Drifter
This is Drifter. He has some "issues" I just can't call him a problem horse ~laffs~ His owner Donna even wrote out a list for me. I think from now on this will be a requirement for all problem horses.
I really thought it was a great idea and appreciated it !! Thank You Donna.
1. difficulty saddling
2. turns butt at you when trying to catch him in corral
3. will not permit his mane to be roached or bridle path trimmed with electric trimmers.
4. does not lope slowly, trots super fast then gallops and holds head to side to go his own way.
That is exactly the list she gave me, but since we had agreed on only ground work she said I did not have to fix the riding problem. This horse is only here for a week. She also assures me the horse has never kicked or bucked.
So on Sunday I put him in the round pen. Well Chuck goes to Drifter's pen to get him for me and he doesn't turn his butt just keeps turning his head away to avoid the halter. I work him in the round pen and the one thing I remember right away is fat horses are easy. He is just trotting and is winded right away and looking at me, what do you want ? ~laffs~ I worked on the basics inside and outside turns and he wants to come in to me right away so I worked on having him walk beside me. Did some work on the halter on and off. He seemed spooky of things so I did some sacking out with the saddle pad and other things. I worked on him staying in his space and sending him off and having him come up to me. I really had no problems with him.
On Monday I go in his pen to get him and he turns his butt to me...so I cluck trying to get him to face me and he backs toward me threatening me. I smacked him with the lead rope. Well then he turned enough that I could get the halter on. Not facing me kinda side ways with his ears back. Hmmmmm
I take him to the arena and put him in the round pen. Well I worked him on his turns and he seems okay. I work on the saddle pad he seems okay. So I get my saddle and he isn't going to have anything to do with that. I set it down in the middle of the round pen and I go to send him off, for some reason I had a lead rope in my hand I have no clue why. Rather than picking up my whip I kind of twirled that to send him off and he turned his butt and started backing up at me. About then I realize I have backed into my saddle and he lets fly with both hind feet just missing my head. So I picked up my whip and needless to say everytime he turns his butt he gets worked. He is determined, but then so am I. It finally came down to everytime he turned his butt in to me he got smacked with the whip and I hate to do that. Chuck went in for awhile, he can be meaner than I can. They went the rounds. Then I went back in and he did it a few more times. Finally he quit turning his butt in and eventually was turning in then coming in. When he was ready to stand I sacked him out again. I can't throw my 40+ pound saddle up on this guy so Chuck came back in. At first it was try send him off, try send him off. Then he finally stood while he threw it on and took it off two times each side. We didn't drop any cinches or anything at this point.
I worked more with the saddle pad and just putzed around with him after that rubbing him down and walking around with him. He seems real dominant, but he wants to be nice.
On Tuesday he was like a different horse all together. I walked right up to him in his pen and put the halter on. Took him to the arena and sacked him out. That went so well I got one of the youth saddles and brought it out at first he started to walk away so I bent to get the whip and he walked right back like oops. I threw the saddle on and off about twenty times from each side and that horse never moved an inch. (So that is the picture.) I had to make him move to take it. Still not cinched up though that is a 36" cinch and it still wouldn't reach he got all fussy about it. I did cinch him up with my bareback pad until he got over it. I am going to have to figure something out.
2. turns butt at you when trying to catch him in corral
3. will not permit his mane to be roached or bridle path trimmed with electric trimmers.
4. does not lope slowly, trots super fast then gallops and holds head to side to go his own way.
That is exactly the list she gave me, but since we had agreed on only ground work she said I did not have to fix the riding problem. This horse is only here for a week. She also assures me the horse has never kicked or bucked.
So on Sunday I put him in the round pen. Well Chuck goes to Drifter's pen to get him for me and he doesn't turn his butt just keeps turning his head away to avoid the halter. I work him in the round pen and the one thing I remember right away is fat horses are easy. He is just trotting and is winded right away and looking at me, what do you want ? ~laffs~ I worked on the basics inside and outside turns and he wants to come in to me right away so I worked on having him walk beside me. Did some work on the halter on and off. He seemed spooky of things so I did some sacking out with the saddle pad and other things. I worked on him staying in his space and sending him off and having him come up to me. I really had no problems with him.
On Monday I go in his pen to get him and he turns his butt to me...so I cluck trying to get him to face me and he backs toward me threatening me. I smacked him with the lead rope. Well then he turned enough that I could get the halter on. Not facing me kinda side ways with his ears back. Hmmmmm
I take him to the arena and put him in the round pen. Well I worked him on his turns and he seems okay. I work on the saddle pad he seems okay. So I get my saddle and he isn't going to have anything to do with that. I set it down in the middle of the round pen and I go to send him off, for some reason I had a lead rope in my hand I have no clue why. Rather than picking up my whip I kind of twirled that to send him off and he turned his butt and started backing up at me. About then I realize I have backed into my saddle and he lets fly with both hind feet just missing my head. So I picked up my whip and needless to say everytime he turns his butt he gets worked. He is determined, but then so am I. It finally came down to everytime he turned his butt in to me he got smacked with the whip and I hate to do that. Chuck went in for awhile, he can be meaner than I can. They went the rounds. Then I went back in and he did it a few more times. Finally he quit turning his butt in and eventually was turning in then coming in. When he was ready to stand I sacked him out again. I can't throw my 40+ pound saddle up on this guy so Chuck came back in. At first it was try send him off, try send him off. Then he finally stood while he threw it on and took it off two times each side. We didn't drop any cinches or anything at this point.
I worked more with the saddle pad and just putzed around with him after that rubbing him down and walking around with him. He seems real dominant, but he wants to be nice.
On Tuesday he was like a different horse all together. I walked right up to him in his pen and put the halter on. Took him to the arena and sacked him out. That went so well I got one of the youth saddles and brought it out at first he started to walk away so I bent to get the whip and he walked right back like oops. I threw the saddle on and off about twenty times from each side and that horse never moved an inch. (So that is the picture.) I had to make him move to take it. Still not cinched up though that is a 36" cinch and it still wouldn't reach he got all fussy about it. I did cinch him up with my bareback pad until he got over it. I am going to have to figure something out.
Skip to Saturday.... now He is fine when you walk into the pen to get him hugs the gate and puts his nose right into the halter. You can take him right to the round pen now. Sometimes you can turn him loose and he will stand rock solid and let you saddle him and others he will trot a couple times around then come to you. He may even leave once or twice before he will stand. So he hasn't got this solid yet. I am sure if you tied him at this point or even hooked a lead rope on and looped it over your shoulder he would be just fine. I want him to stand loose, like all the colts I do. Poor guy he never knows who or when someone will come get him from his pen and take him to the round pen and saddle him up. I had worked with him almost two hours on Thursday and later on Kacey went and got him and saddled him up. There are many times I wish they could talk to me and tell me what they are thinking. Drifter's probably thinking don't they ever give a guy any rest around here ?
He is getting over being terrified of spray bottles. I think I am on my third spray bottle filled with water now. He has made many circles of the round pen over me spraying water. Tonight he finally let me get his neck wet. Plus Chuck spent some time with him and got him wet clear up near his ears and was able to spray it right in front of his face for awhile....
I gave Donna his owner his progress report and it sounds like we came to the conclusion that Drifter will be staying another week.
posted by Karma @ 9:55 PM
2 Comments:
Graze Training for whose the boss.
Put Drifter on a lead line. Take him to a nice patch of grass. Let him eat for 2 to 3 minutes. Then pull him off and make him follow you more than 20 feet. Let him eat for 3 to 5 minutes, or less then repeat. Repeat this 3 times a day until he learns who is boss the kind way. About a week or two. Horses are herd animals. This appeals to his instinct to follow the leader. Spend some personal time with him as just a horse. Do nothing else but stand by him...with him as he eats. Herd with him like a horse.
I had to teach Diesel the word, "NO!" This helps if the grass has clovers. He tried to eat clovers and I would say NO, then move him to nice grass.
I had the same type of horse and fell in to this accidentally. A happy accident. My horse Diesel was the same way. Now, he follows me around, puts his nose into the halter etc. It works without the whip! Sure it takes too much time. But it sounds like he is miroring someone else's agression coupled with testing you. All the changing to a man is going to do is teach him to respect men. Don't challenge him. Out smart him.
Don't bother with the clippers. Just use rounded tipped sissors.
Use the clippers a few feet away each time he eats. Move it closer each time. He is trying to tell you it hurts and he doesn't like it. He will respond to you kindly. That is why he is on and off again in his behavior.
The other day the new owner called me asking about the water hose. Diesel didn't like the water hose. Well it's COLD. He is trying to tell her it's too cold. Hense he is a feeler. I told her just to take it slow with low water pressure starting on the ground then move to his legs. These horses are challengers/dominant and don't like pain of any kind.
They kick and bite each other. That's all they know. That bad when they do that to us. Try changing his position without the whip. It takes the same amount of energy to offer him a treat then it does to use a whip. He will learn to look at you the way you approach him. I'm not implying no discipline. Just define it and use love insted of challenging some horses.
The kicking at you. Use hay or something to change his attention. Hence, you are in control. Control the situation. Here is how. Teach him to come. Before you approach him in the round pin. Call him to you and reward him with a treat or just some hay. PLACE THE TREAT ON THE GROUND! Not from your hand. But it is good that it smells like you. Hence not in a bucket. That appeals to his senses. You have the control to change the approach. Use what appeals to his instincts or senses. DO NOT STARTAL HIM.
Also standing with Diesl, I would get these big horse flys off him. He came to recognize that I was helping him like the birds do in the pasture. He never kicked at me. But I would not trust a kicking horse even after becoming familiar.
After I did all this with Diesel, he was find but it took some time. As love always does.
When I was young, 1985, my mom had a horse she was afraid of. Jewel would lay her ears back at every one. I clapped my hand and stomped the ground until she put her ears forward. I don't like to hit either but her snipped at me once and I layed into her with noise and clapping my hands close to her face. She backed off and I was the only person who had the currage to aproach her. I rode her with a whip which I used on my leg; not on her. Tapping my english style knee high boot got her attention. I never had to hit her. I used the nose band, Caveson, from an english bridle to keep her from biting or opening her mouth. Hense she couldn't bite and she knew it. She finally gave in and excepted me as the boss. But again I spent time with her just grazing. She did everything I asked of her but again challenged everyone else. My mom sold her to a trainer.
I'll buy him if the owner doesn't want him. He looks just like Diesel who I sold because I just purchased a home in North Dakota.
Now I have the home with a little land and no horse. Do you have any horses for sale? I've been looking at babies, colts only. No showing as I did in my youth but just a buddy. I must have another little
buddy.
Mrs. Loving Whisperer.
Graze Training for whose the boss.
Put Drifter on a lead line. Take him to a nice patch of grass. Let him eat for 2 to 3 minutes. Then pull him off and make him follow you more than 20 feet. Let him eat for 3 to 5 minutes, or less then repeat. Repeat this 3 times a day until he learns who is boss the kind way. About a week or two. Horses are herd animals. This appeals to his instinct to follow the leader. Spend some personal time with him as just a horse. Do nothing else but stand by him...with him as he eats. Herd with him like a horse.
I had to teach Diesel the word, "NO!" This helps if the grass has clovers. He tried to eat clovers and I would say NO, then move him to nice grass.
I had the same type of horse and fell in to this accidentally. A happy accident. My horse Diesel was the same way. Now, he follows me around, puts his nose into the halter etc. It works without the whip! Sure it takes too much time. But it sounds like he is miroring someone else's agression coupled with testing you. All the changing to a man is going to do is teach him to respect men. Don't challenge him. Out smart him.
Don't bother with the clippers. Just use rounded tipped sissors.
Use the clippers a few feet away each time he eats. Move it closer each time. He is trying to tell you it hurts and he doesn't like it. He will respond to you kindly. That is why he is on and off again in his behavior.
The other day the new owner called me asking about the water hose. Diesel didn't like the water hose. Well it's COLD. He is trying to tell her it's too cold. Hense he is a feeler. I told her just to take it slow with low water pressure starting on the ground then move to his legs. These horses are challengers/dominant and don't like pain of any kind.
They kick and bite each other. That's all they know. That bad when they do that to us. Try changing his position without the whip. It takes the same amount of energy to offer him a treat then it does to use a whip. He will learn to look at you the way you approach him. I'm not implying no discipline. Just define it and use love insted of challenging some horses.
The kicking at you. Use hay or something to change his attention. Hence, you are in control. Control the situation. Here is how. Teach him to come. Before you approach him in the round pin. Call him to you and reward him with a treat or just some hay. PLACE THE TREAT ON THE GROUND! Not from your hand. But it is good that it smells like you. Hence not in a bucket. That appeals to his senses. You have the control to change the approach. Use what appeals to his instincts or senses. DO NOT STARTAL HIM.
Also standing with Diesl, I would get these big horse flys off him. He came to recognize that I was helping him like the birds do in the pasture. He never kicked at me. But I would not trust a kicking horse even after becoming familiar.
After I did all this with Diesel, he was find but it took some time. As love always does.
When I was young, 1985, my mom had a horse she was afraid of. Jewel would lay her ears back at every one. I clapped my hand and stomped the ground until she put her ears forward. I don't like to hit either but her snipped at me once and I layed into her with noise and clapping my hands close to her face. She backed off and I was the only person who had the currage to aproach her. I rode her with a whip which I used on my leg; not on her. Tapping my english style knee high boot got her attention. I never had to hit her. I used the nose band, Caveson, from an english bridle to keep her from biting or opening her mouth. Hense she couldn't bite and she knew it. She finally gave in and excepted me as the boss. But again I spent time with her just grazing. She did everything I asked of her but again challenged everyone else. My mom sold her to a trainer.
I'll buy him if the owner doesn't want him. He looks just like Diesel who I sold because I just purchased a home in North Dakota.
Now I have the home with a little land and no horse. Do you have any horses for sale? I've been looking at babies, colts only. No showing as I did in my youth but just a buddy. I must have another little
buddy.
Mrs. Loving Whisperer.
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