This message is from: "Jean Gayle" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Brigid you might not like to hear what I did with Gunnar at first. The first time he nipped me I socked him a hard one and waited to see if he was going to attack. Whew, he stopped his behavior and wandered off. The next time I approached him I had my crop with me. When he tried to bite me I let him have the crop across his chest. Again I held my breath but I somehow knew there were good manners in this boy buried deep and that his behavior was more to protect himself. I then just asked good behavior of him and quit trying to give him affection as I had my other horses. It took a year and a half before he came to me. I used to not feed him until he would let me touch his nose and he reluctantly allowed this.
One day, after I had been ignoring him for some time I was cleaning the water trough and I felt a nudge in my back. It was Gunnar and I gave him a pat and he wandered off. He still does not like affection but the key to his accepting you is grooming. He will stand for hours unhaltered, being groomed. He is very reliable under saddle and has been since he came. Jean Jean Walters Gayle Aberdeen, WA [Authoress of "The Colonel's Daughter" Occupied Germany 1946 TO 1949 ] http://www.techline.com/~jgayle Three Horses Press PO Box 104 Montesano, WA 98563
