Hi Barbara! I finally got to see the video (have to wait until I'm at work for a high speed connection). GOOD FOR YOU for sharing the videos!
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I can see myself trying to capture Beaus attention, I know I should not do it, but I did, and now I see how idiotic it looked.
You didn't look idiotic! And yes
You can see Beau watching you while he's eating grass...ha ha. I can see he really made you work hard to get him to play...the video with all the other horses running around...he REALLY made you work for that one, but he did, finally take his mind (most of it anyway) off the other horses and pay attention to you. You did really good! I thought you were very patient.
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- at 2.25 there is a moment that Beau suddenly comes after me, ears back, jumping after me, I don't know if you guys can see it, and then he stops again, is he annoyed than? or did he want to play but am I too slow in the mud?
If I was seeing the right spot, my interpretation is that you were inviting him to run after you, and he finally did. His posture and intent was very similar to when he's chasing the tiger...so I think he was intently playing.
If you are a little quicker to reward (stop and let him catch up with you) when he runs to catch up to you, he might do it more often. But at the point he gave the most effort to catch you, you kept trying to get away so he quit trying and walked again.
Also the same with the Tiger...be careful not to raise it higher than he can reach...he gave up when he couldn't touch it. Wait a very, very long time, after the behavior is very well established before you try that again. I think you and I have the same idea...if I hold it high enough, will he rear up to touch it? Well, for now, for Tamarack and apparently for Beau too, that is not going to happen. So only try it once in a while when you have his whole attention and when he is really eager for the game.
Also when he is really distracted...make an easier game. When the other horses were running, he kept coming back to you...that is good, but he wasn't really keen on splitting his attention three ways...you, the other horses, AND the tiger...so if he'll be with you, then just do some simple "touch the tiger" movements where he doesn't have to move his feet...just reach his neck. Then when you feel him relax and he is MORE with you mentally, then ask him to move his feet, and if he's ok with that, well, THEN run away! But always look to see if he's mentally with you or not.
I know how hard it can be to get a horse to think of you as your herd, and to be ok and settled with that idea. It took me a very long time for Cisco to be with me, and not constantly looking at the gate and listening to noises outside. He will still, on occasions, be very concerned about what is going on outside, but he's not quite as bad as he used to be. Again, that is the time for very simple, very rewarding things. A good time for setting up something you can click and reward in rapid succession if he enjoys that. But make it something so simple that he doesn't have to think too hard about it (like stand in one place and touch his nose to the tiger).
I like the way you keep those eyes in the back of your head wide open when he's running up behind you. And I see that he will throw he front feet at the tiger and not at you...that is a GOOD thing. I thought you did not look silly or idotic at all...you did a very good job of trying to entice him into play without directing energy AT him. You did good!!!
And his obeisance is very pretty - he is trying really hard!