub hissed and gurgled. Shyed from it. Didnt jump or go nuts, just stopped and eased left wary, staring, afraid really. I know he had floats and water tubs where he lived. its very interesting to me that he does this. I think karen has black water tubs, no? He has bright blue and bright blue was always a color that scared stonewall when I first took him out and about. When I took him for a walk one day at around age 2, he was perfectly relaxed at a big rubbish pile fire and then spooked sideways and knocked me down over a blue milk jug bottle cap. then the first time he ever spooked and dumped me, he was being ridden in the arena and I let him go pretty fast and as he was going around the bend he saw a blue rolled up water hose and went sideways... I think blue is scarey to horses and yellow is friendly! just my observation. Its hard to read a horse like Trausti, as Pat Parellis personalty test shows, he is an introvert, shy, willing, but a little jangled i think still... I dont want to overwhelm him. I think it will be good for him to feel at home with the new herd more before I start tormenting him in earnest :) He seems crazy about nasi and the feeling is mutual. Like they knew each other in a former life, or like they remind each other of the ones swapped, Isak and Teev. Trausti seemed anxious when I brought the herd in from turnout, his eyes tracking Nasi, like please let him come in with me and not that big grey one... haha. I bet he would have ran screaming if I had put curly ray in there! Janice
-- even good horses have bad days sometimes.
