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This is fun.... this morning, 'Tolinka met a black horse named Shady, that moved into the neighborhood this last weekend. I was in the house and heard Tolinka barking like crazy...went out side to see what caught his attention. Walked toward the sound of

Tolinka's barks and found him sounding off to Shady in the corral where Tolinka normally chases his balls. I called Tolinka to come to me, and he did. I asked him to "sit,""stay." and "watch." He did for a moment, but couldn't resist the curiosity any longer and had other ideas. Rather than getting mad because he wasn't doing what I wanted him to do, I decided it was my turn to "watch" what he did and trust him and learn from him. ....so I watched him....(sometimes they just have to show you what they need to do in order to let YOU know that THEY understand what's going on .) ....he circled the coral to make sure that this big black "thing" couldn't get out....After doing this 3 times, and checking all of his known exits, he was satisfied. When he tried to scoot underneath the bars of the corral, as he had done many times before, chasing balls, I said "NO" in a firm voice. He responded correctly and didn't enter the corral. Then finally at one point he came nose to nose with Shady and they shared "breath" with each other.....the rest was golden. No more barks, just a quiet "hello" between the two...however later this afternoon, I tossed a ball from the garden and it landed in the little meadow where ball is played. Tolinka went on the run to get it, and came back with an empty mouth. I asked him "where is your ball?" I followed him and he showed me with a direct look towards the ball, and there it was, about three feet inside the corral fence. He wouldn't go into the corral, even after his most favorite thing in the world...THE BALL! He listened.

 

A bit later, Chris, my neighbors son was on tractor removing bales of hay from the corral and Shady slipped out following the tractor and at that moment was free as a bird to go where ever.....I was tossing balls for the dogs and I noticed what Chris was trying to do.....,get Shady back into the coral. She wasn't having anything to so with it. No ropes were handy so I went over to try to help, Tolinka following me. I put my hands in the air and waved them gently, and made a soft shhhhhhhh sound towards Shady. Tolinka picked up on what was going on, and assumed the herding position with this horse. He wouldn't let her get past him, or me. Bark, bark, bark. He wheeled her around when she tried to get around him, bark, bark, bark, and Shady finally retreated and he started herding Shady back into the coral. I took a hold of Shady's mane, and Tolinka and I walked her back into the coral with no problem. I loved it. After Shady was secure in the corral, Tolinka barked a couple of times, and that silly horse responded with a couple of nickers. I do believe they are going to be good friends. I'm looking forward to Tolinka sharing his soccer ball with this horse....A new game is about to happen....fun games ahead.

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That's Awesome MisM

Sounds like a scene from a Disney movie.. lol

 

Like Karen, I wish I was there to see it, but you describe it so beautifully- I almost was! :wub:

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That's Awesome MisM

Sounds like a scene from a Disney movie.. lol

 

Like Karen, I wish I was there to see it, but you describe it so beautifully- I almost was! :wub:

 

Sometimes we forget to let them respond. I like how you stepped back to let him find out what he needed to do for himself.

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Terrific! Really good story. Lot's to learn from it--that natural communication between dog and man, that Kim is always talking about.

 

Wish we lived on a farm...they really excel as working dogs.

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Thats great I would have love d to watch that . its funny the park I take the boys to there is a farm behind it one of the pastures is right next to the park when the boys saw a horse for the first time they barked now when the horses see us walking the one comes running up the dogs will bark then they just nuzzle, smell each other and all is good and we go on are way . Malachi used to go in the field it made me nervous so far this year he has not .

 

 

This is fun.... this morning, 'Tolinka met a black horse named Shady, that moved into the neighborhood this last weekend. I was in the house and heard Tolinka barking like crazy...went out side to see what caught his attention. Walked toward the sound of

Tolinka's barks and found him sounding off to Shady in the corral where Tolinka normally chases his balls. I called Tolinka to come to me, and he did. I asked him to "sit,""stay." and "watch." He did for a moment, but couldn't resist the curiosity any longer and had other ideas. Rather than getting mad because he wasn't doing what I wanted him to do, I decided it was my turn to "watch" what he did and trust him and learn from him. ....so I watched him....(sometimes they just have to show you what they need to do in order to let YOU know that THEY understand what's going on .) ....he circled the coral to make sure that this big black "thing" couldn't get out....After doing this 3 times, and checking all of his known exits, he was satisfied. When he tried to scoot underneath the bars of the corral, as he had done many times before, chasing balls, I said "NO" in a firm voice. He responded correctly and didn't enter the corral. Then finally at one point he came nose to nose with Shady and they shared "breath" with each other.....the rest was golden. No more barks, just a quiet "hello" between the two...however later this afternoon, I tossed a ball from the garden and it landed in the little meadow where ball is played. Tolinka went on the run to get it, and came back with an empty mouth. I asked him "where is your ball?" I followed him and he showed me with a direct look towards the ball, and there it was, about three feet inside the corral fence. He wouldn't go into the corral, even after his most favorite thing in the world...THE BALL! He listened.

 

A bit later, Chris, my neighbors son was on tractor removing bales of hay from the corral and Shady slipped out following the tractor and at that moment was free as a bird to go where ever.....I was tossing balls for the dogs and I noticed what Chris was trying to do.....,get Shady back into the coral. She wasn't having anything to so with it. No ropes were handy so I went over to try to help, Tolinka following me. I put my hands in the air and waved them gently, and made a soft shhhhhhhh sound towards Shady. Tolinka picked up on what was going on, and assumed the herding position with this horse. He wouldn't let her get past him, or me. Bark, bark, bark. He wheeled her around when she tried to get around him, bark, bark, bark, and Shady finally retreated and he started herding Shady back into the coral. I took a hold of Shady's mane, and Tolinka and I walked her back into the coral with no problem. I loved it. After Shady was secure in the corral, Tolinka barked a couple of times, and that silly horse responded with a couple of nickers. I do believe they are going to be good friends. I'm looking forward to Tolinka sharing his soccer ball with this horse....A new game is about to happen....fun games ahead.

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That is so cool Miz Molly!!! Chhaya knows if one of our horses is doing something wrong and will bark at them. Koda and Chhaya and Gypsy all make sure the horses are in their stalls before they settle down in the evening....these dogs and their instincts are truly amazing!!!

 

Thanks so much for sharing that...it is such a beautiful picture in my mind when things like that are shared!

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That is so cool Miz Molly!!! Chhaya knows if one of our horses is doing something wrong and will bark at them. Koda and Chhaya and Gypsy all make sure the horses are in their stalls before they settle down in the evening....these dogs and their instincts are truly amazing!!!

 

Thanks so much for sharing that...it is such a beautiful picture in my mind when things like that are shared!

To quote our fearless leader Allison......."medicine dogs." They just can't be beat. Love them. :wub:

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  • 4 weeks later...

Here it comes....... another Shady vs Tolinka happening...Disneyland :lol:

 

Again down in the little meadow where balls are tossed and running with out boundaries happens. Shady is in the corral, and whinnies when we approach. Our late afternoon ritual unfolds, with wine in hand, tossing balls, playing soccer (I kick the ball, and Tolinka retrieves it by batting the ball back to me with his fore legs). Shady is now used to the ball being tossed over her head into the woods, used to watching the dogs and me play, running back and forth, the noise, the movement, and she whinnies along with our laughter....do horses laugh? ......Tolinka now knows that if he goes into the corral after a ball, it is all o.k.

 

I find myself changing directions of the ball toss to keep Tolinka on his toes. This is so he won't anticipate the direction of the ball until the very last minute. They truly are great students of OUR body language. His excitement builds as the tosses becomes faster and faster in sequence. He likes the pace and lets me know by dropping the ball directly at my feet. The look in his eyes seems to say, "Come on, faster, faster." As the pace of the game picks up, I introduce a second ball. This doubles the pace.....

 

Yesterday, during the fast pace of the games, the ball bounced off the rail of the corral and ended up inside the corral. Tolinka lost track of where the ball landed and began seeking after it in wide meandering circles. Now, wouldn't you just know it.....Shady let out a soft whinny, and walked clear across the corral to the location of the ball. (Even when she doesn't appear to be paying attention, she really is). Her nose went to the ground, nudged the ball, to point the ball out to Tolinka, then stood over it. Tolinka came over to see if he could get to the ball, and waited patiently for Shady to move just a hair. She did. He quietly went in to get the ball and they ended up nose to nose. She whinnied as he gently picked up the ball and quietly walked away with ball in mouth. The game went on......

 

After watching this exchange, I feel it is now time to slowly introduce the soccer ball to Shady and see if there will be a sharing between the two.

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That is priceless. Very uplifting.

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