Rocky Improves

Rocky did excellent today for feeding!!  Hubby carried the whip and Rocky's bucket and I carried Zep's bucket and the scoop with Chrome's feed.  I walked in first and started opening the round pen.  Rocky came up next to me, very polite, very calm, ears forward, hoping I would feed him.  Chrome wouldn't come anywhere near us, so I asked hubby to lead Rocky away and feed him.  Hubby walked off and shook the feed but Rocky stayed by me so I gently shooed him away.  Hubby put his pan down at a good distance from the round pen and Rocky wouldn't approach until hubby turned and walked away.  Chrome high tailed it around Rocky and came to me.  I fed him and locked him in the round pen, then went to feed the donkey.  The goats are horrible about stealing Zep's food so I have to chase them away, but of course that scares him too because he's so skittish.  Eventually the goats give up and stand on the hill, then Zep comes back to me and eats out of his bucket.  It's all so complicated!!  I wish we had a barn with stalls sometimes.

So then I walked back over to Rocky.  He wasn't letting hubby near him because he knew hubby had the whip, so I tried approaching him.  He acted like he was going to run off, but I was slow and relaxed and he continued eating while I scratched him all over and shooed flies.  Then he let hubby approach (after he put the whip down).  So we stood one on each side and pet him all over while he ate.  :)

When Chrome finished I let him out.  The goats tried to steal Zep's food again because I got too far away, but he was done anyway so it didn't matter.  We grabbed all of the buckets and walked to the gate.  Chrome of course followed us, then Rocky followed us.  I stopped next to Chrome while hubby opened the gate and Rocky walked up behind me and put his nose on my shoulder!  So cute!  We pet him some more and then left.  Once we were outside the pasture Rocky pinned his ears at Chrome and he ran off.  I don't mind Rocky being the boss over Chrome, I just don't want him charging him and I don't want him threatening Chrome when we're nearby.  Politely pinning his ears to make Chrome move once we are outside the pasture is okay.  I knew from the beginning that Rocky would probably be in charge.  I'm pleased with the progress he's made!  I knew Rocky would figure it out quickly.  He never once pinned his ears at us or acted aggressive and I'm very happy he waited until we were outside the pasture before he chased Chrome away.  Yay!