After Sabine was leading well and letting me rub and brush on her, I realized I needed to desensitize her to a rope moving around. When I would go to catch her, she would jump and run off if the rope touched her. This wasn't going to work.
So I started by having her in a halter and lead and I had another soft cotton rope in my hand. At first, I twirled the rope in the air. Again, if Sabine needed to move she could, but I kept her going in a circle around me. I only stopped twirling the rope when she stood still and relaxed. Within one 10 minute session, I could walk all around her twirling the rope.
Next, I rubbed her with the rope. She took that well - it wasn't much different than my hand, the curry or brush. But she did not like it when I started tossing the rope at her. Again, if she moved, I stayed with her. It took several sessions before she would stand quietly while I threw the rope over her neck, back and rump (her rump took the longest).
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