|
Post by Renathan on Mar 31, 2018 15:26:29 GMT -6
Luckily for Renathan, the stallion grew acclimated to things quite quickly. He was glad to see that the stallion was substantially less nervous when he passed across him this time. Renathan decides to move a little more quickly this time, patting the stallion and then passing over the front without any issue from the equillion. Renathan could not be more pleased with this development. He decides to attempt to move forward with the training for today, though at a slower pace. Renathan leans down the flank again, putting both hands on the equine. Then, he proceeds to pet down his shoulder. So far, so good! He slowly bends down, petting a little lower on the shoulder, and a little lower... All he needed was just a little bit... There; he had placed the tips of his fingers just slightly on the actual lower leg of the equine itself; which was his goal! The equine twitches his skin near the spot where Renathan touched; as if he wasn't used to that. Renathan removes his hands, happy for the little bit of progress.
[15]
|
|
|
Post by Renathan on Apr 1, 2018 13:58:32 GMT -6
Renathan may be pleased with the progress but he knows that it isn't apple-level yet for the stallion. He wanted to make sure that the stallion would not nip him for touching all of his legs. This was very important, since he hoped that the equine could be taught how to move certain ways much easier if he would tolerate having his legs and perhaps even head moved a little. The mammalian raises up to pet the stallion's shoulder again, and then leans down the front leg again, down to the knee, where he then gives a tentative pet on the lower leg. The stallion jerks just a little bit, and moves the skin on his leg, but doesn't otherwise react. Then, Renathan leans down and wraps his hand around the equilllion's skinny lower leg, just above where his feathering began. The stallion reacts quickly, lowering his head to the spot and snapping at the hand. Renathan removes his hand, and then slowly goes to pet the stallion on the nose, gently.
[16]
|
|
|
Post by Renathan on Apr 1, 2018 14:03:42 GMT -6
Renathan was pretty sure that the stallion could be shown that having his legs moved, at least by Renathan, would not be a painful experience, as long as Renathan kept petting him. However, he was not going to give the stallion an apple until he allowed all of his legs to be touched. The mammalian pets the equillion's flank and and then leans down the front leg again. The equillion nuzzles his shoulder with a little bit of force. Renathan decides not to force it, and calls it quits for the day. At least the stallion was polite whenever he noted that he did not seem to want to be touched! Renathan leaves without giving him an apple piece though, to prove his point. The stallion is allowed back over to his herd for the day. Renathan returns the next day and climbs the fence without much ado. The stallion is, as always, waiting for him. He seems to have been able to guess when he was coming. Renathan allows the stallion to nuzzle his hand, and then he gives the stallion a quick pet. The stallion really needed to be brushed, but Renathan wanted to make sure that the beast would accept being touched before he tried that.
[17]
|
|
|
Post by Renathan on Apr 1, 2018 14:11:49 GMT -6
Renathan certainly wants to make more progress today, but he knows he needs to take this slow if he was going to get anywhere with the beast at all. He pets the stallion's muzzle, then the top of his head (making sure to stay clear away from the horn) and then down his thick neck. The neck of equillion were always a little startling for Renathan; they were just strange and muscular in a way that almost reminded him of sarane, well, of course without the length. Equillion were not meat eaters though, and that was probably what really got Renathan thinking in a nervous way about that neck. Then he makes his way down to that front leg, and glances at the equillion's eyes. He places one hand on the equillion's muzzle in a comforting gesture, and then leans down gently, and carefully touches the bottom of the equillion's foremost leg. Thankfully, the equillion failed to react to this!
[18]
|
|
|
Post by Renathan on Apr 1, 2018 14:16:48 GMT -6
After Renathan got his hand around the leg, and ever so gently guided it up behind the 'knee', which he knew was more like a wrist. The stallion is naturally guided into lifting it up, since Renathan is being so gentle with it, and because the leg naturally bends like that. The stallion lifts his leg, and then Renathan allows it back down, carefully. The mammalian is almost giddy with excitement at this point; this was certainly real progress! He then moves to the other front leg slowly, and goes to lift it up carefully. The stallion seems to begrudgingly allow this movement. Renathan was most nervous about this hind legs though... Renathan moves to the back hind, near the flank on the side and not near the rump of the equine. The stallion turns his head to see Renathan more clearly on that side, and Renathan tentatively bends down to touch the haunch, and then lower on the leg... The equillion was quite smart! He lifted the leg himself without Renathan having to bend lower! Renathan quickly gives the stallion an entire apple, and a nose petting for his excellent behavior.
[19]
|
|
|
Post by Renathan on Apr 1, 2018 14:33:20 GMT -6
Renathan comes back the next day with purpose. He had been thinking for a while on why the equillion had been so difficult to work with when he was so gentle with the other equillion and equillion crosses. It really hadn't made any amount of sense to him. He's sure it had something to do with protecting himself, or perhaps it was an inborn 'protection' instinct for his herd? Renathan wasn't sure. Today, he hops the fence and moves to the stallion, who was already making his way towards him. He bends down after giving the stallion a quick pet on the nose, and then touches each leg in the front, watching as the stallion lifts them up. Then, he touches each haunch in the back, and the stallion lifts those as well. The creature is rewarded with a pink apple half, and then he proceeds to continue to work. Today was definitely the day! He spends a good couple of hours out in the fence, working with the stallion off and on, and finally he is quite confident with the stallion's tolerance to being touched and moved around. The equillion is offered an apple; and allowed to return to his herd. Today was a good day indeed!
[20] - [END of 'Tolerance']
|
|
|
Post by Renathan on Apr 2, 2018 20:26:23 GMT -6
Renathan decided not long after earning the stallion's trust that it would be best to get him seen by a creature medic; just to make sure that he was still healthy. He did not appear to have any issues, but that was hardly ever an excellent indicator. Renathan regularly had his creatures checked out, but this stallion had previously made this impossible. Renathan makes his way out to the training field and leans over the fence again; staring out at the stallion. The creature was trotting about in the field, a really nice sight of course in the nice spring morning. Renathan climbs over the fence quickly; today was going to be an easy day, but he had at least two behaviors he wanted to work on today. The stallion catches sight of the mammalian, and runs right over. They greet with a quick pat on the muzzle for the equllion and a nuzzle on the shoulder for Renathan.
[1] - [START 'Lay Down']
|
|
|
Post by Renathan on Apr 2, 2018 20:43:21 GMT -6
Renathan wanted to begin the training as soon as possible. He leaned forward, and gently held the equillion's face in his palms. He figured this would be the best way to do this. "Catch a rack." He says, softly. Then, he gently begins to sit down on the ground, still gently holding the stallion's face. After a moment, he is sitting on the ground, but the stallion is still standing. He let the stallion's face go, not wanting to frighten the creature. He stands back up after a moment, and then gently pets the stallion's face again. "Catch a rack." He says, and then he begins to lower, more slowly this time. Once again, Renathan finds himself on the ground, staring up at an utterly confused stallion. Renathan taps the underside of his jaw while he thinks; wondering what he was going to do if this kept not working as well as he had thought.
[2]
|
|
|
Post by Renathan on Apr 2, 2018 20:52:01 GMT -6
Renathan picks himself up off of the green spring grass; enjoying the stained feeling of the nice new smell in his nostrils as he lifted up. The stallion looks at him interestedly, however. His ears were leaned forward, and he was sniffling Renathan's head as he stood up, perhaps to make sure that he was indeed okay. Renathan had not done anything like this before, and he hadn't been using verbal commands previously, so he figured he understood why the stallion seemed so eager, yet confused. Renathan raises up and pats the stallion on the nose again. He then touches the stallion's face again, and says it, louder this time. "Catch a rack." Then he begins to move down, slower this time. The stallion lowers it's head as well; until Renathan sits down on the ground. The stalllion doesn't seem to understand what Renathan is wanting; or to bend it's legs to also go to the ground.
[3]
|
|
|
Post by Renathan on Apr 2, 2018 21:05:27 GMT -6
The stallion still seems quite concerned for Renathan, but he's also seeming to get that he needs to be doing something, but he doesn't seem sure what. Renathan stands back up, and then pets the stallion's shoulder. He didn't want the equillion to be too anxious and excited as they continued. He was thankful that the stallion seemed eager today, but going too fast was always dangerous around large creatures like this one. He then reaches for the stallion's face again, and ever so gently strokes his soft nose. "Catch a Rack." He says, and then he takes the stallion's face gently and begins to lower. At this, the stallion lowers his face to a certain height. Renathan begins to get an idea; he places one hand on the stallion's withers and pushes down. "Catch a Rack." He reiterates, and then the stallion begins to lower his body. Renathan uses another hand to push behind on the front legs, and then the other, while pushing on the stallion's withers.
[4]
|
|
|
Post by Renathan on Apr 2, 2018 21:35:36 GMT -6
The stallion finally seems to understand, and settles down on the ground, with much more delicate movement than any other horselike creature Renathan had ever seen. Perhaps it wasn't quite a horse after all? He stands there, happily, in front of the laid-down equillion. He leans down and pets the creature's nose, and then offers it a pink apple piece. The stallion takes it quite gently, and eats it before getting up on it's legs again. Renathan is quite happy with this first little bit of success, but doesn't expect it to be continued right away. He allows the stallion to calm down a bit, and perhaps to think about other things for a while, like playing around. Renathan would continue this training after a small amount of time he decides. After a little while, Renathan gets the stallion to come to him with the low whistle. He felt like that was a refreshing break!
[5]
|
|
|
Post by Renathan on Apr 2, 2018 21:50:11 GMT -6
Renathan pats the stallion on his nose as he makes it to him. Then, he takes the stallion by the face again, gently. "Catch a Rack." He says, and the stallion begins to bend down. Renathan removes his hands, and the stallion quickly begins to get back up. Renathan shakes his head, and then says the command yet again, just a little louder. "Catch a Rack." The stallion looks confused for a moment, since Renathan does not have his hands on his face. Renathan waits again, and wonders exactly what he'd do if this didn't work quite to well as they continued. The stallion looks confused but interested at the moment, which was excellent, at least. He was glad that the stallion was much less standoffish now. Renathan once again repeats the command in stern tonality; "Catch a Rack." The stallion takes a moment, and then slowly begins to drop down again.
[6]
|
|
|
Post by Renathan on Apr 2, 2018 22:23:07 GMT -6
The stallion bends down to about the knee level, and then begins to stand back up. Renathan places his hands on the stallion's back and gently pushes back down. "Catch a Rack" He repeats softly. The stallion bends down again, and then sits on the ground carefully. Renathan is overjoyed, but keeps himself as calm as possible. Renathan grabs a piece of pink apple and gives it to the stallion almost giddily. The stallion is of course quite happy with his apple piece, and eats it quite quickly. After eating the small piece of apple, the stallion rises back to his legs, more dexterously than Renathan would have expected from most creatures of his size. Renathan then pets the stallion all over, happy to see the experience. This would also make it much easier to wash him, here in a moment or two... Renathan had figured he'd get the washing out of the way as soon as he trained the stallion to lay down on command.
[7]
|
|
|
Post by Renathan on Apr 2, 2018 22:33:42 GMT -6
Renthan wanted to make sure that they got this down before continuing. As the stallion stands up, Renathan begins to practice with the creature, to make sure that they got this down pat. Renathan pulls another piece of apple from his pouch and then waits. "Catch a rack!" He calls out, and the stallion gets down on the ground, quite quickly. Renthan treats him with a small piece of apple. The stallion doesn't seem to be having any issues with this, after the initial misgivings! Renathan is overjoyed, and gives the stallion a good few pets while it is still laying down. This would make the next few tricks very easy to teach, he hopes. Renathan waits for the stallion to stand up out of the soft grass again, and then gives him the command one more time, for good measure. He waits while the stallion sits down and gets situated yet again.
[8]
|
|
|
Post by Renathan on Apr 2, 2018 22:42:31 GMT -6
Today was getting on to be a great day for training, even this early in the morning. Renathan stands there enjoying the sunshine and breathing in that bright morning air with just the crisp of overnight chill. The stallion got comfortable on the ground during this time, folding his legs up against his side. Renathan of course gives him a gentle pat and then a bit of the pink apples he loved so much. Renathan then sits down on the grass next to the stallion, and closes his eyes for a moment, feeling calm. Today was certainly nice! Suddenly, he is surprised and rolls away deftly; it seems the stallion has decided to move suddenly! Shy Guy is indeed rolling about on the ground, scratching his back on the cool morning grassy dew. Renathan quickly moves away a little bit from the stallion, especially since it was indeed a rather dewy morning out in the fence!
[9]
|
|