I DID IT!

I went and worked with Pistol again, and he was still spooky, so we didnt do very much.  BUT... I taught him how to come to me sideways!  I don't really have a mounting block, so I stood on the back porch, and started trying to drive his hindquarters to me.  I have never done that with a completely new horse, so it was interesting.  He didnt get it, no matter what I did, and I sensed that I was just annoying him, so I changed tactics.  I decided to try to drive his forequarters towards me, and PRESTO!  He got it!  So we did it a couple more times, and headed back to the pasture.  On the way, he decided to stop and eat grass, so I asked him to come sideways to me again, and he did it perfectly!  So we kept on going to the pasture, and he headed right for his water trough to get a drink.  After he was done, I asked him to come sideways to me again to take his halter off.  He not only sidestepped to me, he bent his head over to me for me to take his halter off!!! He is usually polite about taking his halter off, but asking him to come to me sideways before it made all the difference between a level 2 and a level 3/4 halter removal.  I love my horse, I feel like without Parelli, he would be miserable.  He has so much potential just waiting to be uncovered, and he loves using his brain!