Becky - any baby bird report?
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Posted on 01/02/2007 9:57:39 AM PST by HairOfTheDog
It seems like most horses are right handed or left handed or hoofed I guess. Most of ours will take one lead easily and have to be reminded or pushed on the other. It doesn't seem to be the same for each horse, some the right, some the left.
Harley looks hot in that picture, poor guy.
You know when you are trail riding mostly you don’t notice leads that much. I pretty much knew he was stiffer, I just never “thought” about it that much tho. The first time I asked for the right lead, it took several tries to get him to pick it up, and then he switched back once after I’d got him going, sneaky devil:). But after some practice he was doing a lot better. I’ll just have to remember to watch for him to regress there.
Humidity is horrible to deal with rather animal or human. It’d rather it be 100 and low humidity, then 80 and high, which is what it is today. Nothing is moving today, it’s just miserable.
Becky
Well, I don't know if you missed it or if I forgot to say! She rode once in the arena... then I guess she took him on a trail ride and ponied him... she said he was very calm and easy doing that. Then she saddled up and rode him at home, and he was fine in the yard, but when she went down that steep hill of hers, he started bucking and she bailed... realized later it was probably because of the britching... he'd never had that on before and her hill is steep. ;~) She thinks he's better at home though, over all, and on trail, and it's the arena that makes him nutty. Said she was just going to take him on trail next time, without the britching. ;~) That's the way she operates - get on and go :~) I don't have her nerve. I think she does like him, and he does have a sweet basic temperament. We've talked about Kat, yeah... she's willing to go on a trail ride with us, sure Kat will do just fine if she's got another horse to follow.
Horses are absolutely right- or left- sided. The majority are naturally right-sided, so their muscles are contracted or flexed on the right side. That opens the left shoulder, so they fall onto their left lead and have trouble taking the right one. And of course every horse we get off the track has done nothing but gallop around to the left . . . I guess a left-sided horse has trouble racing in the U.S., he’d do o.k. in the UK where they run to the RIGHT . . . .
That's a perennial problem at our barn, I'm riding a new horse right now who has a lot of trouble picking up the right lead. He's getting tired of going around to the right in endless circles . . . but as soon as he gets it I canter down one side, hop off, loosen his girth, and walk him out for a drink. He's figuring out that GOOD things happen when he takes that lead . . . .
I actually do the opposite... I do think some horses who have been allowed to be one sided have difficulty being balance and coordinated on the off lead. But I think the only way to get them balanced and coordinated is to make them do it. Once they get in it, I keep them in it long enough for them to loosen up and find their rhythm. If you quit as soon as they do it, they don't get better. It's like writing with your off hand. If you quit after one word, you haven't taught your muscles anything. I do this on the lunge as well.
Becky - any baby bird report?
Went out when the mares were playing face games and got this shot :~)
And then followed them out while they all ran it off.
I've spent an entire afternoon climbing on and off an OTTB who was having a terrible time getting that lead. Some of these poor guys can't hold it for more than ten yards, they've galloped to the left for so long. Polo ponies are as bad as the racehorses - they spend all their time on the left lead (unless their rider is left-handed). This new guy of my trainer's is an ENORMOUS Palomino. He's supposed to be a QH but he is just TOO big - he must be all of 17hh and he's thick - big shoulders, big haunches, long legs, big cresty neck. He's awfully strong (my trainer was GIVEN this horse for free because he kept running away in the hunting field) and has a huge stride but he is sweet tempered and very obedient. I think his former owner may have gotten psyched out about him, because our trainer hunted him and said he didn't pull at all. Also, he was in a very severe bit and seemed to resent it, he stops fine while jumping in an arena on a French snaffle.
But the only time I stop working Gracie now and hop off is if she's been jumping for around half an hour and does a particularly brilliant course. Then we go ahead and quit for the day (I always like to stop on a high point). If she's not brilliant, I make her do one combination and one lead change, THEN we quit. Last Wednesday she did a serpentine jumping course that our fiendish trainer set up . . . if you can imagine a series of jumps set in a zig zag line down the center line of the arena, you jump them singly in a series of circling loops, which means of course a lead change on EVERY fence. She got every one perfectly, got every spot perfectly, after I pulled her up I jumped off, loosened her girth and ran up her stirrups, gave her the treat in my pocket and said, "That's it for the day!"
Ladies getting a little snippy there!
I just finished watching Ruffian...could have went my whole life and not known all that:(.
I knew the horse died, I didn’t know it was that bad.
Becky
Oh - I know I don’t want to watch then.
I don’t like stories that I know are tragic before they even start!
I’m a believer in quitting on a high note... I just think they learn some things by being given the time to truly understand what you’ve been asking for... so if it took a lot of attempts to get in the right lead... lots of wrong starts and stops... I try to keep them there long enough for them to see the difference between correcting them (bringing them down immediately for a wrong lead) and rewarding them (bringing them down immediately for the right lead?)
I leave them in it.... YES! That’s IT!
Then quit.
Great pictures:) Your little squirrel is so cute:) the mares look a bit bitchy:)
The nestlings are still in the nest. Mom and dad are still doing a lot of fluttering around in front of the nest, and occasionally make a lap around my living room. I don’t know if you remember, but our AC quit last year, and we haven’t replaced it yet, so all the doors and windows are open. So I’ve had several birds come thru, and the murderer, did get a wren today:(. It just happens soooooo fast. I’ve been shutting him in my bedroom, but he has to come out sometime...I’m hoping I can really identify when the first flight is going to happen and keep him locked up for that. Been a tough day, what with the snake, the baby bird in Rocks stall, and now a dead wren...
About the lead training...I think I come down in about the middle of you two:). Today, I did keep him doing it till he smoothed out. Then I did some other things, then tried the lead again, and when he got it the first time and was smooth, I stopped.
Tomorrow I won’t go in the arena, but I will work on that lead on trail. I think that helps to keep the work from getting boring. If I have trouble on trail, then I will go back to the arena, but I think he was just rusty. I don’t pay much attention to which lead they pick up on trail, and I’d bet my bottom dollar he always picks up the one that is easiest for him. Now I know to beware of that.
Thanks for all the advise tho.
Becky
It was bad, going to stay with me for a few days...:\ I’d never heard of that horse tho, or the circumstances of her death.
Becky
Serpentines are my next goal to accomplish. I’ve got an episode of Clinton Anderson doing them. It was the next thing on the agenda. Right now I’m working on slowing down his lope, and we are making great progress there.
I’m really impressed with CA methods, so far everything I’ve tried that he teaches has worked like a dream.
Becky
Just a ~tad~ ;~)
I wished I'd have gotten all the bucking and rearing... I missed it with the camera.
Ack!!! another copperhead in my feed room. I knew that would happen tho, so was on the look out. Every time we have ever found one anywhere near the house/yard/barn we always find 2. I’m going to have to do some research and see if they always travel in pairs. I picked up Nikki’s sleep cushion just to check which is by where the one yesterday was, and sure enough there was another, and it went into strike position immediately. Luckily my ax was still right there.
A bit rainy this morning. I’m hoping it will clear by around 9 so I can ride before it gets too hot and humid.
Becky
Well that didn’t help, 1 article said they did travel in pairs, 1 said they didn’t:)
I’ve always found 2 tho when I find them.
Becky
Becky, what are those snakes after, rodents? It is a shame you had to kill them.
Alison did pretty well at the show. 1st's in English Showmanship and Trail. Rest were a 2nd, 3rds and fifths. Picture perfect day, like today is going to be. Hopefully, I finish up my projects in the front.
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