Bad days and Good days. The Filly has her first shoe !

Tale of two days for this blog.
Yesterday I went to play with Billy after landing from Hyderabad. Maybe that was a mistake as I was very tired, though I tried hard to allow for this. We started with the usual games and again moved on to circling game. Initially this was going very nicely, so I thought we would move onto changing direction on the circle. Then the fun started. Any pressure to change direction made him become very unconfident, to the point of being RBE (Right brain extrovert). Every time I gave the command he would either just go much faster in the direction he was already going or turn face and pull back really hard. I would only release the pressure when he took a step forward to ensure that pulling back was not rewarded with pressure release. By the end of this we were both frustrated, tired and sweaty. On taking off the halter he stayed a few seconds and then ran off. I made sure that before leaving I could approach him again and do the friendly game.
In the meantime Filly's foot has been progressing well. The poultice had done it's thing and the infection was gone. Rick, the yard owner, had been treating it with a concentrated solution of sugar and iodine held on with a nappy and duct tape !! Apparently you can buy expensive dressings for this sort of thing, but nappies work fine. This hardens the hoof ready for shoeing. He had been having a lot of trouble doing this, probably because it really stung her, and he had the bruises to prove it ! Very impressed by the time he took to care for her despite the pain she kept causing him, Thanks.
Today Rick informed me that the farrier was coming to put a bar shoe on to stabilise the hoof. I had been studying the Parelli dvd on preparing for the farrier whilst in India, so went to the yard to put the ideas into practise. I started with loads of leg massages to get her used to the idea that every time a human touched her legs pain was not about to ensue. I then took a loop of rope around her leg and again rubbed her with it to get used to the sensation. Gently increasing the pressure on the rope acting as porcupine game to get her to lift the foot. She rapidly got the hang of it and stood quite happily with her leg up. This means I don't have to get easily damaged bits, like my face, near her for the early stages of lifting the hoof. The bruises on Rick had made a big impression on me ! However she almost looked amused by the whole thing. After a while I asked with my hands for the leg to be lifted, by squeezing on the chestnut as I had taught her in the past. This was very easy and soon she was standing with her hoof in the required shoeing position. This was rewarded by lots more leg massages whilst the leg was up. This showed her that having her leg up could actually feel quite nice.
To simulate the farrier rasping her hoof I just slapped it with my hand in a stroking motion. I then tapped the hoof lightly with the handle of a hammer, then harder then lighter in the classic approach and retreat manner to simulate the hammering of the nails. She withstood all this with barely a murmur. Of course I had to do this with all four legs not knowing which were to be shod. Twice, once in her stable ( her place of safety and comfort) and once in the yard to change the place part of the equation. Fortunately my wife, Ritchie, helped with most of this procedure as it meant that she could hold her headcollar rope. This allowed her to look round at me which if she was tied up would not have been possible and could have lead to claustrophobia.
Remember that horses are perceptive to "people, places, changes and things". To allow for the "people" part Ritchie and I then swapped roles and we did the whole thing again. This soaked up about 2 1/2 hours, with tea breaks of course. I am English after all !!
The farrier then arrived, the moment of truth ! I was a little nervous about how she would cope. We put a hay net up for her to munch on, as food always distracts the Filly. I held her on a loose rope to ensure that no "I'm trapped" feelings could arise and the farrier got to work. To say that she behaved in an exemplary manner would be an understatement. She only tried to pull her leg away once but not strongly. She looked round at him a couple of times but only curiously. During a break she wanted to inspect his van, and of course the grass. Even when the nails were hammered in she just paid complete attention to her hay. I was extremely proud of her and relieved it all went so well.
This has been a long blog already, so all I will say about today with Billy is that we made up ! I left the stick behind and played without it. Changing direction on the circle even started to go well. On taking the halter off he followed me to the gate. It seems that he is very worried by the stick and with it gone he felt much more confident. I therefore need to slowly work up to him thinking of the stick as a pleasant object so that he will do well in the racing world.