Beege is making great strides and next time, probably next weekend, I have a little time I'll saddle him. He's easy on the ground, fine in the cross-ties inside the barn, fine with strange things like mowers, snowmobiles, camper, tarp shelter, etc. He's a little rusty at backing over a small log pole and sidepassing but we'll get there.
Odin is doing well too. Everytime I lament that we're not making any progress at all and I have a couple pasture pets rather than high-level athletes (ha!) I realize that everytime I do anything with him, we're making progress. Each moment I spend is a little mini lesson.
When I brought Beege out of the pasture, Odin tried to block us from leaving. It was an interesting little power play. I asked him to back up and he did. I appreciate him deferring leadership to me.
When I brought Odin out of the pasture, Beege ran around as if Odin was gone forever even though he was still in sight. The first chore for Odin is to walk past the tarp shelter without bulging his shoulder toward me. His second chore is to walk into the barn.
Baby steps
Brave boy, even standing over the floor drain. Beege is in the stall to Odin's right, which I'm sure helped Odin's confidence. Odin nickered at Beege. I've never heard him make a sound before.
He's not relaxed but he did stand there and let me groom him. Behind him is a short hill that I ask both boys to back up to work on fitness, core strength. Beege is surprisingly better at it although I couldn't say his topline or core are more developed than Odin's.
Being comfortable in the barn is a priority this summer, to prepare for vet and farrier work this winter. I didn't try fly spray in the barn but saved that for outside. He really doesn't like it and when he stops moving I stop bothering him with it. The sprayer is silent so it's not the noise. He just doesn't like the feeling of the spray over his body, and possibly the smell.