Monday August 31st, 2009
Tying

Today while I swept the barn, I tied Wonder to the stall bars.

Just in case he panicked, I removed his buckets and, of course, used a slip knot so I could let him loose in a split second if I had to. Then, I crossed my fingers.

But I should have known there was no need to worry. Wonder simply stood there watching me sweep as though he had learned this months ago. (Maybe someone taught him?) As I swept, I intermittently walked over and gave him a mouthful of grain for being calm and receptive, trying to reinforce this theory: that most good stuff happens when he is with me and that learning is great!

He seems to have caught on to that idea well. When I let him loose, he simply stood there waiting for praise and then walked into the in-and-out as though there had been nothing new in his day.