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Thread Four: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1332664/posts |
Posted on 12/30/2004 7:01:16 PM PST by HairOfTheDog
Free Republic has a lot of horse people that have found each other on other threads…. And since we all like to talk horses, how about a thread where it is not off-topic, but is THE topic?
This is a horse chat thread where we share ideas, ask for input from other horsemen, and talk about our riding and horse-keeping. We have a lot of different kinds of riders and horses, and a lot to share. In the previous threads we have had a great time talking through lessons, training, horse lamenesses, illnesses and pregnancies... and always sharing pictures and stories.
I always have a link to this thread on my profile page, so if you have something to say and can't find the thread in latest posts… look for it there and wake the thread up!
I also have a ping list for horse threads that are of interest, and Becky pings everyone most mornings. Let Becky (Paynoattentionmanbehindthecurtain) and/or me know if you would like to be on the ping list. As FreeRepublic is a political site, our politics and other issues will probably blend in…. There are many issues for horsemen that touch politics… land use, animal rights/abuse cases that make the news…. Legislation that might affect horse owners.
So... like the previous threads, this is intended as fun place to come and share stories, pictures, questions and chit-chat, unguided and unmoderated and that we come together here as friends. There are lots of ways of doing things and we all have our quirks, tricks and specialties that are neat to learn about.
Well, remember a while back that I posted the pony has a mental block about trotting on lead? I've never worked with her on it.
I would suspect yours is just being lazy, she will do it, just reluctantly. There's no ~reason~ someone would have taught her to walk slow on lead. If you want her to be more responsive to trot, use your body language, voice and lead line, say TROT, kiss to her, or whatever you do and then use a lunge whip or a shorter stock whip, behind you like the trainer did to smack her as sharply as needed to get her to trot... without you having to run on ahead and drag her.
Trotting back and forth in a line is useful for her to know, it helps a vet evaluate her for lameness in an exam...
But I wouldn't view it as a necessity.... if the situation were ~really~ urgent, like a fire or a tiger comin' after her, I suspect she'd move faster than you want her to ;~D
I'll try that. I was just using the clicking that I do when riding. My trainer suggested I get my husband behind her with a whip but I feel like I ought to be able to do this on my own.
Yeah you are probably right:') It just surprised me. It's no fun pulling a horse but I was in a position where to to back down would have let her get away with it.
I wouldn't assume she views everything as a struggle for who wins... She is probably thinking more about dinner and a nap than whether she is able to get away with a lazy lead lesson. ;~D
Hold the long whip behind you, and smack her with it, half a second after you say trot. Then start trotting as if you fully expect she's gonna do it.
Another thing you might want to try is to get her trotting in a circle on a lunge line since she knows how to do that already, then turn and go with her in a straight line and keep encourageing her to trot.
That's the way I thought of starting my pony at it, was as a lunging trot where the line just kept getting shorter ;~D. She's not lazy... she trots everywhere in the pasture simply because it's a quicker way of getting around. She's got some kind of mental block. If you try to get her to trot in hand she just plants all four feet.
Did you all learn to ride whilst young?
I did not ride till I was 32 years old.
Becky
Well I'm 36, so theres chance for me yet! How did it go?
It's been along slow learning process. We made every mistake in the book. I was hurt from falls several times, and even gave up for several years. But then quit by accident, I met the girl who had broke the horse I had. I told her the problems I was having and she gave me some help.
Of course when I was finally starting to get comfortable with the horse, he had to be put down:(. It took several years and alot of horses to find another I liked. That horse, the mare I have now that is expecting in May, taught me alot, and even tho I retired her finally because I had gotten afraid of her, I learned more in the 6 years I rode her then any other horse.
Becky
When you lunge her - give her verbal commands as you do it. Make each command with a different inflection. Slow waaalllkkk, short sharper command Trot! and sharper CANTER!
She will learn the voice command to match the action. Then carry it over to the lead. If you were to ever show her, she must trot on lead on command.
I don't think I'd have your husband behind her with a whip, no sense running her over the top of you - plus she should feel safe when you are leading her, but know that you are in charge. If necessary, tap her with a whip on the rear end, don't hit her.
They later moved to Nevada, and gave me my first horse, a Mustang they had found critically shot on their land and nursed back to health... They sent him up to me when I was about 13-14.
Note the bell-bottom pants. They date me. ;~D
Those are neat pictures.
Becky
I wish I had more time now, to practise what little i have learnt. I dont want that total fear to creep back in, although there is always a little bit of fear for me, which i think is healthy!
Your story, however, gives me the confidence that one day, time willing I will ride with James with confidence. : )
Great photos! The jeans are "in fashion" now! My ten year old has always been horse mad, and, it is for her that i am determined to learn enough to be able to saddle up by myself and go riding! Right now, time is not in my favour, but I am looking to do what I can with what I have.
Well it's taken me 18 years to get where I'm at, and I still feel I have tons to learn, and still am very careful about the horses I climb on. I think that is why I'm so rigid with my horses, I'm not giving them the opprotunity to learn things I can't deal with:)
Becky
Sounds pretty sensible to me! They can easily be dangerous animals.
I think Sugar is the horse I am most comfortable around. She seems to talk to me a lot and I find her the easiest to communicate with. I have ridden her alone and we have done very well with no problems! : ) I dont know whether she knows she was in such poor health when we rescued her and whether its because I would constantly make sure she had plenty to eat and gave her lots of attention.......but I love to hear her talk and she seems to me to be happy with me.
I will be so glad when she foals and is ok. I look forward, little by little to spending more time with her again, riding.
I wish I could remember having that waistline.
I smashed my fingers in the barn doors feeding dinner just now, and one of my fingers is bleeding, probably on my keyboard just now. ecurbh suggested he would get me a band-aid.... I said, "Honey, I can't type with a band-aid on my finger!"
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