Bruce
Herd Master
Close call!
Thistleblooms Rambles
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Baymule
Herd Master
That was a close call! Larka almost got Schmoosed!
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thistlebloom
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It has been snowing all day, except for about a two hour break this afternoon. Great time to take the girls out for a run with my fat bike. 
It is no doubt a workout going through just 4" of snow, but it was super fun and did I mention I love this bike?
I did not cheat and ride in the tire tracks, I rode through the untracked stuff. I did however choose the route that didn't have any hills. I'm no dummy!
It is no doubt a workout going through just 4" of snow, but it was super fun and did I mention I love this bike?I did not cheat and ride in the tire tracks, I rode through the untracked stuff. I did however choose the route that didn't have any hills. I'm no dummy!
Beekissed
Herd Master
What a lovely ride!!! You should get those dogs onto a bike joring line and let them help. The Bernie, at least, will love it...they are made for pulling.
I'm envious of the snow....we've not had a good one yet. Dogs LOVE snow.
turn off the sound for this next one....it will drive you nuts...
I'm envious of the snow....we've not had a good one yet. Dogs LOVE snow.
turn off the sound for this next one....it will drive you nuts...
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thistlebloom
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Thanks Bee! We have talked about it, dh actually had her pulling the kicksled last year. Sort of... She's a draft breed but really not that into running LOL. She does a lot of flopping in the snow when she gets ahead of me. Dh has a kick bike, basically a grownup scooter that he can't kick anymore due to foot pain, but he wants to train Larka to pull it. The cattle dog is a runner, but at 20ish pounds really too small. We could hitch them inline.... 
I already have one of those thingys the gal in the first vid mentioned... a Walky. I used to connect Larka to it when I pedaled around the loop here, but she's obedient and good at staying with me now. I thought that was a great idea attaching it to the handlebars to run the line through.
Oh and all that snow died. It rained all day yesterday, booo! It's still out there but a sloppy mushy mess. Still warm and rainy.
I already have one of those thingys the gal in the first vid mentioned... a Walky. I used to connect Larka to it when I pedaled around the loop here, but she's obedient and good at staying with me now. I thought that was a great idea attaching it to the handlebars to run the line through.
Oh and all that snow died. It rained all day yesterday, booo! It's still out there but a sloppy mushy mess. Still warm and rainy.
Senile_Texas_Aggie
Herd Master
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thistlebloom
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thistlebloom
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Friday morning I had a horse incident that has me sporting a big colorful shiner on my right cheekbone. In more than 6 decades I believe it's the first black eye I've ever had. It was a very discouraging event and pretty much shattered my trust and grieved my heart. Also fired me up and set my resolve.
I was longer than usual in my feeding routine Friday a.m., mostly because I had to mend holes in the horses hay nets. Syringa (the mustang) was impatiently waiting when I finally got to her. I always feed her last anyway to teach her some patience.
She is all about food.
I hung her net and was leaving her pen, she was standing back waiting for the okay, as I have trained her to, and as I approached on my way out I reached forward to rub her forehead as per usual. I may have been preoccupied and not been focused on her body language, but I'm pretty certain she wasn't exhibiting any pissy attitudinal posture. Next instant I have a closeup of bared teeth lunging toward my head. She hit my cheek, but didn't grab any flesh and leapt away as I hollered and swung. I missed the 3 second "kill 'em if you can" window since I had no tool to use and she had jumped away so fast.
I ran and got my stick and string and moved her around me in her pen at a canter, changing directions, stopping, backing etc for at least 5 minutes. I was looking for an ears forward, "yes ma'am, anything else I can do for you?" posture which she finally gave me. She spent quite some time tied to a thinking tree after, and getting moved a lot on the line before I finally unhaltered her and gave her permission to eat. I came in and showed my husband my prize fighter shiner. We discussed how big a hole our neighbor would have to dig with his backhoe. I will not pass a dangerous animal on to someone else, no matter their level of experience or commitment.
After giving it deep and serious consideration I have determined where my mistakes have been. She is a dominant testy mare that doesn't like to be told what to do. She has come a long, long way from the wild defensive thing she was when I got her, and that is encouraging. She also has made huge progress in becoming compliant and willing. Every now and then she does have the pissy ears- leave me alone attitude.
I believe that has been my greatest fail in working with her, and I just realized it. When asked to do something new, she sometimes protests with ears back and a tail swish. I have stopped asking when she exhibits the proper response ( moving her shoulders, moving her hindquarters etc.) But not addressing the attitude she does it with. So in her mind, and this is critically important, I haven't released the pressure because she obeyed, I released the pressure because she threatened me long enough. I have basically been training her to be threatening and go for the Boss Mare position.
So the new game plan is a No Pissy Ears campaign. I will increase the ask pressure until she puts her ears forward and does the movement I asked for. Back to square one.
I started the new plan Friday and she really took a lot of convincing that I would accept nothing less than obedience with a pleasant attitude. But I see some light out there at the far end of the tunnel. Yesterday I only had to work slightly less long and persistently before the yes ma'am. My sweet husband surprised me with his encouragement. He reminded me of where she and I started, and didn't think I should give up on her. I have to always keep in mind what she's capable of and not get sloppy and complacent. I really expected him to vote for the hole in the ground because he's very protective of me.
I'm glad I learned my error, and remembered what horses can do. It was a wakeup call for sure, and I'm earnestly pursuing a complete turnaround in both my handling of her and her attitude to pressure. But if it happens again she won't get any more reprieves even though it will crush my heart severely to have to make that call.
I was longer than usual in my feeding routine Friday a.m., mostly because I had to mend holes in the horses hay nets. Syringa (the mustang) was impatiently waiting when I finally got to her. I always feed her last anyway to teach her some patience.
She is all about food.
I hung her net and was leaving her pen, she was standing back waiting for the okay, as I have trained her to, and as I approached on my way out I reached forward to rub her forehead as per usual. I may have been preoccupied and not been focused on her body language, but I'm pretty certain she wasn't exhibiting any pissy attitudinal posture. Next instant I have a closeup of bared teeth lunging toward my head. She hit my cheek, but didn't grab any flesh and leapt away as I hollered and swung. I missed the 3 second "kill 'em if you can" window since I had no tool to use and she had jumped away so fast.
I ran and got my stick and string and moved her around me in her pen at a canter, changing directions, stopping, backing etc for at least 5 minutes. I was looking for an ears forward, "yes ma'am, anything else I can do for you?" posture which she finally gave me. She spent quite some time tied to a thinking tree after, and getting moved a lot on the line before I finally unhaltered her and gave her permission to eat. I came in and showed my husband my prize fighter shiner. We discussed how big a hole our neighbor would have to dig with his backhoe. I will not pass a dangerous animal on to someone else, no matter their level of experience or commitment.
After giving it deep and serious consideration I have determined where my mistakes have been. She is a dominant testy mare that doesn't like to be told what to do. She has come a long, long way from the wild defensive thing she was when I got her, and that is encouraging. She also has made huge progress in becoming compliant and willing. Every now and then she does have the pissy ears- leave me alone attitude.
I believe that has been my greatest fail in working with her, and I just realized it. When asked to do something new, she sometimes protests with ears back and a tail swish. I have stopped asking when she exhibits the proper response ( moving her shoulders, moving her hindquarters etc.) But not addressing the attitude she does it with. So in her mind, and this is critically important, I haven't released the pressure because she obeyed, I released the pressure because she threatened me long enough. I have basically been training her to be threatening and go for the Boss Mare position.
So the new game plan is a No Pissy Ears campaign. I will increase the ask pressure until she puts her ears forward and does the movement I asked for. Back to square one.
I started the new plan Friday and she really took a lot of convincing that I would accept nothing less than obedience with a pleasant attitude. But I see some light out there at the far end of the tunnel. Yesterday I only had to work slightly less long and persistently before the yes ma'am. My sweet husband surprised me with his encouragement. He reminded me of where she and I started, and didn't think I should give up on her. I have to always keep in mind what she's capable of and not get sloppy and complacent. I really expected him to vote for the hole in the ground because he's very protective of me.
I'm glad I learned my error, and remembered what horses can do. It was a wakeup call for sure, and I'm earnestly pursuing a complete turnaround in both my handling of her and her attitude to pressure. But if it happens again she won't get any more reprieves even though it will crush my heart severely to have to make that call.
Bruce
Herd Master
I hope you've got her number now! I don't know much of anything about horses, your description of "horse posture" is quite informative.
Baymule
Herd Master
She asserted herself as lead mare and you missed it. Little by little, she "pushed" and you saw it, but you didn't SEE it. I'm sure glad that she didn't bite a hunk out of your face. By comparison, a black eye ain't so bad. It was a wake up call, glad you answered the phone! LOL The REAL Lead Mare just woke up and is slapping the herd back into shape.
My 32 year old Tennessee Walker mare Sparkles, is, and always has been the Lead Mare. Horses have came and went, only one time was she challenged, by a 17 hand, built like a tank, big bossy mare named Rocki. Sparkles went after Rocki, teeth bared, head snaked out, ears back, whirling around to kick and driving Rocki away. Again and again, and again. I fed Rocki well away from the herd, but Sparkles ran Rocki away from her feed and wouldn't let her eat. I turned over a bucket and just watched it all play out.
@Bruce, horses never pick up a 2x4 and clobber each other, only ignorant idiot people do that because they don't speak "horse" and are too stupid to even try. @thistlebloom speaks horse fluently and knows how to get Syringa's attention just like a lead mare, but without biting and kicking. A mouthful of hair probably wouldn't make much of an impact anyway, except on thistlebloom. LOL
So when a member of the herd needs correction, the Lead Mare chases that individual away from the safety of the herd. Being a prey animal, a horse alone is vunerable to predators. So when Sparkles ran Rocki away, Rocki desperately wanted back in the safety of herd. She could have gone anywhere on 36 acres, but suddenly, the 20 feet or so of proximity to the herd became the most important desire of her life. Sparkles didn't let up, chastising Rocki again and again, it went on for a couple of weeks. Rocki finally submitted to Sparkles and was allowed to join the herd. Thereafter, it only took an ears back, nasty bite or two for Sparkles to keep Rocki on her best behavior.
Syringa has had a bad attitude, with her ears back, swishing her tail, (think an eye roll from a rebellious teenager) clearly telling thistlebloom that she was complying, but didn't WANT to and it was only a matter of time before she challenged the Lead Mare for position in the herd. What thistlebloom is doing now is making Syringa "move her feet". Even in the confines of a pen, she is running Syringa away from the herd. Because she is in a pen, she can't run away, but must keep moving. As long as she has a bad attitude, thistlebloom makes her keep moving. When she changes her attitude, ears up instead of annoyed laid back, her reward is to stop. That is the pressure thistlebloom is talking about.
I hope you have a better mental picture of why posture, tail swishing, ears alert or laid back makes such a difference. That is horse language.
Thistlebloom I hope I have explained that correctly, feel free to add to or explain it differently.
My 32 year old Tennessee Walker mare Sparkles, is, and always has been the Lead Mare. Horses have came and went, only one time was she challenged, by a 17 hand, built like a tank, big bossy mare named Rocki. Sparkles went after Rocki, teeth bared, head snaked out, ears back, whirling around to kick and driving Rocki away. Again and again, and again. I fed Rocki well away from the herd, but Sparkles ran Rocki away from her feed and wouldn't let her eat. I turned over a bucket and just watched it all play out.
@Bruce, horses never pick up a 2x4 and clobber each other, only ignorant idiot people do that because they don't speak "horse" and are too stupid to even try. @thistlebloom speaks horse fluently and knows how to get Syringa's attention just like a lead mare, but without biting and kicking. A mouthful of hair probably wouldn't make much of an impact anyway, except on thistlebloom. LOL
So when a member of the herd needs correction, the Lead Mare chases that individual away from the safety of the herd. Being a prey animal, a horse alone is vunerable to predators. So when Sparkles ran Rocki away, Rocki desperately wanted back in the safety of herd. She could have gone anywhere on 36 acres, but suddenly, the 20 feet or so of proximity to the herd became the most important desire of her life. Sparkles didn't let up, chastising Rocki again and again, it went on for a couple of weeks. Rocki finally submitted to Sparkles and was allowed to join the herd. Thereafter, it only took an ears back, nasty bite or two for Sparkles to keep Rocki on her best behavior.
Syringa has had a bad attitude, with her ears back, swishing her tail, (think an eye roll from a rebellious teenager) clearly telling thistlebloom that she was complying, but didn't WANT to and it was only a matter of time before she challenged the Lead Mare for position in the herd. What thistlebloom is doing now is making Syringa "move her feet". Even in the confines of a pen, she is running Syringa away from the herd. Because she is in a pen, she can't run away, but must keep moving. As long as she has a bad attitude, thistlebloom makes her keep moving. When she changes her attitude, ears up instead of annoyed laid back, her reward is to stop. That is the pressure thistlebloom is talking about.
I hope you have a better mental picture of why posture, tail swishing, ears alert or laid back makes such a difference. That is horse language.
Thistlebloom I hope I have explained that correctly, feel free to add to or explain it differently.
