Chief

I have come home from the weekend's trek, full of resolve to get on with finishing Chief.
First thing is of course to catch him!

The plan was that we teach him to tether. Not my favourite way of keeping a horse but lots of grass in odd area's, big paddocks etc so it seemed a good option for the feral beast.

So after Frank knocks me down nearly to get in the yard, I walked out into the paddock to encourage Chief to follow him. So what does Chief do? He walks straight up to me and stands there letting me pat him all over.
I have never made a habit of going into the paddock to touch him as he would always bolt off so I didn't want that to become a habit. Of course that meant no halter or rope in hand and Chief still standing there. In the end I took of my sweatshirt and put it round his neck and lead him in. Funny wee horse.

But he still was getting tethered!

I tied him up normally for a while, just to make sure he knew what was about and while my back was turned he untied himself. He is a lot smarter than he makes out sometimes.



So we tethered him in a safe area for a while and of course he was perfect. So he went out in the paddock. At one point I saw him get the rope right around a front leg, do I go near him? No, I turned around and walked away, knowing it was a slight risk but something has to happen.
By the time I turned around again (only a few seconds later as I heard a stomping sound) he was walking off quite happily, foot untangled.




He has developed into a muscley little dude lately. We now believe he is likely to be a quarterhorse X with standardbred. Ideal trekking horse? He sure can motor along at a walk.