Updates on Dusky Breeze's Training! - February 1-12

Instructions

Hi! These are the updates for my semi-wild 8 years old buttermilk bucksin mustang stallion, Dusky Breeze! I got him so we could participate in 2023's HP Mustang Makeover/Magic Show, hosted this year by @Dontay10/@Dontay13. ╔═══════ Week 1 ═══════╗ (February 1-5) ╔═ Day 1 ═╗ On the 1st, I went to @Dontay13 to pick up my mustang with my new trailer! I was /very/ excited! There were lots of mustangs, and I got assigned a stallion named Dusky Breeze! It was quite difficult getting him into the trailer though, since he wasn't really willing to move, and it had to use a rope around his neck since he didn't let me come close to him, though after a longer time I could get him into the trailer and drive to Violet Star Elite. I decided that I'd put Dusky Breeze at the back, since I didn't know how he would fare with my yearling colt Prince, yearling filly, Gold Rush and my two years old colt Robin, who I'm at the 3rd week of saddle breaking. DB seems to be quite scared of me, though luckily he isn't too agressive. ╔═ Day 2 ═╗ So, for the first competition, I need to work on conditioning and handling with Dusky Breeze. I started the day off with caring for my horses at Day Star Estate, then Magic at Opal Wind Stable, then came to Violet Star Elite. I fed and groomed Prince, Gold Rush and Robin, then gone to the back to Dusky Breeze at 11 a.m. I saw him carefully sniffing the door to his stall, but as he heard me he quickly backed away. I approached the door slowly, and reached out my free hand. After a minute or two, Dusky Breeze started carefully sniffing it. When I pulled back my hand, he took a few steps following it, though backed away again. Then I opened the stall, and stepped in, closing the door behind me. He tried to get as far away as possible while I got him fresh water and food. Then I slowly started walking towards him, and after a little while, I managed to get hold of the rope still dangling from his neck from yesterday. He frooze for a little bit, then when I had my hand over his shoulder, he tried to get away again. The rope wasn't very short, so he could still move around the whole stall. I sighed, and approached him again, rope in one hand. Tried touching him - ran away again. Repeat cycle a huuuuundreeeed times, and you get what happened for a while. I decided to leave after that, as I felt that we wouldn't get anywhere with leading right now. This /was/ Dusky Breeze's first full day here after all! I spent most of the day with the other 3 horses at Violet Star, but around 5 p.m., I went back to DB. I didn't really try to do anything, I just stood in his stall for a while. ╔═ Day 3 ═╗ The 3rd of February wasn't much different than the 2nd. I went in at 11, braught fresh food and water, tried to touch/pet him, he went away, cycle repeat, I went away, got back at 5, stood in his stall. ╔═ Day 4 ═╗ New feed, new water, cycle repeat, stand in stall. ╔═ Day 5 ═╗ The 5th was when I got very excited! Dusky Breeze actually let me touch him! I slowly put my hand on his shoulder, and slided it around that part. DB seemed nervous, but didn't run away this time! Victory! I lifted my hand, then put it across his back, which he let me too, then his neck, then his back leg! I also took of his rope. This was for the 11 a.m. session, and when I went back to him at 5 in the afternoon, I petted him again. I thought about beginning some halter training, but then I realised that would be a bit to early, wouldn't it? ╔═══════ Week 2 ═══════╗ (February 6 - February 12) ╔═ Day 6 ═╗ New week! For the 11 session, I braught in a halter. It took a bit of a while to put it on him (as he wasn't very comfortable with me touching his head, and of course, there's the halter too), but I eventually managed. Then I attached the lead. During the previous days, I left the door open during the day to the back so he could roam around, but I didn't open it today. I took the lead, and tried to lead him out of the stall. He didn't really like the feel of the lead and halter pulling him that tiny bit, and didn't really want to follow me either at first, but by the end of the session, I managed toead him around in the whole stable building! At 5, I took him out in to the paddock. ╔═ Day 7 ═╗ On the 7th, I wanted to work on manuevering Dusky Breeze into the trailer. He didn't have great memories from last time, and I repeated it multible times. I know that this will be judged (along with the horses' conditions, halter training, and walking/trotting), so we repeated it many times, and I'm pretty happy with the final result for that day! It still didn't go that smoothly, but it was okay. ╔═ Day 8 ═╗ On the 8th, I took DB to a vet*. He was very nervous, expecially about the few shots he got. They did the regular checks. He was confirmed to be very healthy, but needs a bit more exercise.