Topsy and Tufty - Week 5

Topsy is making some really noticeable progress now - this week she is starting to look more relaxed about things.  I managed to film this footage on Saturday - of both girls coming in...I can't believe I missed the first bit (again!!), because Paul called Tufty from the field, and she came running down, coming to a sliding stop to present herself to Paul, and she was rewarded with a piece of carrot.

In the video you can see that Topsy was just behind.  You can see from the headcollaring/clipping on of the lead rope that Topsy still has trauma triggers around her head, but she is starting to show very similar behaviours/processes to Mousey.  Both ponies still experience trauma triggered by past events when they are touched in certain areas, particularly around the head, but they almost learn to start to control it and work through it, because they know it's actually Paul there and he's someone that they trust. 

The last shorter video shows Topsy in the stable - for the first time, she is looking relaxed in the stable with people on the outside.  She even turns around in the stable and puts her back towards me for a couple of seconds, whereas before she would stand towards me looking alarmed.  She looks quite tired after a nice day eating grass in the sunshine!

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