I will admit I didn't tell anyone about Carbon until the papers of ownership were signed.
Once he was ours...poor thing probably wondered what sort of creature was I, where the heck I came from, and why was I so interested in him. I think he felt smothered the 1st week...he still is sort of being smothered. He did not want to be touched. In fact, he would position himself between me and his mother.
Which is completely normal for a foal.
However, I was still concerned. Does he like me? Was I doing too much too soon? Was I doing things incorrectly? What if he is just a standoffish type of horse? Why am I so worried?!!!
As I was working with him. I felt something very familiar. I remember what it was like in the early days with Frisky (which was a heck of a lot rougher) and when she eventually had her own foals and worked with them which was pleasant. I reminded myself in the end it worked out so well with her, her foals, and all my other horses. Things take time. I have time. I started to slow down (after about a month or so LOL!) and just started to enjoy it. I may have been subconsciously rushing to create "that bond" with him, that my before horses and I shared.
Which is funny, 4 months later I look at him and say: "Where did my little foal go?!" as he looks me in the eye...and I realize very soon he will be looking down on me. We have accomplished so much. He is very affectionate, playful, and super curious. One thing that I notice about him, for his age. His attention span is incredible. At first, I was worried about overdoing, he wants to keep going and picks things up quickly and it sticks! When he does reach his limits it is written all over his face haha. To which I ask him one more simple task and we call it a day.
*clears throat* He does have an ornery side to him at times. I take this stubbornness as a sign of him being confident and comfortable which is good and bad news for me. Great that he is not a pushover or scared out of his mind. Does well around other horses, in fact he likes to move everyone around pretty well and stands his ground. Doesn't panic too much in an unfamiliar "scary" situation. On the flip side, when he is feeling his oats, he tries to test the boundaries with me. Gets a little nippy and tries to move me. Feels very very familiar. *points at Hidalgo* This time I actually know what I am doing for the most part but man is he persistent and sassy at times! We have our "mini battles and arguments" which can be frustrating but it always ends on a good note so help me. One thing not on my side is his mother Skye. The sweetest horse I have ever met. I swear she is made out of sugar! She is also a solid horse. Nothing bothers her which is great when working with Carbon her calmness has really come in handy a lot! The problem is she is so sweet and chill she has not once corrected him or taught him boundaries. Usually, from past experience, mares will teach their foals what is acceptable and what is not. If one of Frisky's foal tried to nip her or crowd her, boy, that foal was in for it. She would not have it and her foals were so well behaved and I didn't have to do much come to think of it on that front. Carbon bites, runs into, mounts, and rears at her and she is like: This is cool. He is a free spirit. *facepalm* Luckily she doesn't exactly yield to him too much which is what he wants but just standing there doesn't stop the behavior and kind of encourages his behavior which boils down to his core personality. Somehow I end up with the confident ones. Basically, I have to channel Momma Frisky when Carbon tries to show off his colt antics. He has to know that while his mother is totally fine with being bit, pawed at, and reared on. Bless her. I am definitely not.
I will write more in the coming weeks on things we have done and the challenges we faced in the last 4 months.
