🚀 go-pugleaf

Hi all,

I could use some encouragement with Morris.  I had a rather frustrating
experience today that I hope didn't completely undo several weeks worth
of work.  I'm also wondering what folks think is the best way to respond
to an episode of real panic is, especially during and immediately after
the panic.

In short, after a really encouraging ride, while walking on a long rein 
around the property, a noisy truck going too fast up the road where the
path goes closest to the road, scared Morris into a panic bolt.  We went
from completely relaxed on the buckle to dead gallop faster than I could
realize what was about to happen!  I was able to pull him up in about
a dozen strides, so I'm comfortable that I'll always be able to stop
him, but once I got him down to a walk, I took him back to where
the scare happened, and he just stood and trembled.  I tried to walk
him around a bit, but he showed no signs of relaxing, so I got off
and tried to encourage him to crop some grass, thinking that if I
could snap him out the panic mode, I could get back on without it
being a confrontation.  He still didn't really settle, though he finally
would take a few mouthfuls, then go back into camel-with-radar ears mode,
and tremble if anything seemed threatening.  Eventually I was getting
late for work, so I led him, jigging, to a quieter place further from
the road, got back on, and he was able to walk fairly quietly (if not actually
relaxed) back to the barn on a long rein.

I wonder if this was the right way to handle it.  I wonder to what extent
he'll be left with impressions of the bad part of the ride as opposed to 
the really good part of the ride earlier.  I wonder if he will always
tend to panic this severely or if he will eventually trust me enough
to be able to pull himself back together after a scare.  I am somewhat
encouraged by the fact that I was able to get him to walk back to the
barn...

Sigh.  I will just continue employing LOTS of patience...

    Debbie  (& Morris & Split)