As I have said many times before: 'Luke' is very different from all the other horses I have met so far. I have taken a liking to him from the start.
He can have the strangest ideas, do the silliest things (and spend ages thinking about them) and needs much much time for everything. This isn't a horse that is to be rushed at all. If you ask him to do something he doesn't understand, you WILL find out quickly and possibly painfully. He needs clarity, and consistency. Perhaps that is why he (and all other horses) enjoy being with 'Mr F'- 'Mr F' is clear about what goes and is consistent with it. All horses know where they stand with 'Mr F', there are no doubts at all and this in turn gives them safety and lets them relax.
When 'Luke' arrived at the farm and was joined with 'Mr F', it meant that I was to handle 'Luke' too along with 'Mr F', if I wanted to move them to a different pasture for example. I remember well how he was testing me out right at the start by attempting to push past me through the stable door. He attempted that a few times until I introduced him to my elbow. It startled him at first but I cannot accept unruly behaviour, simply for safety reasons. He understood the message alright and the next time I walked towards him he moved out of the way. For this he got praise and he understands I am no foe but that it might be wiser to accept what I call 'personal space'. Ever since that small incident handling 'Luke' was effortless.
Other people however have had different experiences with him, so I found out over the months.
But 'Luke' has been doing himself proud by behaving very well in general and slowly people are seeing 'Luke' in a different light.
He simply is on a planet
of his own but he tries very hard being 'a horse for humans'.
Oh, and did I just say he can come up with the silliest of ideas ....
It took me some doing to coax him off the trailer safely ...
None of the other horses would even think of goin on the trailer, but as I said: 'Luke' is different.
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