Scary Teeth!

Flash has been packing around a saddle and wearing a bridle like a champ the past few weeks. When we were out in the barn yard doing a bit of lunging work near the tractor, he came around the corner and planted his feet and flared his nostrils at the lowered tractor bucket. There were a new set of teeth on the tractor and boy, Flash thought for sure those teeth were for eating baby horses.... He snorted and started to take steps backwards to flee the monster. I gently asked him to go forward and he thought hard about it but then reluctantly gave me a step forward with much snorting and head straight up in the air. (OOO the Arab was shining through!) However; he trusted me enough to listen and take a step forward. So I told him how smart and brave he was and I asked for another step and then another... he tried to dodge past me once but I said no so he tried to run backwards again and I said no; either stand and stare and snort or walk forward. Eventually he got back to taking little steps forward again and I praised and praised with each positive movement. Then he began to take more of an interest in the scary monster bucket and he was taking steps on his own and reaching out with his nose. (and showing off his long Araby neck). Once he touched the bucket teeth oh, so carefully with his nose and then gave it a big long wiff, he let out a sigh and then was over it. We went back to lunging quietly around the tractor as if it were not there. Good Boy!!!!