# A Journal for Gus



## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

Gus is beautiful, well, super handsome. :smile: Can't wait to hear all about your adventures together!!! Love the video!


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## Msail (Jul 20, 2013)

I didn't end up riding today because it kept threatening to rain and I wasn't in the mood to go out and get wet. Gus is getting better about his head. In the past I think somebody was harsh with it because he is extremely head shy, mostly about his ears. When he first came to me, I could only put my hand at the base of his neck, but any higher and he would jack his head up and try to back away. Now he comes up to me and I can scratch all along his jawline and the back of his poll. Such a good boy. I'm learning that slow and steady is the key to his heart. He is also getting a lot better at being caught, which is great. I can come right up to him 7 times out of 10. It still takes a few minutes to put on a halter because as soon as it goes over his nose he has a reaction. It gets me thinking how the correct way to handle this is. When I go to put the halter on, and he raises his head very high, I only finish putting it on once he drops his head. But, that's not exactly an incentive for him to drop it. He still does eventually, because he's a good boy, but maybe I need to spend some time just working with having him drop his head and then immediately taking the halter off. I've also noticed that he is only okay with his head to me. If somebody else, like the farrier or another stranger tries to go near it he will act the same way he did when he first came to me. It's nice to see that he trusts me, but it's not such good behavior in general.

I also got another important reminder today that with horses, you really cannot let any bad behavior go unpunished, because it will always come around to bite you in the butt. I was bringing hay bags into the paddock for everybody and sometimes when I'm turned around latching the gate, they like to sneak mouthfuls of hay from the bags while I'm still carrying it. Sometimes I send them away but sometimes I just ignore it and finish latching the gate. However today as I was hanging the bag, the red mare crept up and attempted to snag a big mouthful of hay before I could clip it to the fence and tore the whole bag right of my grip. She couldn't get her bite out so she began to swing her head violently to try and shake it out, and the buckle on the top of the bag swung and smacked my hand hard and left a nice purple bruise. :evil: OUCH. I was fuming but really I only have myself to blame. Can't let them get away with anytthing. Needless to say that behavior will not continue from here on out...


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## Msail (Jul 20, 2013)

sneaking bites of grass...​
I got a good ride in today but wasn't able to record any cantering because my camera ran out of memory, oh well. I'm still figuring out the best place to put it. Gus was a bit more forward today than he usually is, which was a nice change. I felt that I could keep the pace a tad better. On our way home we encountered a dog walker with a big, beautiful german shepherd. Gus stood stock still as we got closer, which I know he only does when he is about to spook.... So I told him to get moving forward, and he balked and balked, the dog walker kept coming closer.. And then he took a step forward! I was so proud for about half a second, because then the dog lunged toward him and he spun right around for the hills. Ordinarily when he devotes all of his attention to something scary like that, I can never get him to go forward. I think if the dog hadn't gone for him, he would have kept walking. I wish I could practice with my dogs, but he's used to them and is unafraid. 

Watching the videos is fun because he's got a bit more leg action at the trot than I thought  I know he's no Valegro, but when you're on him it's so comfy that it feels like he's barely trying. @tinyliny; I know you were wondering how he rode, here's a video for you


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