running to the end

Proper timing and reward is the key to what works for me.

Amen to that…….

Carl

My team is always rushing to be done with work. I don’t know if it is the same in your situation, but mine started rushing more at the “barn” side of the field. I have started to vary which side of the field I stop the day on. This is easier with a harrow, but it has helped a little with the rushing factor. That way they don’t know which direction they will be done with work.

It is important to strike a balance between taking advantage of an animal’s habitual nature, and letting them decide what they should be doing. This kind of work is probably some of the most pattern-based exercises we do with animals. I think this is a good example of the challenge of the teamster’s art. When animals begin to develop habitual response, whether they are doing what you want, or not, they are taking advantage of gaps in leadership.

The trick is to find that thin line where you are continually guiding them, but without having to work too hard at it. We want to “let” the animal work, but we also need to keep them guessing, focused on us, looking to us for what they want, reward.

I don’t think the idea is to try to trick them about where the field begins and ends. Rather it is more of a constant agenda, so that they know that rest/reward can come at any time, and is related to not just pace, but obvious attention to the guidance of the teamster. Then they know that as long as they are in yoke, they are working, and every step should be in accordance with what the teamster directs them to do.

Erika’s example clearly exemplifies this. She is driving her cattle. In fact, she is never not driving her cattle…… And they know it.

Carl

Carl, I have taken to calling the “work” I do with the cattle “training sessions” in order to help shift the focus away from the accomplishment towards the training process it self. Because I struggle so much with my team, every time we go out I am now working on “training” rather than “working.” It has always been a part of my vocabulary to say I am going out to “work the boys” I am trying to make that shift because I can see how important that distinction is. The work is almost a byproduct of the training, and my boys need a lot more training.

Somebody at the Walktober event last weekend asked a good question, “How long does it take to train your oxen?”

I looked at her 2 kids on the ground and told her,”Cattle are just like children, as long as they live at your home, they are always in training.” She understood the point well.

With that said, it is nice that productive work can be a product of training. I see pictures of teams pulling tires and blocks and think to myself, “I am glad that I have things to do around the farm with my oxen, because if I didn’t I would never have time for all of that empty training.” It is good that some folks enjoy and have time for training laps with loads, but I certainly don’t.

And maybe the effect the accomplishment has on me rubs off on them.

Now we’re getting down to it.

There is no doubt a “chicken and the egg” syndrome here, but when you are confident about the work, or at ease during execution, then they will be much more attracted to your leadership, AND in those situations you will also be more inclined to put energy into more consistent leadership because you know you can pay less attention to the task.

Garden work, or other work where detailed execution is required, straight furrows and the like, can derive a certain anxiety that rivets our focus on the task, but also conveys to the animals our uncertainty, or discomfort, which in turn is not attractive, or might even be upsetting to them.

When we are comfortable, or certain, then directing animals through the complexities of work can be a very effective way to reinforce leadership, making very responsive animals. The converse is true also, so finding those tasks where you can really see their attentiveness is key to building a responsive working relationship. Then build on that up until you can keep their attention even into unfamiliar, or uncomfortable, or complex situations….

Carl

The animals certainly pick up on the emotions of the teamster. Even when I think I am doing a good job of hiding or controlling my stress and anxiety about a certain task they seem to know that I am lying. This year we planted a half acre of potatoes, more than we have in the past, and more than we wanted to dig by hand. I made the goal to use the steers to dig them with our little potato plow. The crop was in, the need to harvest was urgent, my fear was high, and they knew that. We managed to do it but I went through a lot of problems with them in the process. Ultimately I hope that we came out on top even though the path was kinda ugly. They would stop and try and twist in the yoke, and at one point I realized that they were pulling at their maximum for their size and condition, but I still had to get the potatoes to market. So we planed it out, one, to two rows a day, plenty of reward when they made it to the end of a row without flipping out, and by the end of the field they were digging full rows without stoping and I managed to control, my fear. The whole process taught me a lot about expectations and abilities. Next year the potatoes won’t be so daunting.