Spring time fun

Jean, I took Peanut out today too. I havn’t worked him all winter…he had a hind leg injury (fight with a fence line) and then it snowed…blah, blah blah.

Anyway, I hitched him up today and for the first 10 minutes he was full of himself. But he came right back to where we were last fall in no time. I was very pleased. I drove him on the snaffle…no leverage. I took him down the road and on the way back we trotted a long hill and at the top I got a nice ‘whoa’…the kind where he is seriously considering not moving. He was breathing moderately hard. I know this is a benefit I will not be able to take advantage of later when he is fitter.:rolleyes:

I noticed on the down hill that he crow hopped abit and then I realized that the breaching was way up on his butt. He has obviously grown abit since the fall. So I let the breaching out 2 holes! WoW…thats alot of expansion in a few months.

Anyway, it was a good day for a drive!

Jean, I have to admit that since I have gotten my new buddy Petey, we took the make shift sled for a ride one day up the road and I let off the reigns a bit and he actully got into a pretty good gallop, and I could tell he was having a good time for a while, but then I brought him back in to a slow trot and there was a whole shift in his demeanor.

I guess just like kids we gotta let them burn it off, and they will pay even closer attention to what is going on. Unless there is something you do not trust about your bud, don’t be afraid to give him the reigns once and a while. And don’t hesitate to listen to a little George Strait to set your mind right.;)

Both Petey and I grow each day we do something, and the story continues.

-Frank

Everybody likes George Strait but for that particular situation Chris Ledoux is more appropriate something like “Horsepower” or “He Rides the Wild Horses”. For plowing it’s, Jason Aldean “Amarillo Sky”. Cutting corn, Craig Morgan “International Harvester”. Hanging out with friends and family Zac Brown Band “Chicken Fried”. In the video “Chronicles of a Biological Woodsman”, Jason used a little ZZ Top for background music skidding some big timber with 4-up and that was pretty cool. Whatever it takes to get your mind right. It’s my day off gotta go paint the babies room, mark some trees for one of my customers, spread some manure with a team we haven’t used for a couple months, work on the corn binder, and check out the brakes on my wifes car. Did I say day off well at least I don’t have to go to my day job today.

Hi Everyone, i will take on the role of neighborhood curmudgeon today. Just pretend I didn’t get any coffee when I got up. Jean I am concerned about what you learned from this event. If what you learned is to not be afraid when an animal bolts, or that you can control that fear enough to still be useful to yourself and the horse this is a good thing. If you believe it means you can control an animal when they bolt, or that this will always be true, I think that is a dangerous idea. These animals can become extremely frightened AFTER they bolt. This can depend on what they are hooked to, noises that change as a result of the speed changing, and many other factors. The space that we have available to work in is also very important. being out in a large field or an open road is great. Next time there might not be enough room to turn before hitting trees or other obstacles. The last thing I migth suggest you learned would be that the moment to prevent this from happening was missed. It involved watching the animal (mostly his head) more intently and recognizing signs that he was not completely calm and relaxed.

Frank, I am sorry but I can’t agree with the notion that we should just “give him the reigns once in a while”. In fact I don’t think you give him anything. I think he took them and then you you tried to accept what had altready happened. If I want to trot, I will say “trot now”, if I don’t we better still be walking. People often ask me if my horses and mules enjoy their work. I always reply “I have no idea” and if they have half the brains I think they do mowing around in circles for four hours in the hot sun isn’t the funnest thing they have ever done. Two important things come from me not focusing on whether they are enjoying themselves. I never forget that they are “willing” to work, I that is because I am responsible for their care and comfort.

I hope I haven’t upset anyone by responding today. My only motivation is a care for the folks I have met here and to offer an opinion that might be helpful or useful. I hope you will take it in that light. Donn

Hi Jean, I am glad you took my comments as they were intended. I watched the video and found it interesting. If I could I take the risk of a few more suggestions? These are just thoughts and things I might try. I always remind myself that I am not there and haven’t met the horse. Please take anything I say in that light. I think he is a handsome horse. Full of spirit and eager to please. In the round pen scenes your directions to him are a little quick and a little loud ( not just your voice, but also the lung whip and body) for a horse that is paying so much attention to you. If we want him to be calm and relaxed we must be calm and relaxed. Just for fun try and do the whole exercise as slowly as possible (slow motion). No trotting allowed, When you ask him to move have him move at a walk (remember he will move in relation to your volume). When you are next to him after leading him in, and you want to move away to make enough space to start him make him stand still while you do that. Go slow, he has learned that he wants to follow you and that is good. Now we are asking him to do something different. Wait still while you move away. Don’t have him move until you are ready and give a command. Realizing that in the round pen scenario one hand is always leading the horse and the other is driving it. try it with out the lung whip. hold the lung rope in the leading hand – only let him out about fifteen feet at first. take the excess in small lopes in your driving hand. Keep both hands out at your sides, one in front of him to lead him the other behind to drive him. This let’s him know where we want him to go. But keep your hands down at waist level, higher is louder. A little shake of the loops will be enough to make him walk off. A little shake will keep him walking. A little tug with the leading hand will steer him and refocus him when his head drifts out side the circle. To get him to stop, relax both hands right in front of you at the waist. Take a step a head of him, ( not towards him) if needed. Don’t say whoa until he stops unless you already KNOW he will. If he reacts in a way that you don’t understand or appreciate, realize it may well have been something you did, not him. Be calm, quite, let him settle and continue to look for the cues that you can give, that get the results you desire. I could try to describe the steps for having him change directions if you like. I think Kruiser is a beauty. I would love to seem him skid some not too big, not too small logs and learn walking as a natural state. Obviously I have had coffee by now so no excuses. I hope any of this is helpful. Donn

I have worked with some horses that were very eager to please until they feel they’ve had enough. They throw a little fit when they want to quit like pawing or rammy starts or starting up before they are asked. More work usually smooths things out. If you have a forecart get a small tractor tire and drag behind it. A little resistance works wonders for a horse with an attitude problem. When he decides he’s had enough he may not have the extra energy to bolt on you. If he does at least if you have to go a ways again he is working and just not pulling a light forecart with no resistance. If you have a week off drive him every day with some sort of resistance and you might see an attitude change. Don’t be afraid to work him until he’s tired, in the long run it will do you both good. Working on your relationship and comfort level in the round pen definately won’t hurt but work will bring your horse around to your way of thinking. You might not want to hook him to that manure spreader too soon unless he’s used to the noise it makes. Good Luck you sound like you are gritty enough to hang in there and get the best of your horse.

Carl, Agreed I know how to fix the horse but it’s definately hard to put into words how to help the person and the horse. I often get frustrated with folks in my area that ask for advice and help but then won’t put in the time with the horse. I work two jobs and still get some farm work done and horses trained so it has been hard for me to buy their “no time” excuse. I think Jean is commited to making this horse work out. Donn gives good advice about improving the relationship with the horse but along with that he still needs a job to do to become a good respectable work animal.