Slowly slowly

I don't write on here every day but want to do more regular updates now BG and I have a problem to overcome, so in future when she reverts again I can look back and see how quickly (or slowly) she overcame it. Also, any heart ache we had to go through, so I know there is hope no matter how hard it may seem at the time.

BG came in quite happily this morning, put her nose all the way in the head collar before pulling back and then turning away. We didn't have much time since we were on our way to work, so we quite quickly moved to the 'hold hoof, lead rope round neck, head collar on' method. She knew as soon as I touched her with the leap rope what was coming, and allowed us to do it all with hardly any protest. She certainly didn't get upset by us using that method for which I am very grateful. If she did get upset I would have to come up with something else and I think I am all out of ideas.

P1 didn't help matters this morning. He charged in to eat BG's breakfast, rubbed his neck on her shelter entrance which upsets BG when she is inside, and then went to snap at her when I lead her out. Again, I dropped the head collar on and off her nose before letting her go.

This evening BG came in happily, but saw the head collar and didn't even attempt to put her nose into it before turning away. I asked my husband to give me a hand and lifted her hoof up. He said I should try again but I said she wouldn't let me try again so soon after. Sometimes my husband is right though, second time lucky she was as good as gold and didn't even flinch when the head collar went on her nose.

I did a little bit in hand with her tonight, and led her over some poles too. I even lead her over a small jump. She saw it and you could see her brain processing it and thinking of the stride she needed to be on and she put in a beautiful effort.

Lets hope tomorrow the head collar goes on even more easily and we can be back on track (not catching in the field again, just the head collar on every time in her shelter again would be a start) by the end of the week.