Leading

My goal yesterday was to halter JJ.  That proved to be a little more difficult than I thought it would be.  While he let me touch him with the halter, I could see that putting it on was going to be challenge for the afternoon session.  Instead of potentially frightening him into moving away, which could set that up as a pattern, I decided to use corral panels to move him into a small space where I could train him without allowing him to avoid me.  By positioning two panels in the corner of his paddock, so that they formed a wedge, he could neither turn around or kick me, but he could move his head and body away to let me know if I was pushing him too hard.  It also allowed me to work with him through the panel, which was safer for me, should he react suddenly.  Once he was in there, I didn't rush the process.  I continued to take my time and reassure him.  After about ten minutes, he allowed me to halter him without trying to move his head away.  Once he was out of the wedge, I scratched him a bit and left him alone to get used to the halter.  

This morning, I showed him the lead rope carefully and then clipped it on with little trouble and we started the rudimentaries of leading.  At first, he was unsure of the long skinny thing that was attached to him, so I dropped the lead rope and let him drag it for a few moments, to get used to the sight of it.  Soon enough, he stopped and I picked it up and showed it to him, again.  Once he relaxed, I began to pull gently on the lead to look for a movement of his head towards my direction.  Once he responded to that pressure, I asked for a step.  He moved out at the trot on his own few times and I kept the rope slack at this point.  All I was looking for was him to give into pressure.  The pressure I used was the same type I do with calves; steady until I get a response, and then slacking up as a reward.  After some good responses, I unclipped the lead rope and fed him a carrot.  After this afternoon's leading lesson, I'll remove his halter for the night.  I'll use the wedge as long as it's needed to halter him.  

I'm very happy with his progress so far.  I have heard about others making quicker progress with bolder burros, but JJ has a different personality.  He is not bold, nor particularly brave, but he thinks about things a lot and has never shown any aggression towards me.  While some burros have been braying to ask for their breakfast already, JJ is silent.  He is also so careful about taking treats that I don't have to worry much about him becoming pushy.  He has a quiet personality.  It may take longer to gain his trust, but it will be worth it.  I also think his personality would do best with another burro.  We have already considered doing that, either the next time a BLM auction comes to our area, or through another TIP Challenge.  Burros are social animals and they need the companionship of another burro.  We did try to adopt two, but they were in high demand.