I've sold two dozen copies of my book this week. You don't have to have a semi-feral foal for the book to be useful. Domesticated foals can benefit too. I hear of so many domesticated foals where the first headcollar has been forced on and then the foal refuses to cooperate from then on because it does not, and cannot, trust the handler. It can be ten times as difficult to put a headcollar on a foal that has been forced than one that has not and yet takes very little time to do it nicely in the first place. You need a headcollar that does up over the nose (not underneath), a soft scarf, and a feather duster. The book can be purchased through my website No Fear, No Force or through Amazon. The book is recommended and used by The Exmoor Pony Centre, The Dartmoor Pony Training Centre, Intelligent Horsemanship and lots of individual breeders and pony owners.
I almost wandered up to the wrong ponies out on the Forest this morning with carbon copies of Blue and Blue standing up at Longcross. Since Lovely High Jack was out for three years, there have been a number of these dark roans to fool me. As I got closer I realised that 'my' Blue was not wearing a collar.
My Blue was just over the hill and much more interested in seeing me although I rarely take them food as I don't want them to expect it every time and run up to greet me.
Nelly is ever the optimist but recognises that it is a lottery. Both of them like to come up for a rub and a fly swat anyway.
She may look round from the front and underneath but she is dropping a bit of weight in her generosity towards her foal.
He's looking like a very solid fledgling at the moment.
Juma is getting pretty confident about me touching his face and the rest of his body but I am deliberately using extremely subtle body language so that he will remain wary of strangers who might not be so polite. Like all young colts he is inclined to use his teeth, which are just pushing through, to influence the way things are going - to say, hold on, talk to me, not so fast, I'm not sure about that, are you my girlfriend? I take care to avoid his teeth and just use bigger body language to ask him not to do it; I don't punish him for it. I am in no rush to put a headcollar on him and will wait until I have to bring him in to avoid the drift (all being well) or when his dam has her feet done.
I was pleased to receive photos from Lorraine later in the day showing Juma with a friend...
