Syringas education has been coming along. My good friend who happens to also live right next door has been helping me out with her training. She suggested I bring her over for a play day at her place Sunday so she could show me a few things to work on with her.
Here she is getting her accustomed to a scary object (grocery bag) and helping her build confidence.
Syringa did well and stood for the bag being rubbed all over. She didn't like it, but she controlled her flight instinct.
She tolerated a saddle pad and took a bit for the first time. She is only learning the feel of the bit and learning to carry it quietly.
Then, at last it was time to get Syringas first hoof trim. I have been working with her, lifting her feet, cleaning them, holding them between my knees, pulling them forward and lightly rubbing a rasp over them to imitate what the farrier will be doing.
She did well after a bit of a rocky few moments with her first hoof.
My farrier also comes in the evening and in the winter it will be dark when he comes. He wears a headlamp to illuminate his work. So I have been getting up before it's light and feeding the horses with my headlamp on. Before I give them their hay I go in Syringas pen and rub her all over and lift her feet. At first the headlamp was super scary and the shadows it cast spooked her. Now though, when she sees the headlamp bobbing towards her pen she lets out her happy "FOOD LADY!! whinny.
My farrier got her feet cleaned up and found evidence of healed abscesses in all four hooves. She must have been in incredible pain when they were active.
Her feet are now cleaned up and trimmed, and with regular hoof care she should grow out much healthier feet.
I'm really proud of how she handled her first ever trim, with a stranger with big clanky tools holding her feet for long periods. My farrier was also impressed. She was really looking to me for reassurance, and that makes my heart happy.
