I know I promised (myself) not to take the time to do this, but here's one of the more interesting moments of last weekend's show. Totally unedited. I had my "show mom" take small clips to make it easier to upload and this is just one of those. This is the last few minutes of the Horsemanship class that I got 2nd in. This is the footage of our 2nd lope where he broke down to a trot without enough warning for me to prevent it (usually if he's going to break I can feel it but I was probably thinking about one of the many other things one thinks about in a class, most likely the position of my off hand) so I had to correct it, which he wasn't great about. But it's right after that you can see two other horses having issues and the judge was looking at them. I don't know what happened, I just got his lope back, looked up and saw a mess in the corner and steered around it.
I left the sound on, sorry about the windy audio. You can hear KAT's coaching, too. Obviously we still have work to do, but you can see a few moments of good stuff. I do think the smartcalm is helping.
I washed his fungus areas yesterday with Aloedine and will do it again today after a ride. Yesterday we needed to have a strong conversation about standing still for hosing. He's not great about hosing off, unless he's super hot, then he'll stand like he enjoys it, but usually we have a bit of dancing to get the job done, especially if I need to spray his rump. We don't have a tie post option. Yesterday just ended up being the straw that broke the camel's back I took him back into the barn, put a chain over his nose and reminded him that he is not in charge. It was a simple issue of respect and it's a conversation we needed to have a while ago. Once he stood perfectly still at the end of the lead while I hosed all around him, including his tail and up between his rear legs, I stopped the hose and petted him and scraped him off, then let him eat his hay while I cleaned his stall and kept him from rolling until his was mostly dry and had clean bedding. He continues to test me and I just hope I'm passing.
If you want him to comply with the hosing willingly and not just because he has to, try approach and release - it'll take a little time, maybe more than one session, but he'll get it if you can avoid bringing any emotion to it and think of it as reinforcing the behavior you want instead of correcting the behavior you don't want. Approach with the hose, and anytime he stops moving, even for a second - don't hold him still and it doesn't matter how far he moves before he offers to stop - move the hose away. Repeat. Come closer with the hose, if he stops moving, take the hose away. Turn the hose on, approach, when he stops moving, take the hose away. You get the idea - break it down into as many small steps as he needs, and don't be in a hurry.
ReplyDeleteI really do appreciate your good suggestion, and it's a method I have used successfully on several occasions and several horses, I just want to explain why I thought he needed a not-so-elegant training style this time.
ReplyDeleteJunior did not begin his life with any strict ground manner training and though he's a kind horse without an aggressive bone in his body he lacks respect and hasn't a clue about personal bubbles. He'll be on top of you before you know it, and he does not know what "whoa" means unless it's paired with rein/lead pressure. Essentially he fits Mugwump's description of a spoiled, disrespectful horse. I know (sadly first hand) that disrespect on the ground can be dangerous, especially when he's a 16 hand horse in a lesson program with kids. He has much improved in the last year, but there has been a few moments in the last month or so where he will either plant his feet and not want to be led or be evasive like he was yesterday with the hose and used to be with saddling. I have looked over each of these moments carefully and assured myself there was no good reason for his behavior other than his occasional "I don't want to and you can't make me" attitude. I felt he needed a reminder that he was incorrect and that I damn well CAN and WILL make him. It's a matter of making the right thing easy and the wrong thing, very, very hard.
Today I didn't have any trouble. I put the chain over his nose but only put some gentle pressure on it for a second to let him know it was there, so that if I did have to use it he wouldn't be surprised by it, then led him out on a loose lead. When we got to the hose I told him to stand, turned on the hose, he shifted weight to move, I said STAND with authority and he stopped moving. I hosed his entire body and he didn't move more than foot adjustments to deal with the water flow, and I did not have to put any pressure on the chain at all, being able to use only the verbal command. He didn't look scared or dejected and spent some time playing a little game with himself with a rock on the ground. He knows his job, he's just one of those horses that has just as much fun disobeying as obeying and when you spend the first 7 years of your life without being taught manners, it's going to take more than one year to make you a perfect gentleman.
It is hard when different people are handling a horse - particularly those who pay no attention to making sure the horse respects personal space. You never need to explain yourself or justify what you are doing - he's your horse and your decisions are based on what you see and need to do at that time. Please excuse any "preaching" on my part, particularly to those who already understand!
ReplyDeleteYour comment gave me a great chance to go over the whole situation again in my mind and try to determine if I did, indeed, make the right call, or at least the best call of my knowledge and ability. I'm as embarrassed as anyone to admit that I've made mistakes with disciplining horses before, either reacting without thinking or of not reacting until the moment was lost. I'm sure I will make more mistakes, but I try to be very conscious of the training choices I make and I needed to be reminded that there are other ways of dealing with each situation, even though I think I made the right choice this time. I've been run over by other peoples horses who didn't have ground manners and I refuse to let my horse be "that horse."
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance at self-reflection. It's good for me. :)
I think you guys looked great! I ride english and am amazed how collected you can get him to lope!
ReplyDeleteHe looks great and what nice riding! You look so balanced and quiet. The train wreck in the corner barely makes you blink.
ReplyDeleteVery nice jog and your position looks great! It did look like he just wasn't really collected on the hind end and strung out into the jog when you broke. Then he woke up a bit when you asked to lope again and just hit whateverlead he was set for. One thing to give your performance a little more strategy, learn to ask for the canter when his coordinating hind leg is coming into place whether at the jog or walk. It takes some practice and tons of concentration. Start at the walk and try to start being able to feel which hind leg is where. It eventually comes with practice and then when you ask for a lope it becomes auto that you ask for it when the correct leg for the lead you want, comes into place under him. Just a suggestion. Nice video!
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