[Fuscontidox]

User name: Fuscontidox
Show Name: Fuscington's Vesuvius Demise
Barn Name: Fuse
Breed: Mustang
Gender: Gelding
Age: 4
Color: Mahogany bay
Markings: a snip and two socks
Problem: food aggression, will have to eat in solidtude

this is my image for part 2 & 3, which i will post on Saturday, i may post it sooner, but this is just to show a bit of what goes on :3 itll make more sense when i post the two parts over the next two weeks :3
week 4&5 will have their own progress image, im really excited for this boy :3

i have decieded on this for his name with some help from a few fellow makerers ^^

[Fuscontidox]

I would like permission to edit his mane :3 i might want to make a little change as he becomes tame, I might put it up in rubber bands by the end of the transformation :3 but I am not completely sure if I will be doing so or not it's a high chance I will want to though
(I would prefer you PMed me your reply :3)

Part two

For a few days, I contemplated, leaning on the gate and every once in a while sitting in his pasture as he grazed. He showed no signs of being dependent on other horses, which was good since he wouldn't be allowed to spend most of his time with them in the first place. Many of the horses are boarded and have never shared a pasture with another horse.

I still had yet to name him, nothing seemed to fit, he was too magnificent for anything I could think of. My cousin who is constantly around the ranch enjoys watching me as I wait the weeks out in his presence. I enjoyed getting closer to him, he hasn't been taken inside the stables yet and takes shelter often under the tree rather than the horse shed that we had moved into his pasture. My cousin had bought a yellow flashy halter for him, I had yet to attempt to reach out to him in a bond.

I was becoming a little unsure of him during feeding time, I have tossed him grain before and he pins his ears. I would place the grain bucket close to the water trough near the center of the pasture. It took him a while but he soon enjoyed the nutrient rich grain I had selected personally for him. I would walk back to the front of the pasture by the gate and sit down. I watched as he gorged on his oats, he stopped for a moment to look up towards me. Tonight I would throw him a flake of hay, unsure of how he would take to it.

Finishing my chores, I took the new yellow halter in my hand, running my fingers over the cold ring of metal that hung underneath the chin and jaw. It was a really nice halter, and would diffidently make my gelding stand out. I smiled to myself, looking up to the hayloft above, what had I gotten myself into? I was all of a sudden up and changing a horse, a gelding with amazing potential, I never thought something like this would happen again in a million years. I still was upset that my cousin did this behind my back, but I always remembered her words when I thought of being mad at her over this.

I slung the halter over my shoulder, holding the flake of hay and a bucket of grain, I looked up and turned the corner towards pasture five. There he stood, his head stretching over the fence, ears perked and waiting for me to bring his meal. He had never done this before, I had only ever seen him far out in the field, munching on the grass.

The setting light of the sun started to beam on his coat, the tint of red glowing in ruby highlights despite the majority of him consisting of dirt and grime. He wasn't ready for me to be close to him yet, constantly switching between his feet to show that he was uneasy even when I went to place his food. However, the gestured pinning of his ears has become more; pawing at the ground and sometimes tossing his head in aggressive manners, I have seen him bare teeth once. This started to worry me, looking up horse aggression one day, I found that he had been showing signs of food aggression. It said there was two kinds of food aggression, true and false, after reading it through, it was clear that he was showing signs of true aggression! My heart raced as I read over the list of signs and how to fix such behavior.

It said that a horse with true food aggression typically starts to act aggressive towards a human if they consider them part of the herd. This I was happy about, it meant he was making progress, becoming used to me being around. But how to treat an aggressive attitude was risky, they said to finding a professional if you couldn't handle it, but in this contest, I would have to do it on my own, a professional wouldn't be needed, as I was a professional, just a rusty one. And I had my cousin as backup if I ever needed her, after all she got me into this, she's gonna play a role in some way, shape, or form.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair, I wrote down anything important from the site and turned off the computer. My desk was starting to fill with papers again, boarding requests, simple payments, and a few complex requests my cousin had set out. How she had time to sneak into my room baffled me, I find a new magazine every week of different types of tack, as I was unsure what this gelding would be best at; Something to accent his smooth, long gate.

I looked at the new picture she had hung on my wall and flicked the light off just after climbing in bed. This gelding is a really difficult and completely wild horse, I just hope the advice they gave me on treating his aggression would work.

For a time I would join the gelding before meals and in times when he didn't have food around. It was safer this way, and it allowed us to bond in a new manner rather than him always acting out. I found that he was rather gentle when he wasn't around meals, the mare a pasture over constantly held her graceful long neck out over the electric fence that separated them. If he was near by, she would try to get her nose close him, he would stomp a hoof and nip at her muzzle. He wasn't very much into meeting new horses currently, as he was more worried about me being around so much.

I would offer him treats to try to gesture friendship but with his habit, it will be too dangerous to do so at this stage.

When I had time free, I would stand in the open of his pasture, the yellow halter with me I would toss it down. watching him trot up to get close to it, he would stop at a distance pacing a bit. His feet as always would switch the weight showing his unease with me around, he really wanted to get close to the halter though... It was strange, how he was interested in the yellow halter, he would whicker a bit shaking his mane. I furrowed my brows and stepped a bit away from the halter. The gelding plodded over to the halter, his muzzle immediately wandered over the yellow, jolting at the cold of the metal. I smirked, he lipped a side of the halter and gently lifted it in his teeth, he swung it in his mouth, almost like a toy; Chewing a bit on the edges as it rattles about. I chuckled stepping slowly towards him and cautiously reaching a hand out, his ears perked and he stopped playing with the halter. I reached out and touched the edge of the halter, able to get a gentle grip on the yellow material.

Tightening my grip a bit, I pulled slightly, this ordeal felt like I was on thin ice. As I tugged for the halter, the gelding snorted, swinging his head a bit, he took a step away. When I tugged a little more jingling the halter his ears jammed forward and he took a few more steps back, almost dragging me in the field. I dug my heel into the dirt, trying to pull back, "what are you doing?" I asked the gelding who was dragging me about. This was a game to him, but why? He had never let me close to him and all if a sudden he is attached to a yellow halter using it to drag me around his pasture. This is the closest he had ever come to me at this point, before hand he had not come more than ten or twenty feet.

I laughed, failing as my heels didn't do what I hoped they would, no anchoring, just digging. I stopped trying to resist movement and started walking along with him, less resistance stood between us. I let go with one hand slowly and brushed it gently over his nose, he stopped moving but had barely pulled away from my gentle touch. His black nose, my hand still over the pink of his snip, how soft it felt, I gently moved a finger back and forth over his muzzle. I watched as he swished his long black tail, and for the first time, his back leg, it had relaxed, lifted at a point on his hoof. By this time, I had gotten him to release the halter, it was undamaged, which shocked me considering the tugging that went on with it.

I smiled and slowly crept my hand up his nose to his forehead, gently rubbing my fingers under his thick, black forelock. His eyes were closed, and he looked really peaceful. I felt warm inside knowing he was trusting me finally. I had done nothing but bring him food and sit in his pasture as he grazed.

[Fuscontidox]

Part three

At breakfast feeding a few days later, I gazed at the gelding, carrying his food towards the pasture, I opened the gate and walked in. Once he saw the bucket he flattened his ears and bared his teeth, when I lowered the bucket, I brushed my hands together. The gelding snorted and lunged his snapping jaws towards me. I had to jump away from him before a chunk of my shoulder would have been missing! I stepped away from his food and glowered towards him as he gorged on his meal.

Later, I had gone searching for the lariat with no prevail, it was no where! I know I had seen it not too long ago, how could it up and leave?

I took a good chunk of the day just thrashing about rummaging in search of that lariat, I had given up for the day when my cousin came around. "Searching in the wrong place." She told me, her red curls bouncing all over.

"Well where else could it be?" I responded, placing my hands on my hips, she held up her hand and walked away. What? That didn't make any sense, I grumbled and wheeled myself around heading out to grain the horses, it was evening by now and the horses had most likely been brought in by my cousin. When I had grained everyone, who was inside, I headed out towards the pastures, only two were out tonight, my gelding and my cousin's white mare. I walked over and saw the mare had been grained so I threw her an extra flake for her to snack on. I stood at her pasture gate looking towards the gelding. He stood at the gate, didn't look up, rubbing his nose over the yellow material on the halter, no longer jerking back whenever he touched a metal ring. He had tried to pull it away from the gate, he had no success, I had clipped it to the gate so he wouldn't take off with it again.

I spotted the lariat wound up and placed on the ground near one of the gate posts. It was warn from years of use, broken in well and quite flexible, I had many memories with that lariat...

Snapping back into current time I walked towards the gate, the gelding started to pin his ears, pawing and snorting. I placed the food down and picked up the lariat, unwinding it raising it and snapping it on the ground. The gelding jumped at the sudden noise, and darted for it out into the pasture more, bucking and thrashing about, unsuccessfully kicking up dirt. I quickly walked into the pasture, shutting the gate, and bringing the grain/oats and hay to the center. 'Whoever tries the advice I'm about to use is absolutely nuts... What would that make me? Oh right the nuts person who is using the advice I found!' I said to myself as I stood before his food, he came barreling towards me so I snapped the lariat towards him, the snap turned out louder than the last, he stopped, his ears pinned practically glowering at me.

The gelding was about fifteen hands give or take, so the top of my head reached his shoulders; that's a dang tall horse compared to me, and a mustang at that. Me a crazy five foot lady verses a wild gelding... This was ridiculous.

I raised the lariat carefully, acting as if I would snap it again, his reaction reluctantly changed, his ears were no longer pinned. He refused to come towards me, so I stepped away from his food, he took a few steps forward with me standing next to, but not in front of, his food. As I stepped backwards and away, he walked to his food a little uneasy and went to eat. By now I had lowered the lariat and it was rewrapped, I looked at the yellow halter and left it there on my way out.

This gelding was a ball of fire, showing that he wanted what he wanted, but this was only during meal time. Everyday I spent with him, while he wasn't eating, he would trot to me tossing his head gently. I loved how close he had become, despite his food aggression he was an amazing horse. He only acted out with food because as a wild horse he had most likely lived in a herd where food was in shorter supply and he had to do whatever possible to keep his share.

Over the next weeks of training he would mostly likely learn that it is best to disregard his bad habit. For now, I will only be getting him used to not attacking me, since he is around me more often then other horses and people, and he is starting to bond with me. I have to get him at least to the point that he doesn't mind me petting around his body, including his legs. Some friends of mine, who by the way are shocked that I actually joined this ordeal, gave me advice to use hobbles once he no longer minds eating around me. They said it would help keep him at bay without attacking the horse we will bring in.

I just hope I can get him over this habit, if he doesn't get over it sometime, it could be hazardous to not only other humans but to other horses...

[Fuscontidox]

I HAD a picture for this week but it got deleted! and I was away in Assatigue so I haven't had ANY time to write so now I'm behind! I'm so mad that it got deleted! I'll try to write what I can but I've been busy lately...

[Fuscontidox]

Part 4

I leaned over the gate deciding if I wanted to go in or not, he had spotted me, my still nameless gelding with the long and elegant gate. He tossed his head every now and then in a friendly manner, his red coat was surely something. His ears swiveled about as he walked closer to me, I looked to the yellow halter attached to the gate. He stood a foot or two from me, watching as I reached for the yellow halter, his ears forward and his gaze focused.

I lifted the halter and unclipped it from the gate, opening the gate and closing it quickly behind me. He backed up a few feet, switching between his back legs, a little uneasy as usual. I clicked my tongue slightly, his ears swerved again and I held out the yellow halter. He leaned over and smelt it, trying to lip at it again, but I pulled it away, we didn't need a repeat of last time. he moved away a bit but he didn't do anything else.

I held out the halter towards him, clicking my tongue quietly, his ears swiveled as he stepped closer. He arched his neck towards the yellow material, his warm breath blowing on my hand. Oddly he didn't lip at the material this time, which I was quite glad for.

I leaned my head closer to his muzzle, gently blowing into his nostril. He blew back after a few seconds of agonizing wait, I smiled gently rubbing his nose. So soft....

He relaxed as I held a hand gently over the bridge of his nose, how gentle he was just amazed me. I moved the halter slowly to his neck, he gave small resistance, swaying his tail every now an then. His muscles twitched a little as I moved it along his side, back up his neck to his nose. His lower lip seemed to relax as he just stood there, I placed both hands on the halter and lifted it over his head slowly. He started to jerk his head when the band was over his ears, tossing about while the clip underneath dangled about, jingling. He started to calm a bit, letting me et a little closer again, as he had backed away during his flurry. I slid my hand along his neck and to his jaw line, grabbing hold of the clip and snapping it through the loop. He jerked at the sound of the clip, but he didn't do much else.

"I hope you're this lenient in the saddle..." I mumbled with my hands on my hips, such great ground manners! I smiled as he tossed his head around, lipping at nothing every once in a while.

I left him in his pasture, work still needing to be done now that I was starting to get back on my feet as a trainer. While in my office I unlocked a drawer and pulled out a picture I had seen in my mind over the past years. I ran my thumb over the bay gelding I was so proudly smiling next to. The memory had reentered my mind, I had known the angle he was charging for was too sharp, I should have pulled him aways more before the barrel. I let him try the turn, and I shouldn't have, the accident.... I should have known what was going to happen.

I frowned and shoved the photo back into the drawer, looking back at the papers on my desk. Looking through the rather small pile, I found it was all just some boarding requests, usual business. My cousin had started putting up ads about boarding over the last weeks, still not sure where she finds time.

After making a few phone calls and checking out a few more requests, I left for nightly chores. It was time to be prepared with the lariat and the food again. I passed by the pretty boy as he stood about with his new halter, it was now starting to brown and he was still jingling it about. I smiled to myself, and continued with my work, the smell of horses seemed to always be relaxing. I hummed to myself as I did chores, I walked down the side of the barn in use and turned open the valves for the water buckets to be filled. I started to go around and turn them off once the buckets were filled, walking back to the main valve and turning it off.

I started to head for the grain room when I saw a trail of water leadin from the other side of the barn. I ran over, following the water to a bucket over flowing in a lit stall that had new sawdust, new buckets for water and grain, and a few bales of hay stacked outside the stall. I turned to catch the shadow of my cousin, a hand on my hip I saw nothing but madness in the girl.

She smiled sheepishly, knowing that she's been caught, "What are you doing?" I asked her.

She cast down her eyes and sighed, "I know you don't like this side of the barn anymore, but I though it would be best with his habit to feed him apart from the other horses. When we get him in the barn that is, I know won't be right away, but I thought id fix it up for now."

I grumbled knowing she was acting smart, the stall she happened to choose for him wasn't one I would have chosen. I looked at the door where a rusted name plait was. Turning away to go and work with him again to correct that bad habit.

I was heading towards the pasture with the lariat and food, scanning my eyes over the pasture, he was no where in sight, I opened the gate and set everything down where I normally did, searching about, I looked to the horse shed where it stood. I clicked my tongue still looking towards the shed, a snort echoed, and his head stuck out from inside the shed, I smiled and watched him tossed his head. Soon his ears flattened and I grabbed the lariat, looks like school was in session.

[Fuscontidox]

Okay so to make up for all the weeks I've been busy I drew this!!!

image.jpg

I'm super proud of it since I STINK at hands

[Fuscontidox]

image.jpg

After much time in getting used to the halter and lead, he finally listened more, however he doesn't trust any other humans

First successful attempt at putting him in a stall

His name is finally chosen over the week!

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I stood at his stall door, he paced quite a bit, probably still growing into his new space, after all he was used to having a huge space to himself. I had been working with him for weeks on his food aggression, having brought in the white mare many times, he still has yet to get used to it, he no longer has issues when people are around him while he eats.

The trouble now was getting him to like other horses, and not care when they eat while he does, or be around while he's eating.

I have been working with him using a belt (not a human belt,) and a saddle pad, I've been getting him used to what a girth would be like when I finally put a saddle on his back.

He bucks and tosses about, but after a while he grows tired as he goes in circles,