Grazing manners

Peanut and I have had an unspoken agreement that he is allowed to graze while I'm leading him, but only as long as I can keep walking.  So, he catch up, stop, nibble, and catch up again before I have to pull on the lead.

Well, at least I thought that we had this understanding.  Lately, I think not.

This has caused a problems during our hikes and even on the trek from his field to the barn.  I got so frustrated at one point on one hike that he got a whack from the lead on the bum, and then I felt horrible about it afterwards (especially since he had the boo-boo eyes that dogs get when they're sad and he wouldn't put his ears forward).

This past weekend, I decided to spend my time on the ground doing something about it.  Thanks to the magic that is a food-motivated horse, we finally do have an understanding.  As the lead is about to go tight, I'll cluck at him.  If he moves fast enough, he gets my verbal "click" (it's actually a high-pitched "yes" or "good").  He then gets a cookie.  Sometimes, before I can cluck, he will pick his head up and move on.  He gets rewarded for that too.  If I have to cluck 4 times (I cluck three, wait a second, and cluck again if he doesn't move), he gets nothing.

He is much more responsive to me now when he grazes.  It's made things much nicer and I don't dread open fields when we hike now.  :)

On another note, after the walk I ran my hand over Peanut's back, and felt a slight roach.  What?  Since when?  He's always had a very flat back up until you reach his hunter's bump, but there was a definite lump to it yesterday.  Well, he's always had one vertebra that sticks up a little, making bareback no fun whatsoever, but the vertebrae around that one seem to have raised a little.  How did this happen?  It was enough that Rick could see it without feeling it.  Maybe that explains something?  Is it vet worthy???

I wish Hoppy would call us back.  I think Peanut needs to be put back together.  Denise did get back to me, and we just have to set a date for our next lesson.  She's a saddle consultant, maybe I can have her look over his back before the lesson.