I have been 'playing' with Chance. His biting was becoming a BIG problem.
I thought it was taken care of with the work we did, setting boundries and not letting him in until he behaved. It only lasted a few days and then he was back to trying to nip me everytime he got the opportunity. He isn't being aggresive or nasty, he is trying to play with me like he would a pasture mate, trying to get my attention. Instead of trying the old stuff again I decided to play with him. We had a great time, I asked him to run off to the right and he would take off like a cannon ball bucking and jumping. When I asked him to stop he would quickly turn in to me and ask "what do you want me to do now?????" So I sent him to the left and off he would go again. YEEE HAAW!!! He followed every instruction with so much enthusiasm and excitement, I could almost hear him laughing as much as I was. And when I asked him to be quiet and still or slowly follow me he was right there, willing to do whatever I asked to the best of his ability. I was careful to mix it up for him, asking for what he knows and then throwing in some new stuff here and there. I even rode him bareback again with the rope halter. He was so patient, standing ready for me to get on. I stood on a muck bucket to get on and even when my foot slipped and I lost my balance he just waited, braceing himself so I could hold on to him to keep from falling.
Yes, he did try and nip me most of the time we played. I got good at blocking but other than that decided to ignore it and see if it would stop. I really think he has been bored out of his mind and is like a little boy looking for attention. And it worked. Then next day I found a much more settled horse, content and happy. He hasn't tried to nip me in 2 days. It is so nice to finally see the horse that was so deep inside himself, so shut down. He still has trouble holding his feet up, but I know that he is holding them up for as long as he can. We will keep working on it and he will eventually learn that he can give up his feet and feel safe.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Starting the new year
It has been a slow start to the new year, not feeling well, behind on paperwork and baking
biscuits. But I'm okay with that. Lately Chance and CC have been fighting over the fence between the stalls. I started out with a simple line dividing the paddocks, no electricity because
of the round bale feeder. Since this new game they are playing, I have gone from the line to
the brown tape, New Years Eve morning I woke up to both ponies in Chance's stall. Poor Chance was at the gate looking for a way to escape. So, up went a board nailed across with the brown tape above it. Still no electricity. Today I woke up to the board broken in half, but everyone was where they belonged. So now there is a much larger wooden fence-like wall up with electricity on Chance's side. I wonder how long this will stay up????
After putting up the wall I hopped on Chance for the 1st time since November at Libby's clinic. His behavior has been much better since I worked with him and he seemed to enjoy the
ride as much as me. I threw on his rope halter and jumped on bareback. The footing is not
very good, not icy in the paddock but not very good so we just walked around. I let him decide where to go first and then it was my turn. He even had a little spook when the wind kicked up and blew the snowmobile trailer off the hitch and it moved a couple of feet across the ice. I was very proud of how he handled that! I jumped when it happened! We were really together and I think he just knew not to fall apart because I was there. In a second it was over and I asked him to walk on. We had a nice short ride, I am emphasizing the nice part...not short.
biscuits. But I'm okay with that. Lately Chance and CC have been fighting over the fence between the stalls. I started out with a simple line dividing the paddocks, no electricity because
of the round bale feeder. Since this new game they are playing, I have gone from the line to
the brown tape, New Years Eve morning I woke up to both ponies in Chance's stall. Poor Chance was at the gate looking for a way to escape. So, up went a board nailed across with the brown tape above it. Still no electricity. Today I woke up to the board broken in half, but everyone was where they belonged. So now there is a much larger wooden fence-like wall up with electricity on Chance's side. I wonder how long this will stay up????
After putting up the wall I hopped on Chance for the 1st time since November at Libby's clinic. His behavior has been much better since I worked with him and he seemed to enjoy the
ride as much as me. I threw on his rope halter and jumped on bareback. The footing is not
very good, not icy in the paddock but not very good so we just walked around. I let him decide where to go first and then it was my turn. He even had a little spook when the wind kicked up and blew the snowmobile trailer off the hitch and it moved a couple of feet across the ice. I was very proud of how he handled that! I jumped when it happened! We were really together and I think he just knew not to fall apart because I was there. In a second it was over and I asked him to walk on. We had a nice short ride, I am emphasizing the nice part...not short.
Friday, January 4, 2008
A Spoiled Horse
While I have been working on teaching Chance to trust people, stay awake (not shut down) I have turned him into a spoiled horse. I have confused him with all my hugs and kisses, no boundries. I have let him get as close to me as he wants, wanting him to feel loved. I have to admit that I like it too. He can be very lovable, but I learned my lesson today when he bit me.
I was opening up the feed room door when he walked up behind me and bit me on the hip. I can't say I was very happy but I have no one to blame but myself. So as of today there is a bubble around me and he is not allowed in. I decided how big the bubble is and stood there waving my arms and mittens around like an air traffic controller. When he tried to come in he bumped into my waving arms and mittens. When he stood at a respectable distance I went to him and loved him like crazy. We worked on this for about an hour in the dark and it was very cold. Of course if I had made this a rule from the start I would not have had to freeze my butt off doing this. He just continues to be a great teacher!
I was opening up the feed room door when he walked up behind me and bit me on the hip. I can't say I was very happy but I have no one to blame but myself. So as of today there is a bubble around me and he is not allowed in. I decided how big the bubble is and stood there waving my arms and mittens around like an air traffic controller. When he tried to come in he bumped into my waving arms and mittens. When he stood at a respectable distance I went to him and loved him like crazy. We worked on this for about an hour in the dark and it was very cold. Of course if I had made this a rule from the start I would not have had to freeze my butt off doing this. He just continues to be a great teacher!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
