Defeating the Killer Plastic Bag

Anyone who is anyone knows about the famous Spyder. But just in case you're currently no one, I'll tell you a bit about him.

Last December I bought a Missouri Fox Trotter mare (Apple) to be a trail horse. Come spring, surprise surprise, she's pregnant. Thankfully the sire is a really nice Missouri Fox Trotter, so I wasn't stuck with some cross-bred trainwreck.

I figured, in for a penny, in for a pound, and sensationalized the entire thing on Facebook. Pictures and updates of Apple every day or so, and when the time got close, I hooked up a web camera and livebroadcasted Apple's pen online. Cool right?

Everyone thought so. Most were lucky enough to catch the birth live. We had some 60+ viewers. It was quite the night! I also recorded the birth on my camera for those who missed it.

Since then, people have become Spyder Followers, as the foal, (a bay colt), is named Thunder's Spyder Prince. They follow my updates, my pictures, my training videos of him, and now they can follow this blog too.

Spyder is now coming up to five months old and is weaned, well halter broke, stands for baths and hoof trimming, and is pretty well in hand.

Except for plastic bags.

Plastic bags were made for the specific reason of KILLING foals, don't you know? Spyder decided he HATES them and will have nothing to do with them. I can throw a rope around him and his legs, a towel, just about anything else, but the noise of the plastic bag freaks him right out.

So I left it alone for a while, giving him a break, and then reintroduced it this morning. I started by allowing him to stand some ways away on the lead while I shook and waved the plastic bag. When he stood quietly, I took the bag away and gave him a break. Then asked him to take a step closer and repeated the process.

Patience, patience, patience is the key to working with any animal!

Eventually he was standing beside me as I waved this plastic bag all over the place, making horrifying noises with it. Not bad! We walked around a bit, taking a break, then started again and this time I TOUCHED him with it.

Oh the humanity! Eyes got wide, nostrils flared, and skin flinched triple time. But he stood still. Cue bag removal and lots of praise. What a good Spyder.

And after a few minutes, I was able to rub the bag on him. Patience, that's all it takes.