Progress, progress, progress that is the key. As a trainer I always want to make some progress by the end of each session. It might be only a little or it might be just refining some move but it is still progress. Well we got if from both of the horses today.
Robbie, was all in for our session today. He was saddled and moved around like before with a short stint at laying hte whip on his hocks and fetlocks. Then it was time to drive him. So the reins were put on him and he got in a tangle but I got him untangled and after a few tangled starts we finally got going. He cantered alot out of fear, I think, but I kept him moving until he calmed down. Then we switched directions. Finally, we just kept switching directions and until he was carrying his head down and was nice and relaxed. Then he had a long rest and we started again only we walked back to the starting point and I took everything off of him. He made good progress with this. I think, come Monday, he will do much better.
Darkstar again moved away when I stood in his stall, but he soon came back to me and I rubbed on him. Then he came out of his stall. He was real spooky today, because the rain, so I knew I wanted to just spend time with him letting him rest with me and see that he could be relaxed as long as he was with me. I am real happy with how things went. We flexed and walked around with him following at liberty then with a halter. I put him through YH YF and backup several times then rest. He was real jumpy but I kept after him to get him to jump and he started to calm. I didn't even saddle him today. I then decided to spend time moving him around and then letting him rest. Soon he was really on me. I sat down and played the YO YO with him and had his head in my lap and sometimes all the way with his nose to the ground and holding it there next to me. With all that was going on around him with the noises and such yet he was relaxed and trusting right next to me. It was picture perfect. Then I sidepassed him to the next bag to sit on and rested him. Again the same thing, head in lap and totally relaxed. We ended with sidepassing the other direction and resting in the place where he is always spooky, but he was resting with head in lap. It was great. I think much has been accomplished with him today though he didn't sweat hardly at all.
Friday, August 10, 2012
Thursday, August 9, 2012
slow and easy
That is kinda the motto for the day.
I got Star out first and he came but reluctantly. So I know that I really gotta take it slow and easy with him. It is easy to lose his trust if I push to much too fast and keep it going too long. However, push his envelope I must. Nevertheless, I am taking it slower with him. I had him just follow me like before then when I saddled him I could tell he didn't like it at all, but he did stick with me. Then I went through his exercises with lots of long stops. I got in the stirrup both sides and despooked him. He stood ok. I also moved his feet with no problem. I flexed him with the rein and even had him moving while using the rein to direct his feet but I was walking beside him using the stirrup as if my foot was in it. He still needs lots of work on softness with the rein. But I didn't want to push him too much that he just associates me with work. So there were lots of rest stops and reinforcing things.
Robbie got his exercise today. I saddled him and went thorugh our course of exercises. All the while I was using the whip to lay it across his heels and rump. Then I put one rein on him and repeated it on both sides. Then I added the other rein. He got himself into some tangles and I just let him figure it out and when he got free I picked up the outside rein and kept him moving until he relaxed, then switched sides with him. It looked like a wreck waiting to happen at times. I stayed out of the tangles and eventually he calmed. I worked him both sides and let him rest. At the end the rein was laying against hind foot and I had hold of the end and when he kicked back real hard I knew it jerked his mouth because my grip didn't give and guess what. He was ok with that rein across his pastern from then on. The mouth thing probably didn't feel real good to him and he will not soon remember that. I am anxious to see if he kicks out tomorrow or not. This was a good day for him. He ground drove just fine when he could forget about that rein being across his hocks or pasterns.
Progress is being made with these horses even though it is slow and easy.
On another note, I had the opportunity to ride Joey again today. Katherine had been having trouble getting him to canter so I went over and had a try at it. After some ground work and getting him saddled I walked him around YH and YF and backup. Then when I took him out in the field I asked him to canter and he went into it right off. So I asked for the right lead and he offered buck, but I wouldn't let him. From then on I asked for the left lead a couple more times and also for the right lead. He went into them, but on the right lead he gets discombobulated and throws me off balance so we slow to a trot. He needs work on the right lead for sure. But it was a great ride. I should have had her ride him and show me what he does so I could see it and then help her correct it. Katherine if you are reading this, I don't know why I didn't think of that. I guess I'm a focused, get the job done kind of guy and only in hindsight do I think of these things. So if it doesn't work for you like it did for me that is our next step. She then showed me some liberty work she is doing with Joey and Callie and she is doing an outstanding job. Kudos to you Katherine. Thanks to Judy for hosting it all.
I got Star out first and he came but reluctantly. So I know that I really gotta take it slow and easy with him. It is easy to lose his trust if I push to much too fast and keep it going too long. However, push his envelope I must. Nevertheless, I am taking it slower with him. I had him just follow me like before then when I saddled him I could tell he didn't like it at all, but he did stick with me. Then I went through his exercises with lots of long stops. I got in the stirrup both sides and despooked him. He stood ok. I also moved his feet with no problem. I flexed him with the rein and even had him moving while using the rein to direct his feet but I was walking beside him using the stirrup as if my foot was in it. He still needs lots of work on softness with the rein. But I didn't want to push him too much that he just associates me with work. So there were lots of rest stops and reinforcing things.
Robbie got his exercise today. I saddled him and went thorugh our course of exercises. All the while I was using the whip to lay it across his heels and rump. Then I put one rein on him and repeated it on both sides. Then I added the other rein. He got himself into some tangles and I just let him figure it out and when he got free I picked up the outside rein and kept him moving until he relaxed, then switched sides with him. It looked like a wreck waiting to happen at times. I stayed out of the tangles and eventually he calmed. I worked him both sides and let him rest. At the end the rein was laying against hind foot and I had hold of the end and when he kicked back real hard I knew it jerked his mouth because my grip didn't give and guess what. He was ok with that rein across his pastern from then on. The mouth thing probably didn't feel real good to him and he will not soon remember that. I am anxious to see if he kicks out tomorrow or not. This was a good day for him. He ground drove just fine when he could forget about that rein being across his hocks or pasterns.
Progress is being made with these horses even though it is slow and easy.
On another note, I had the opportunity to ride Joey again today. Katherine had been having trouble getting him to canter so I went over and had a try at it. After some ground work and getting him saddled I walked him around YH and YF and backup. Then when I took him out in the field I asked him to canter and he went into it right off. So I asked for the right lead and he offered buck, but I wouldn't let him. From then on I asked for the left lead a couple more times and also for the right lead. He went into them, but on the right lead he gets discombobulated and throws me off balance so we slow to a trot. He needs work on the right lead for sure. But it was a great ride. I should have had her ride him and show me what he does so I could see it and then help her correct it. Katherine if you are reading this, I don't know why I didn't think of that. I guess I'm a focused, get the job done kind of guy and only in hindsight do I think of these things. So if it doesn't work for you like it did for me that is our next step. She then showed me some liberty work she is doing with Joey and Callie and she is doing an outstanding job. Kudos to you Katherine. Thanks to Judy for hosting it all.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
43rd training day
It was more of the same with the boys today.
I got Robbie out and worked on his hind legs a bunch. Then I saddled him and ground drove him with one rein again. I want to make sure he is being soft with the bit and following his nose. All the while I was slinging the whip around his hind feet, butt and hocks to mimic the long reins. He didn't kick out at it but when I stopped and did it he would kick out. I would keep it up until he relaxed. However, he still would kick out when I started again. I think tomorrow I will drive him, then stop and wrap the whip or lead around his leg and if he kicks out I will make him move and see if that works any better.
Darkstar was better about coming out, even coming out of his stall without being asked. Then I did as yesterday for about 30 minutes, lots of rubbing and standing interrupted by asking him to follow me. He did this pretty good, again he was at liberty and all it took was a kiss from me and he would come. Then I put the bridle on him and flexed him with the rein and did some YH YF and forward on a circle at the walk. We did that a bunch from both sides interrupted by long pauses and lots of rubbing. I found another spot in front of his withers where he has muscle tension. It is probably from carrying his head high all his life and not moving balanced. It will make it difficult for him to give me vertical flexion because he would be so weak from under use of the muscles along the topline. But at the end I flexed him and then with shape right or left I asked for vertical. I worked both sides, didn't get alot, but a few times he got soft. This also explains why he is not soft vertically when I am driving him. On the other hand, Robbie is really soft while driving with one rein, even offering vertical flexion.
We will start again tomorrow.
I got Robbie out and worked on his hind legs a bunch. Then I saddled him and ground drove him with one rein again. I want to make sure he is being soft with the bit and following his nose. All the while I was slinging the whip around his hind feet, butt and hocks to mimic the long reins. He didn't kick out at it but when I stopped and did it he would kick out. I would keep it up until he relaxed. However, he still would kick out when I started again. I think tomorrow I will drive him, then stop and wrap the whip or lead around his leg and if he kicks out I will make him move and see if that works any better.
Darkstar was better about coming out, even coming out of his stall without being asked. Then I did as yesterday for about 30 minutes, lots of rubbing and standing interrupted by asking him to follow me. He did this pretty good, again he was at liberty and all it took was a kiss from me and he would come. Then I put the bridle on him and flexed him with the rein and did some YH YF and forward on a circle at the walk. We did that a bunch from both sides interrupted by long pauses and lots of rubbing. I found another spot in front of his withers where he has muscle tension. It is probably from carrying his head high all his life and not moving balanced. It will make it difficult for him to give me vertical flexion because he would be so weak from under use of the muscles along the topline. But at the end I flexed him and then with shape right or left I asked for vertical. I worked both sides, didn't get alot, but a few times he got soft. This also explains why he is not soft vertically when I am driving him. On the other hand, Robbie is really soft while driving with one rein, even offering vertical flexion.
We will start again tomorrow.
hind legs
Robbie's training was slow today. I got him saddled, moving easily through the exercises. However, I am trying to teach him to relax with things around his hind legs. He doesn't like it at all. So today, for the second or third day I am trying to get him to quit kicking out at the rope around his pastern and hock. He finally relaxed on the right hind and let me pick up the foot and put it down using the rope. However, the left side he would barely let me get the rope around his foot. This is taking longer than expected but I still need to get him over this. His front feet don't seem to be a problem at all. So I worked on that then went back to his left hind. I will start with that one today. Anyway, I need to get him beyond this if I hope to have a successful ground driving experience. I think the reason this has been so tough is because some time ago he got caught in a fence and had a bad experience. He has the scars to prove it. I want him to stand with no kicking out when he is caught in a fence or when the rope is around his back legs. That is just a safety issue for him and for his rider.
Star - when I went to get Darkstar he turned away from me as if to say, 'oh no, here comes work.' So I relaxed and let him work at coming to me. Then when we got in the arena, as I was rubbing him I noticed lots of twitching at his withers and at a few spots down his back. That indicates soreness. So I just stood there and massaged his back until the twitching went away. Then when I took his halter off he walked away from me so I moved him around briefly. Then I decided to just take it easy with him and not put him to alot of work. So what I did was, with halter in hand, I walked up to him and just rubbed on him and let him stand. Then after a few minutes of associating rest with me, I walked away as if to lead him and just kissed to him and he followed me a few steps then we stopped. So I repeated this process of slowly walking away, and if he didn't follow, kissing to him, then he would follow me some steps, stop and rub on him. We just continued increasing the steps until he was following me, slowly but surely, all around the arena. That trust issue is a huge thing. This will help to set him up for riding and trusting me on his back. At any rate we spent the entire time just building on this. Every time he sees me, we work. I don't want him to associate me with work all the time, especially, since he is a cold blooded horse/right brain introvert. He needs lots of breaks to encourage him to do more. So hopefully, when I see him today he will be thinking it is good to be with me.
Star - when I went to get Darkstar he turned away from me as if to say, 'oh no, here comes work.' So I relaxed and let him work at coming to me. Then when we got in the arena, as I was rubbing him I noticed lots of twitching at his withers and at a few spots down his back. That indicates soreness. So I just stood there and massaged his back until the twitching went away. Then when I took his halter off he walked away from me so I moved him around briefly. Then I decided to just take it easy with him and not put him to alot of work. So what I did was, with halter in hand, I walked up to him and just rubbed on him and let him stand. Then after a few minutes of associating rest with me, I walked away as if to lead him and just kissed to him and he followed me a few steps then we stopped. So I repeated this process of slowly walking away, and if he didn't follow, kissing to him, then he would follow me some steps, stop and rub on him. We just continued increasing the steps until he was following me, slowly but surely, all around the arena. That trust issue is a huge thing. This will help to set him up for riding and trusting me on his back. At any rate we spent the entire time just building on this. Every time he sees me, we work. I don't want him to associate me with work all the time, especially, since he is a cold blooded horse/right brain introvert. He needs lots of breaks to encourage him to do more. So hopefully, when I see him today he will be thinking it is good to be with me.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
day 1 x3
Yesterday Robbie and Star continued the training saga.
Robbie is making slow but sure progress. I went through all the normal things. Most of the time was working on getting him used to things around his hind feet, everything from spraying to the whip and the rope. I got him leading with rope around the pastern on both hind feet. He kicked out more on his right hind than his left. I had him lunging with the rope around his hocks and feet. I will review that today and hopefully get back to driving him today.
Star decided he would like to spend time away from me so I had to move him around at liberty. He circled just fine, but again would not follow. So at a time I thought appropriate I put the halter on him and went around the arena practicing the follow me on the rail. Then I saddled him and went through our slate of exercises. I got on and off him acting like a crazy man. I need to get him over his fear and get him to trust me. Then I don't thin riding him will be all that much of a trouble. But it is getting to that point that is at issue here. Before I knew it our time was done and we ended with some flexion.
We will see what happens today.
Robbie is making slow but sure progress. I went through all the normal things. Most of the time was working on getting him used to things around his hind feet, everything from spraying to the whip and the rope. I got him leading with rope around the pastern on both hind feet. He kicked out more on his right hind than his left. I had him lunging with the rope around his hocks and feet. I will review that today and hopefully get back to driving him today.
Star decided he would like to spend time away from me so I had to move him around at liberty. He circled just fine, but again would not follow. So at a time I thought appropriate I put the halter on him and went around the arena practicing the follow me on the rail. Then I saddled him and went through our slate of exercises. I got on and off him acting like a crazy man. I need to get him over his fear and get him to trust me. Then I don't thin riding him will be all that much of a trouble. But it is getting to that point that is at issue here. Before I knew it our time was done and we ended with some flexion.
We will see what happens today.
Friday, August 3, 2012
day 21
Ok, I got Robbie off to a good start. He didn't want to come out and play but with a little coaxing he decided to join me. I knew he needed a little attitude adjustment, just a tiny one so when He wouldn't stand to be saddle got his feet moving and backing and sidepassing and YH YF and so on then when I offered to let him stand he was just fine with that. I go the saddle on him and moved him around a bit. I really wanted to play with his back feet and legs because of the ruckus the other day when I was driving him. So I circled him and just kept the whip laying up against his feet and around them and letting it get caught in his croup. I did this from both sides until he was nice and calm. Then I used my long lead to wrap around his hind foot and pulled. He didn't like it much but with a lot of patience and persistence I got it so I could lift his hind foot and set it forward. In fact I was leading him by his hind foot. I did it on the other side too. Then I did the same thing with his front feet. He finally quit his kicking and relaxed and let me pick up any of his feet with the rope. That was enough for today.
I will review on Monday and try to drive him again.
Star was too playful today. He didn't want to stay with me so I YH YF at liberty then he decided to get away from me so I made him move and then asked him to stay with me. Then I played the yo yo game with him but with an intensity level of about a 10. If he wanted to backup I backed him up farther and faster and when I asked for coming forward I asked for faster, but then whenhe got to me he rested a good while. We did that quite a while until he was practically running to me when I asked. Then I got the saddle on him and acted like a crazy man on his back and he stood for me. There were a couple times he spooked but he didn't go far before he settled down. Then I ground drove him in both directions getting a walk, trot, canter. I did lots of flexing with him and letting him rest next to me. He did real good.
I will review on Monday and try to drive him again.
Star was too playful today. He didn't want to stay with me so I YH YF at liberty then he decided to get away from me so I made him move and then asked him to stay with me. Then I played the yo yo game with him but with an intensity level of about a 10. If he wanted to backup I backed him up farther and faster and when I asked for coming forward I asked for faster, but then whenhe got to me he rested a good while. We did that quite a while until he was practically running to me when I asked. Then I got the saddle on him and acted like a crazy man on his back and he stood for me. There were a couple times he spooked but he didn't go far before he settled down. Then I ground drove him in both directions getting a walk, trot, canter. I did lots of flexing with him and letting him rest next to me. He did real good.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
day 19 & 20/r2
yesterday I had a good time with the horses. I got Star out and worked him like before only this time I did everything I could to give him a heart attack. He had gotten scared when I was on him on Monday and realized that I needed to really get him through this. So I worked good on backing him and changing directions and getting on and off him but I did it in such a way as to dare him to get scared and just stayed with him. I only had one foot in the stirrup, but that was enough to really get him going. He eventually settled down. I also upped the ante on softness when he is lunging. I want him soft laterally. That was another problem in that he was not as soft as he should be laterally on the lunge. I also really got his feet moving in YH and YF using the rein and the stirrup to get him to move. It wasn't as exciting as the the day before but it still worked. Today with him I put the saddle on and repeated what I did yesterday with getting on and off and really daring him to get scared. He did but he settled down much quicker today. So that I could bounce on him and shake everything and make noise and he stayed calm. Then I did the same thing in the outdoor arena, another area of possible problems. He spooked a little, but settled down. Then I ground drove him at the walk with the bit and got him to get alot softer and getting the hind end over so he stays balanced. It was much calmer for him today.
Robbie, got saddled yesterday and moved in all kinds of directions. I backed him around the arena and had him stepping his butt over with tapping of the whip. I lunged him and jumped him a few times. He did alot better then.
Today, I saddled him and worked on the bit in his mouth with his head down. He got lots better at that. Then I started driving him with one rein. He was real soft with that in both directions. I got a walk trot canter in both directions a couple times. So then I decided to see if we could do both reins. Well another hole in his training was exposed. I kinda thought that he would have a problem with the rein on his back legs (when I spray him there he keeps moving, also when I would do the turn and go he didn't like the rope around his hind end) and he did. The reins burned through my hands and off he went in a circle. I got the reins again and tried to keep him bent in a circle and it was fine, some. But again he would get discombobulated and the reins would burn through my hands. So finally, I took one rein off and just went back to one rein driving to get his confidence back. Then we quit.
So I learned where the holes are in their training. Star needs more scarey stuff, softness and following. Robbie needs work on his hind legs getting things tangled up in them so that he remains calm. Then I will go back to driving with two reins.
All in all, for 40 days of training these horses have come a long way from not being handled much at all to standing for saddling, picking up feet for farrier, leading with mostly no problem. I can move there feet where I want them. They look to me for leadership. In both horses when they were spooked they came to me to get them out of it. Even today with Robbie, I ust treated it as though he was lungeing at liberty, though the reins were dragging behind him and when I asked for a stop he did. So lots of positive things are happening though the speed of progress is much slower than I would have liked.
Robbie, got saddled yesterday and moved in all kinds of directions. I backed him around the arena and had him stepping his butt over with tapping of the whip. I lunged him and jumped him a few times. He did alot better then.
Today, I saddled him and worked on the bit in his mouth with his head down. He got lots better at that. Then I started driving him with one rein. He was real soft with that in both directions. I got a walk trot canter in both directions a couple times. So then I decided to see if we could do both reins. Well another hole in his training was exposed. I kinda thought that he would have a problem with the rein on his back legs (when I spray him there he keeps moving, also when I would do the turn and go he didn't like the rope around his hind end) and he did. The reins burned through my hands and off he went in a circle. I got the reins again and tried to keep him bent in a circle and it was fine, some. But again he would get discombobulated and the reins would burn through my hands. So finally, I took one rein off and just went back to one rein driving to get his confidence back. Then we quit.
So I learned where the holes are in their training. Star needs more scarey stuff, softness and following. Robbie needs work on his hind legs getting things tangled up in them so that he remains calm. Then I will go back to driving with two reins.
All in all, for 40 days of training these horses have come a long way from not being handled much at all to standing for saddling, picking up feet for farrier, leading with mostly no problem. I can move there feet where I want them. They look to me for leadership. In both horses when they were spooked they came to me to get them out of it. Even today with Robbie, I ust treated it as though he was lungeing at liberty, though the reins were dragging behind him and when I asked for a stop he did. So lots of positive things are happening though the speed of progress is much slower than I would have liked.
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