I started off my Canada day with a trip to the USA- just to Bonner's Ferry, to get the last two pups their second set of vaccinations.
It was pretty warm in the truck on the way home, and when I stopped to pick up some beer for Ted, Ace cuddled up to that Budweiser coolness!
Awwww! How cute is that! He stayed that way for the rest of the trip.I decided that it's time to get to work on Velvet's ground manners. She hasn't been getting very much attention from me this year, what with foals, puppies, starting Chickory, and riding Beamer; she has kind of fallen through the cracks. It's hard to remember that she is just a yearling, I think she is taller than Chickory now, but she is still just a baby. The issues I need to work on are crowding me when I'm leading her, standing still and dropping her head before I take the halter off, standing tied without pulling back, and giving her feet nicely when asked. Some pretty important things!
I brought her out of pasture and tied her to the hitching rail. Now, I have a certain way of tying a horse that I think is going to pull, because I don't want the knot to tighten up so much that I can't get it undone- it's a simple thing, really:
I wrap the rope twice around the rail, crossing it over itself, then tie my slip knot. This photo was taken after she had pulled back and you can see that the knot didn't tighten. Yes, the first thing she did when I walked away and let her stand by herself was pull back.
She really has developed a little attitude! Rope halters and tied on lead ropes are the only way to go; they are more likely to get hurt if something breaks and they flip over.
She did try one more time before she gave up, but I sure got the stink eye for a bit! After she stood quietly I worked with her feet; more attitude there but we finished on a good note. I want to get her well behaved for the next farrier visit; she won't get trimmed until I'm happy with her behavior- which means I have to get off my butt and work with her daily; no more putting it off.
We had a little go-round when it was time to turn her loose- I believe that if you can control the feet, you can control the horse, so I asked her to stand square before I took her halter off. She tried her repertoire of evasive tactics, which earned her some work, namely backing in circles, before she was standing to my satisfaction. The whole session- catch, stand tied, pick up feet, and get turned loose, took an hour. My goal is 10 minutes with a well behaved filly.
You'd think that something as simple as this should be part of my daily routine, but I have just been haltering them in pairs, lead them to the pasture and turn them out; at the end of the day the same thing to bring them in. It wasn't convenient. And that is how bad habits start.
11 comments:
You should send that picture to Budweiser ! It is perfect! I hear you on the "didn't do the work as it was inconvenient" As much as we mean well the young ones often do slip through the cracks. I hate ot admit it but Andee's injury has forved me to do more with both her and Cat as they were beginning to loose manners as well. I am happy to report that Andee is back to her "pocket pony" status and easy to catch even in a large pen and Cat has realised the attention will be given to her in a much nicer way when she isn't "body slamming" me
Well wasn't that a determined fit? LOL
she is smart, nice rail to tie to also, now is the time to get it all sorted out.
Good job. Funny isn't it how we let the simple things lapse.....
That picture of the pup and beer is too cute!
Funny how we let things go for so long when we know we should be doing somethign about them. Its always better to learn theses things when they are young though, it sure takes less time.
What a stunningly beautiful horse.
Bad habits- tell me about it! I've got a herdbound gelding and a little demon yearling. I need to work them both on tying at the "patience" post or any other post far away from the other horses until they get their heads on straight again.
Ace is just too, too cute! And Velvet? Wow, whatta looker! Can you hear me wolf whistling?
LOL they've just got to try you eh? She's a nice looking filly!
That is one of the prettiest blue roans I've every seen (and not just the colour). I so just want to be around old broke horses now. I must be getting ooold.
The pup and beer, OH MY GOSH! That is too cute. Good luck with Velvet.
i hate it when they do that. my horse used to do that but he spent a couple of summers on a dude ranch where, when they weren't being ridden in the morning and in the afternoon, they stood tied to hitching rails all day! I wouldn't put it past him to do it again one day, but maybe he learned well.
- The Equestrian Vagabond
The pup 'n beer shot is commercial quality!
Setting back is the worst. Todd's trick was to tie a long soft rope around their girth line with bowlin (sp?) knot (so it wouldn't slip or tighten up) then run the long end through the halter ring and tie off to the sturdy rail. They get the pressure in their mid section and learn to step forward. And, there's no chance of them doing damage to their necks.
My Ol' Man Toby had a setting back habit and it cured him.
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