I loved this picture that I took of them together...
While I was there, one of the other liveries, brought in her pony Applejack, a small hairy cob. He was covered in burrs and she and her Mum were struggling to get them out of his mane. Morever, they told me it would be impossible to get them off his legs because he didn't like them being touched. Of course I was tempted to see if I could get anywhere with him and began to get him used to accepting touch using Ruth's feather duster and clicker training. Although his owner is very young, she was keen to give it a go herself and had the most fantastic timing. I think there is hope and of course, I will go out to help again in a week's time. Hopefully an application of baby oil on his lower regions and tail may reduce the number of burrs that he attracts in the first place.
Normally I wouldn't recommend doing this type of work while he is tied up but he showed no inclination to swing his bottom round to me.
I worked on the non-controversial areas first. He was quick to catch on to the pattern of rewards.
After I'd worked my way down each of his legs, his owner did the same with great success...
The advantage of the feather duster is that the burrs are almost magnetised to it. Still hundreds more to go though!
And lastly I began to rub his front leg with my hand and to GENTLY remove some of the burrs.
