Sunday, April 23, 2006

plastic bags

I have been working with BlackJack, my black Morgan gelding with plastic bags and plastic tarps. Jack was about 10 years old when I got him, and sometime during those 10 years something happened that made him terrified of plastic bags. I have to admit that most horses are afraid of blowing, rattling, bags and anything that is similar to them. But Jack has had a really bad case of the plastic bag terrors.
I have never had this problem with my two mares, Nita and Star. They are convinced that carrots grow in plastic bags. They have no problem walking across a piece of plastic or a tarp. But Jack sure does. And when you live in a country as windy as this one where plastic bags are let loose by everyone that is to lazy to put them in a good trash can, - well - you can see my problem. There is always someone's trash blowing through my yard and anytime I try to ride in the area there is trash that suddenly jumps out at a horse and rider.
So I have spent hours working with Jack to try and teach him that plastic bags are really his friends. A few days ago he finally relented and let me lead him across an old sheet of plastic that was streahed out on the ground.
Yesterday I was finally able to rub him with a scrunched up plastic bag held in my hand. It was a real milestone. At least to my way of thinking. I'm sure Jack didn't think so. He didn't relax while I was doing it as Star and Nita do. But at least he didn't try to get away from me. He did let me rub him with the bag. I was so proud of him.

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