And we’re there...

Had a really good little sesh with Niko tonight, got the old clicker out and boy oh boy was he excited when he realised it involved treats 🤣 it certainly distracted him from his current desire never to leave Jess’ side.
He id some lovely leading, rating speed, turns on the haunches and forehand and walked over a new scary pipe I’d put out especially 😁
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then he very politely asked to stop for a drink
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I’m really happy with his efforts tonight, he cottoned on really quickly that treats were not forthcoming if he was looking at me, and learnt a new cue ‘away’ which will hopefully help stop him crowding me when he’s not totally confident 🤞
 
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Had a really good little sesh with Niko tonight, got the old clicker out and boy oh boy was he excited when he realised it involved treats 🤣 it certainly distracted him from his current desire never to leave Jess’ side.
He id some lovely leading, rating speed, turns on the haunches and forehand and walked over a new scary pipe I’d put out especially 😁
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then he very politely asked to stop for a drink
View attachment 105694
I’m really happy with his efforts tonight, he cottoned on really quickly that treats were not forthcoming if he was looking at me, and learnt a new cue ‘away’ which will hopefully help stop him crowding me when he’s not totally confident 🤞
You seem to be doing so well with him. Love his face at the trough there! Nice pipe btw. I obtained something similar just before the lockdown last year, never used them as I forgot all about them and shoved them into one of the pig barns. I might have a mess about with them if the wind dies down.
 
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You seem to be doing so well with him. Love his face at the trough there! Nice pipe btw. I obtained something similar just before the lockdown last year, never used them as I forgot all about them and shoved them into one of the pig barns. I might have a mess about with them if the wind dies down.
It was a free-be I picked up locally but great to get everyone stretching their legs a bit more stepping over, it’s got cones wedged in the ends to hopefully stop it disappearing in tomorrow’s storm 🤣
 
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It was a free-be I picked up locally but great to get everyone stretching their legs a bit more stepping over, it’s got cones wedged in the ends to hopefully stop it disappearing in tomorrow’s storm 🤣
That’s a good idea wedging the cones. It’s whipped up here to 60mph already. I’m about to go and give night time hay.
 
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It’s been a pretty busy couple of weeks, so not much done with Niko, but he’s so good now I only really put a headcollar on if I’m doing something new. Tonight I wanted to deosect him (patch tested a couple of days ago) especially his belly and manhood which I’ve not particularly messed with yet, he was pretty good about it all.

Then I was working a bit on the stand cue, when I ask for stand I mean no feet moving and just standing passively, not trying to eat/play with everything in sight or fidgeting and I don’t expect to need to tie them up. He did good, but I have to stay near him so was stretching it to a few paces away. Then he suddenly he’s scooting off and I realised ninja Jess and her sidekick Hank were moving in, in the hopes of some food 🤣 so I backed them out, having left Niko stood and did a bit with all 3. I had them positioned about 15ft apart in a triangle and quickly realised the clicker had to go because it wasn’t special for each one, I switched to verbal cues so I could direct them individually and had them all waiting while I went around doing a little bit with each in turn (backing up, turn on the forehand etc) before asking them to stand and wait until I came back, Jess and Hank found this new way of getting extra grub very easy but Niko had to try so hard not to get distracted and forget to stand still 😂 but he managed it pretty respectably for about 15 minutes👌 With only occasional lapses.
 
Another win yesterday, Dan finally got his little clip and while he wasn’t exactly enamoured with the noise, I was having to fight Niko off as he couldn’t care less and would really quite like that bit of haylage dan has 😂
And we had a pedicure with our feet up on a stand, that’ll make my life easier!
 
He was a bit of a toad tonight, took him out for a walk and although he ignored the first few drains we had that drama again, I wouldn’t be too fussed but he swings his butt out into the middle of the road and goes over me. It’s only the little drains at the side of the road, big manhole covers are fine. I don’t think the drains are the actual issue, just the cherry on the cake and it’s just his emotional bucket is full at that point. He also got a bit manic as he knew I had treats and I felt teeth 3 times 😠 finally near home we found a nice little culdesac with plenty of drains and he was good as gold going round and round.
Finished off beautifully though, walked past home down the lane, he’s never been that way before and there’s horses all along 1 side and he was foot perfect 👌
 
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Another walk tonight, and the superstar is back, took Hank along too and no treats. Met mobility scooters, couldn’t care less and he had his nose in the ladies lap, a lorry with flashing lights no bother, looked at a couple of drains but no shenanigans and quit worrying about them quickly. Merrily on our way around the housing estate and approaching a T junction I noticed Niko’s rope swinging around my legs, it took me a second to realise it had come off the clip and he was just walking alongside me loose! Thank goodness he is good on verbal cues and stopped and let me fuss about reattaching him 😅
 
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Poor Niko, he’s gone from Hank playing too rough to Jess being so hormonal that she’s all over him, non stop and it’s making him so nervous that he’s kicked her (very politely) 3 times today!
I think he may have had a little growth spurt, he’s looking closer to her height now

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My mum visited today for the first time since last summer, she’s really nervous of horses but we sat having a cuppa and of course everyone came to see us and Niko did a fab job making friends with her and spent ages snoozing next to her and sniffing her, and obviously tried to help her find things in her bag 🤣F02A3C67-20A3-4043-B043-49B16ADA147C.jpeg
 
Monkey is shedding well and has gone more gangly again
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My friend popped by last night and she hasn’t seen him since September and said he’s definitely grown, I guess I don’t see it as clearly as I see him daily. Borrowed her measuring stick so will put that on him tonight (if the wind stops screaming) and have his first official measure!
 
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Well he’s bang on 15hh, but still only 372kg on the tape, he’s not skinny just a bit weedy and got some filling out to do.

Ive just read back through this diary, and boy what a difference to 6 months ago. He was sooo nervous of new people and now he’s greeting kids on scooters and is right in there if anyone’s in the field with me. He was so timid and clingy with Jess, Hank and Dan but he’s found his feet and is firmly in the number 2 spot and knows just how far he can push Jess, and is maintaining wonderful independence from them and takes himself off around the track. And he’s so brave and curious, I very rarely see his anxious ears now that were that way about 90% of the time to start with. I’m really looking forward to the future with him 😁
 
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Honestly Charlie's neck is twice as thick, he looks at least 3 years older than Niko. Amazing how differently they develop!
I’ve looked a couple of times and wondered if he’s actually a year younger than he is, I don’t think so really. Bo was half Arab and he had that same weedy/gangly look at this age and didn’t really grow into himself until he was 6 or 7, then he was a chunky monkey!
 
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