Stormy the scared

Stormy arrived here in May with a horrible wound on her near hind leg that looked like a clean slice and flesh bulging out. Why her previous owners had not dealt with this at the time, I can only wonder. She was terrified of everything and everyone. She had no manners and would drag a handler around, even with a chain over her nose. She would fling you away with her head if you tried to touch her ears, freak out if you sprayed her with something or put anything in a bottle on her. She was also probably a 3 on the body index scale. All ribs, spine and hips.

Her leg needed at least two weeks of treatment and bandaging, which succeeded in reducing the swelling somewhat, but she still has a large lump and scar there.

We spent weeks working her from the ground, teaching her manners like how to lead politely, how to stop without having her face pulled off. We turned her out with other horses, but she bullied those lower than her and was bullied by those above her, so eventually she went out alone.

Daily we'd have to repeat the same lesson over and over, respect your handler, let us touch your ears, never using whips or ropes, just sharp, loud noises, and respect training methods like if she pulled back, backing her up fast.

She learned, slowly, and put weight on, gradually. Once she was a healthy weight, she was put in foal, but lost the fetus before the 60 day scan. I began longeing her 3 or 4 times a week. At first she wouldn't go, either way. I started circling work with her, swinging a rope at her quarters to get her to move away and then encouraging her to move her shoulders too. This terrified her for weeks, even once she had got the hang of going round in a circle each way. Raising a rope or a hand to rub her face would make her suck back and desperately try to get out of your reach. I was in turns frustrated, angered and saddened by her. I was never using violence and I never reprimanded her unfairly. Yet she wasn't learning. We spent weeks doing 'whoa' and 'walk on' and in each 30 minute session, she would have a number of tantrums where she appeared to not understand my requests and would react with fear. One session, she was working very nicely, whoa-ing with a voice command and a gentle tug on the rein, and then standing till asked to move on. I was just about to quit, when I asked for a last 'whoa' and she ignored me. I tugged harder and she still ignored. I yanked. She turned in, ears flicking, eyes rolling, trembling and as I walked towards her, gathering the rope, she took off backwards. I urged her on with the rope at her quarters, trying to get her to move forwards, through her fear of the rope, which hadn't touched her. She ran and ran, snorting and tense, so I let her. When she finally walked, I took her back to whoa and walk and after a couple of good ones, we stopped.

In the next few weeks, I alternated this work with walking her out on trails in hand, which she seemed to enjoy and didn't seem scared of much at all. Her panics lessened a little, although her first reaction when not understanding or doing as I ask is to turn in and tremble whilst waiting for the beating that has never come here.

Yesterday, I put a saddle on her. According to her past owners, and my boss, who had seen this horse fat, happy and well behaved in April in her previous home, She rode well and was a great trail horse. I longed her first and we had no tantrums. Valerie came to hold her while I mounted and she tensed as I got my foot in the stirrup. I got on and her ears went back. I talked a lot, I patted and scratched her neck but she remained uneasy. At walk, she pulled at the bit, she threw her neck side to side, she didn't walk in a straight line, she jogged, she tensed. I stayed as relaxed as possible with no leg or hand contact, just using my thighs and seat and voice to control her, an opening rein to turn. She was very fast and uneasy. She wanted to gait and rush. When I asked her to whoa, she danced and tried to trample Valerie who was holding her. She got her tongue over the bit so V went to get a ported shank bit, which is apparently what she used to be ridden in. I dismounted, not wanting to stay on without someone present, and as I swung my leg over the cantle, she spooked and started forward, throwing me backwards. I kicked out of the stirrup, but my right arm came down hard on the cantle, bruising instantly. Out of pain and annoyance, I immediately backed her up, fast, shouting a few choice words. She looked surprised, but soon quietened.

I tried again with the new bit which she mouthed at and didn't get her tongue over. We walked and whoa'd a number of times, but she felt like a rocket, about to explode if I asked the wrong thing. We halted as she was spooking at the split reins and as I was tying the ends in a knot, they hit the saddle with a thud. She leapt forward, waiting for something, dancing nervously. Eventually, we did two big circles with a number of halts without fuss, but she is mad. She does not trust, nor particularly even regard a rider that much, so I'm puzzling over where to go next. Whether to ride her inside, so there's a solid wall in case she does go crazy, whether to keep her outside where she's more comfortable. To longe her longer before I ride so she's less 'jiggly'. I rode a lot of spooky, untrained ponies as a kid for my trainer, but he was usually there to guide me. Now I have to think on my seat and out manoeuvre this beast. I have time, sure, but I allso need a plan!

horses, difficult horses.

So, Chelsea the pulling Paint went for it again. I took the dummy halter off and bam! she sucked back and tried to duck out of her halter. I yanked the chain and she only got a few strides back. I asked her to walk back to me and went again. Same reaction, she flew back and tried to shake the halter off of her head. No luck, I held firm.

Third go, she pulled less and didn't move her feet. Fourth, same. So, I took off both halters. She ran. I waved a handful of hay at her, she came back. Dumb horse. Thankfully! We went again. On, off. On, off, On, off...eventually, she stopped pulling. I took the last halter off, she stood for a quick pat, then turned a little slower than she had been away from me, and then took off. I suppose that's ok!

I'll write about Stormy tomorrow. I rode her! Sort of.

Quebec had some hurricane too!

Granted, it wasn't at the devastating level that it was further south, but we lost power and water for over 24 hours and had mega strong winds and rain that kept it very dark in the barn.

On Sunday morning, before it was due, we filled all the buckets, bins, boxes and bathtubs (b's!) with water as the stalls have automatic waterers. As we were doing this, the power was flickering on and off, and finally it went off at about 10.30am. The wind was getting stronger and it was raining, but we were rotating the horses in pairs on turnout in the indoor school every 3.5 hours, with hay and water. It seemed like we didn't stop mucking stalls, giving hay, moving horses all day. We finished at 9pm and I went straight to bed, watched an episode of Grey's Anatomy on my laptop and then crashed pretty soon after! zzzzz.

This morning, it was up at 6 to get the 3 overnighters out of the school. Fortunately the wind had dropped to a stiff breeze and the sun was coming out, so the smaller fields weren't too bad, just with some of the electric fence down and branches strewn about. We got Deedee and Chelsea down to the big field 5, and Chelsea, who sometimes does do this, decided to pull away before I 'd got the halter off and I couldn't hold her. She ran to the other side of this 3/4 acre field and we had to track her down - fortunately I wasn't alone! Valerie managed to catch her, and went to take it off, but she ran AGAIN. B!***. So, we caught her again...dumb horse! And that was it, she came in. Usually, if she's going to do this awful habit of hers, she pulls when the halter is all but off, which is annoying, but safer for her. She doesn't always do it, and sometimes she pulls and then stops, sometimes she pulls and runs and bucks. Today was unprecedented. I know she's been in for 21 of the last 24 hours, but come on! So, she sat in her stall and stewed while I thought about it. I decided to take her again to a smaller field, with a longe line, so if she pulled before it was off, I'd have much more slack to pull her back.

This time, she waited til it was off and went. Fast. It's so dangerous, because she bucks, kicks, doesn't give a damn if there's a human there. So, I was mighty angry now and chased her round a bit, but she enjoyed this and kicked and flung and snorted, so I calmed down, followed her round, watched by Annick on Bond, as they were on their cooling down walk on the lane. So, I had an audience of a horse trainer. Great! After about 10 minutes, I caught her and took her inside, grabbed my gloves and took her to the school where I longed her til she was dripping with sweat and blowing hard. Then I removed her halter and bingo, no reaction. Ha. Of course not. So I took her to the manege and took it off. No reaction. Annick came over to see how we were getting on and she said that I knew I'd better do the field as well, while I was at it. I did know, so after giving her 10 minutes to cool down, I caught her again and took her into the barn for an extra halter. I figured I'd have the longe line on a chain on her halter, then put the second one on to fool her into a reaction. If she pulled, I'd pull hard. So, with fear for my face and her hoof connecting with it, I headed to the same field, halter with chain over nose, longe attached to this, and dummy halter over the top.

I turned her to face the gate and gave the rope a tug to remind her what was what. I unclipped the first halter, and as it came over her ears, which is her cue to bolt, she pulled. I yanked HARD and she stayed put. Huh. So I put the dummy halter on again and off again. She stayed put. I went for the jackpot and took off her last halter, and she didn't move. She let me pat her and then she mooched off.

So, tomorrow's another day. She will have been worked pretty hard in the morning before she goes out, but I'm fairly sure she'll go for the pull and run again. I'll wear a helmet to turn her out and do the two halters thing. We shall see...

some progress, some regression

The vet came to look at Mae and did plenty of tests on her. She looked lame on both front legs. He couldn't give a definite diagnosis, but he believes it's ligaments in or around the fetlock and ankle. She's off for another 3 weeks on a tapered bute regime with a DMSO massage every day. Fingers crossed that will sort it out.

Maverik was ace in his competition. His new rider has only sat on him 8 times since she got him, what with his cracked skull and another problem where his leg blew up to twice its size! He won his level one and level 2 tests and then a huge storm hit and he didn't have the chance to do his Kur. He looked so calm and not at all spooky and the girl rides him beautifully with soft hands and patience! He wasn't at all excited to see either of us, which is a good thing, really! Hopefully I can go see him in his next few competitions as well. What a star. I felt like it could have been me winning the competitions as the tests were exactly the sort of thing I was working on with him. Counter canter loops, extension, collection, medium trot and canter. I had him ready and now they're reaping the benefits. I'm very proud.

Lilly is now longeing in walk and trot with the saddle on, very calmly. She's not expected to canter until she has been certified with the RMHA so my next step is going to be stirrups tied under her with a stirrup leather, and then I can start long lining properly. I tried a couple of weeks ago but she wasn't thrilled with the line around her legs, so I waited til she relaxed and then stopped, to try again once she's fine with stirrups. I am also taking her on mini trails with the bit and bridle on so she can mouth away at it - it's a happy mouth fulmer cheek snaffle - whilst sightseeing and just having me controlling her from the halter. I longed her with it on on Thursday, with the longe attached to the halter. She mouthed for a while but then settled and left it alone. Once she is long lining with the saddle on, to the halter, I will start showing her what the bit means and go from there.

Ella is doing well with her canter. We had a lesson last week where Lise had me ask for the upward transition with a gentle contact, then once the canter was established, hold the outside rein, push her into that with my inside leg and just use the inside rein for direction. To stop her losing her balance and changing behind, I rode her on a diamond shape, asking for tighter turns with a take and release. It seemed to work and she didn't change after the first canter.

Finally, Stormy. She lost her fetus, so no baby for her next year. Grace is the only one expecting, so that's given us a dilemma as to what to do with Stormy. She overreacts to just about everything. Her first issue was barging on the leadline, so she goes most places with a chain over her nose as despite all the work done with her, she still doesn't always feel like stopping when you stop. Next were here ears. She'd snort and fling her head violently if you so much as brushed over them with your hand. Now, she's a bit easier, as long as you telegraph explicitly what you're going to do and rub her face and neck plenty as well.

I started longeing her and she would just run. She didn't know woah; she didn't actually know how to longe, so I had to spend time showing her and correcting her everytime she switched back the other way and ran backwards, snorting and eyes rolling as I tried to get behind her quarters and drive her on. Now, she'll longe both ways, she understands woah but usually needs a tug on the line to actually stop. She still has moments of eye rolling panic, but these don't seem to be in any pattern. She freaked out at me swinging the line at her one day that I stood her up and gently slapped her all over with it to show that she wouldn't die if I did that. She trembles and snorts if it takes more than 2 tugs on the line to stop and I have to really pull. I longe her in a Myler snaffle with a copper roller and she seems to accept this, but I'm starting to wonder if she's still terrified, or if she's trying it on at times. In our last session, she went well to start with, just doing walk and woah - we haven't gotten to tolt yet -but then she started stressing and gaiting really fast, not responding to my woahs, only the really firm ones, which brought her to a direct halt and the aforementioned trembling and eye-rolling. Then, I'd go to ask her to 'walk on' which she knows fine when she's calm, and she'd just stare at me, so I'd wave the line at her quarters, and she'd fling her head up and explode into a sideways gait, skittering away from me like I was beating her. She alternated between fast gait and scared stop until I got her on a tiny circle and forced her to walk. I hit her once or twice - very gently! - when she was trying to keep facing me and I wanted her to move away. She kept positioning her body straight on so I couldn't get to her side, so I slapped her on the shoulder with the rope. She panicked, but only as much as when I circle the rope at her. Sigh. She's a puzzle.

still lame

Mae was looking good at walk and gait, so we put her in the big field for a rest without coming in and out of the field every day, which would have been nice, except DeeDee, Valerie's palomino 3 year old got mega excited and led them a merry gallop down the hill to the other side of the 6 acres and then all the way back. Mae started hopping after about 3 strides, so I swore quite loudly and went and caught her again - she's very sweet to be caught even after being a mentalhorse with the herd - and walked her back in. She's now in a small paddock, on her own, with limited grass as she's quite the fatty, and she's not inclined to move faster than a walk. We have no idea what's still dogging her after 3 weeks, but it's very frustrating. She's sound at walk and has a good range of movement, but is still a bit wobbly in her gait and at canter. Sigh.

Ella, the 3 year old Rocky I'm working with is coming along very nicely. She's just learning how to canter under saddle and we've had to work through the problem of her becoming disunited behind every few strides which is very hard to sit to for my lower back! I went back to longeing her at canter and just riding her at walk and gait for a few weeks, then she had a break at grass for a couple of weeks. Now she's back in work and her canter is mega improved, so we're building up more and more of that.

The work with Stormy and Lilly is going well. I've tried a bit and a saddle on Lilly, just very calm and matter-of-fact and she accepted both with little problem. Stormy is still determined to be terrified of me when I swing a rope near her, so we're doing de-sensitization stuff with her each time I work her but it's going to take a long time.

I'm also working the Canadian mare, who has had lameness problems. She's on adequan now and has recently had all her shoes put back on, after trying her barefoot didn't work. Basically, she's a different horse. She's VERY headstrong and is ridden by beginners fairly often, and she just takes the mickey constantly, but not in a way they realise or know how to deal with, so when it comes back to me riding her, she'll start off being a pig. Valerie and I ride her in a kimberwicke whereas they ride her in a loose ring snaffle and I think she's worked out the pattern now. Kimberwicke - concentrate, be a lovely horse, snaffle - anything goes. I've had plenty of fights with her in the past, she's so alpha it translates into being ridden, even, but this last week she's been a dream to ride, big, powerful trot, soft mouth, willing attitude. It's like having a new horse at the barn!

Later today we're going to watch Maverik in a dressage competition at his new home. Exciting!

This post, somewhat belatedly...follows 'rain rain rain' back in May.

2001, and foot and mouth hit the UK, closing everything down. I didn't ride all summer, the ponies had time off as we were not even allowed out of our gate with them due to the restrictions in place in the countryside. This was especially cruel as we had just bought Jack to start doing novice classes with, and all of a sudden we were house bound. The longest summer came and went and 2002 brought a complete show season. I was 15, sitting mock exams, had a new pony to bring out and off we went again to our show scheduling. Except, Frankie ripped a hole in his shoulder in February and needed a month off. A month! Of box rest! Argh. I was gutted for him. The wound was nasty, and I still to this day am not 100% sure how he did it. He is not a horse that enjoys a stabled lifestyle, so we spent plenty of time keeping him occupied. Our first show was in April and it was going to be touch and go to get him out and fit to complete an early warm up before the first qualifier. The vet relented and we started walking in hand in the 3^rd week, and I was on him at the end of the 4^th. We hacked out as much as school allowed me to and he was fit enough to jump one class by the show, in my judgement. We went, we completed, I don't even remember if we placed or much about it, just that he got round and we were good. Bloody relief. He had a scar and still does to this day, but he was happy and glad to be showing off to people again. We went to our next qualifier and he had an unlike him stop at a fence. He jumped it on the second go, and I must have put him at it wrong as Frankie has stopped at a fence maybe 3 times in 14 years with me, and the other two times were my fault. I was worried it was pain, but he jumped the rest ok and we went home with another qualification for the summer championships. There was then a break to our first HOYS qualifier at Northern Horse. Jack was also going to come for an outing in the novice ridden.

The main thing I remember about the day was nerves. Feeling like throwing up from 5am til whenever, not wanting to warm up because that meant the class would start soon, not being able to sit upright with the anxiety. Mum told me I shouldn't do the class if it was that bad. The only thing worse than feeling that bad was not doing the class, so I bucked up a little and warmed up. I still felt sick and jelly-like, but luckily Frankie thinks highly enough of himself to disregard pansy-ass, lily-livered teenagers who mope around on his back, and we were fine. I soon came to realise that it wasn't the fear of jumping that crippled me so. It was the fear of not winning. And not because anyone had the expectation we would. They didn't. Mum took me showing because Frankie and I were good, that's for sure, but she is the antithesis of a pushy parent. She wanted a good attitude from me far more than a good performance, although the two do often go hand in hand. So I couldn't tell her this shaming reason for my gut churning. I still can't rationalise it completely, but it was my yearning to be the best, to beat the odds, to be the 15 year old girl on the non-perfect looking pony who was so good to her and was so talented that beat the pros and the horses who went to HOYS and were placed every year. Frankie was that good, if not better, and I wanted to show that off every class. If we didn't go clear, we couldn't win and if we couldn't win, what was the point? What if we didn't get another chance? Ugh. It's why I eventually quit competing. That feeling was not worth it. Showing wasn't worth it. I was sick of being judged on my appearance and Frankie's blue eye. He was my perfect buddy and ride, and who were they to undermine that? I took it too personally, as you can see! So I quit.

But, there was one last twist in my showing career.

It's June 2002. Maybe May. We're in Wetherby. I feel very sick. There are some top notch horses and riders in this class, like, HOYS champions, people who qualify every year. I am drawn late. I have to watch. Grim. Mum ignores my moans and groans and chats to Frankie about my madness. Our friends who are in another class have come to watch. I cannot stuff up! I do the practice fence a few times, Frankie feels wonderful, as usual. What's the fuss about? I fiddle with my body protector. I hate wearing it to jump, but I'm not being that person who falls off and gets an injury that could have been prevented. I watch with little interest. What does it matter what everyone else does? If I go clear, I can win. If I don't, I can't. There are one or two clears, but not many. Before me is a horse who has won at HOYS the year before, a big chestnut stallion, he is ridden by a professional. Ugh. I hate them. I have finished my warm up and I always watch the person right before me to critique their ride to really focus on the course, the strides, the possible problems. For me, us, it's usually the littler fences that Frankie doesn't focus on, or maybe a plank that is more a rider psych out, or the max height spread. There are no huge bogey fences that I can recall, so I'm surprised (am I?) there haven't been many clears.

Anyway, the person before me is nearly finished so I go to move to the gate and then there is a gasp. The former HOYS winner has had a refusal at the second last!! a simple spread, heading back to the gate, and he's stopped! No way! I know it's awful, but my sick feeling lifts a little. He might do that. Frankie won't. So in we go. Salute the judges, pop into canter, confirm my lines and head to the first, which is very little. No probs. Same with two and three, also small. I don't remember the middle of the course, although I do have a breathless account written down somewhere at mum's. I do remember coming to that last line and seeing the flowers at the wings that some horses had spooked at and we just popped the second last, then the last, for a clear round! Aces. Salute the judges again, head out to lots of clapping and happy small fan club. Take off Frank's boots, make him nice and shiny for the flat half of the class, take a breath. Feel slightly happy, although now is also bad, because we are in the running to win the effing class, and I want that more than anything. If I'm called second, boy, that's gonna sting. I don't remember the ride much either, except it went well and we headed back to the line of maybe 6 horses. I was stood in 2^nd or 3^rd with the horse I thought would win to my left but I kept my face neutral whilst stealing glances at his horse. A horse which also did plaited workers and wasn't, in my opinion, a typey welsh cob, but many judges disagreed, clearly.

It was a class where the announcer called out the placings, by number, in order. Always heart lurching if there were people in the class whose numbers started the same as yours. Very cruel. Worse than not being pointed at to come forward by the arsey steward.

They called in the first number, 668. I looked at next-door-horse's number. 545. Nope. There was a smattering of applause. Oh! 668 was me! I asked Frankie to walk forward and when no one told me to go back to my place in the line, I allowed myself a small grin and my small fan club gave a few cheers. My grin grew larger as I was handed a rosette, and then the judge signed my qualification card – yessss! - and gave me an envelope with some token prize money, and I don't even remember who was 2^nd, 3^rd etc. I just remember thinking 'I'm 15, I've just qualified for HOYS on my fabulous, genuinely home produced pony. Life doesn't get better!' It was such an incredible feeling. Wish I could've bottled it for the future!

the magician

Mae had looked like she was recovering but on a trail past her field, we set her, Lilly and Bond off into a wild frenzy and she gaited then cantered and was limping within a couple of strides. Soo, she came in and went back on stall rest for the night and next day. I took her for a little walk and a bit of a graze in hand and then she was going to be seen by the magical osteopath. He's from France and studied in the UK and I've never seen someone have such a positive reaction on a horse just from touching them. For example he worked on Maverik when he had a sore back and Mav would never touch his salt lick, it was in his stall, pristine for months. As Steve worked on him, Mav searched out the salt lick and began chewing on it. He'd have a little go on it every day after that. Plus his back was much improved, as was the tightness under his chest.

Anyway, he got to work on Mae who wouldn't stop fussing, trying to roam around her stall, chew on me, curl round to watch him work. At a couple of points, she'd freeze and focus on what he was doing, but then go back to fussing. At one point, she stopped, put her ears back and let out an audible grunt on an exhale. Apparently her humerus had been out of whack and that moment it had gone back in. This was on the other side to which she'd been showing lameness as well. So, she's out with her best pal, Mommy-to-be Gracie, and tomorrow I'll try walking her out again and see what happens.

I had another two sessions each with Lilly and Stormy, working on the longe. Stormy is still terrified every time I ask her to move away with a rope and she throws herself out of the way like I'm about to beat the crap out of her, snorting and rolling her eyes. It's going to be a long road to get her to the point of realising no one here is going to beat her more than a quick smack to tell her to get out of the way or a brush with a rope if she hasn't responded to the visual.

Lilly is of a better mind set, only a little freaky, and so we moved on to walk and woah being quite regular, and even tried a little trot which startle d her at first when I asked, but she produced a few calm strides so I let her quit there and we went back to the barn. Lilly posing for a photo at sunset, showing her funky Grulla legs.

happy trails!

The day before we were due to set off to Brownsburg-Chatham, I was having a lesson on Mae when she suddenly would not strike off on a left canter. My trainer insisted I was doing something wrong, not giving with the rein, weight not evenly distributed but I knew something was wrong as the day before, and nearly every day, she will canter from the walk with a voice command and a leg squeeze, so I stood up for myself and Mae, said there must be something else, asked on the other rein, and she struck off, but was limping noticeably. So, I hopped off the poor mare and walked her back to the barn. It's her near shoulder and with hosing and reduced turn out, she's a lot more comfortable on it now. Today I took her for a walk in hand and we went past the yearling donkey up the street and she was suitably prancy about it. It meant, of course, that I couldn't take her for a two day trail, no matter how longingly I stared at her shoulder, willing it to be better!

So, I took Chelsea, the palomino Paint mare, who can be a real plug on a trail, or a real bitch. Either way, she's not spooky and she travels well, so she seemed pretty keen to go on the adventure, so I was happy for her and only a little sad for myself :(..!

It was about 2.5 hours north east of Magog, up to Montreal and then west towards Ottawa. We did about 40km the first day and about 20km on the second half day as rain was forecast - and duly arrived! - for the afternoon. Chelsea was a thug all the first day, always pulling on the reins, fussing when she was behind the other horses, trotting too fast with her head down at her knees.

Chelsea at our final rest stop after about 35km in 25+c heat. And she'd pulled my arms all day!

On the second day, she was calm, steadier and had a mouth as light as a feather. It was a huge relief. I guess she'd had a think overnight about which behaviour would be least tiring for her!

Back at the farm, all the horses had the weekend off and today I worked with Stormy, the scared Rocky, and Lilly, the baby Rocky, on longeing. Stormy was very scared of me asking her to go away from me and ran round in circles pretty unhappily for a while, until she worked out I wasn't beating her when I spun my rope at her. Each time she stopped she wanted to turn and face me with her eyes showing white and snorting. I got her to just stop without walking towards me, and gave her a forehead rub and gentle neck pats when she relaxed. She went both ways, if not happily, but she does seem confused about the whole point of longeing, and kept touching me with her nose when I went to pet her.

Lilly got it pretty quick and only had one freak out where she ran back the length of the line after something (nothing!) spooked her while she was walking round, and then it took a while to calm her snorting and panicky running, but she settled and we worked on woah and walk on, which were ok for the first time.

Plenty to work on with both of them now. I want to longe successfully and then move on to long lines, before either are saddled; Lilly for the first time ever, Stormy for the first time in her new, non-scary life.

I work Lilly with occasional treats as she is fairly submissive and doesn't become pushy or expectant. When she arrived she had no idea what a treat was, which was refreshing, so she does seem to take positive reinforcement from them. Stormy is a different matter and is always looking to be in charge and is very pushy for treats so she gets release from pressure and lots of hand to body contact as a reward.