training Connie

[Donn Hewes]

Hi all, This post is mostly about a bunch (56) pictures on the web. The training represented, Halter work, bridle and lines, collar and harness all took place in about three days but all the pictures were taken on the last day, (when I could get a patient photographer). Working with Connie is like working with one of those plastic statues, in a good way. Even so she had a few moments of confusion. A few moments of thinking “maybe I could just leave now”. Those things are hard to capture on film. In any training system those moments are the key. Will she look to you for guidance? Will she accept your leadership? You need to be reassuring, patient, yet firm in your intentions. Having talked so much about developing steps that others might be able to use; this is by no means complete. There are little things that just weren’t caught on film, and there are things I could have done to control this situation more than I did. This horse just wasn’t going any were. There is other round pen type work that I have done with other horses that I just didn’t do with Connie at all. She was already as linked up as a horse can be. One last thing, in driving her for the first time you will see a lot of slack in the lines, I will take up the slack over time but I am being sure to start her on a career of no pressure driving. Feel free if you have any specific questions about what I did or didn’t do. Donn

ps. I like to make the slideshow go a little slower, like five or six seconds

[Carl Russell]

Nice job Donn. Thanx for sharing that with us, Carl

[HeeHawHaven]

Great Job! I love how willing she is! Can’t wait to see how she progresses.

Dave

[Robert MoonShadow]

Nice, really nice… and the photography was great – showed a lot of good angles. Thank you for sharing this with us.

[jen judkins]

Donn, I loved your slideshow (and I set it on slow;))

Anyway, I did alot of what you are showing with Peanut when he was young without bit or harness. My approach was always to ground drive first, hook to the cart later. But I’ve been told by a few teamsters now that it is better (maybe translates to easier) to start hooked to a cart, then work on stuff like skidding wood. I don’t know what training Connie came with, so am not sure where you are in her training (forgive me if I missed that in an earlier post). My question is, what do you do? Do you work with your feet on the ground in the beginning or in a cart? Which do you think is better for the horse? Thanks.

[Donn Hewes]

Hi Jennifer, There are pros and cons of each approach. Regardless of what one chooses to do first you still need to make sure the animal is prepared before hand. I don’t believe Connie was ever driven before I got her. I know her previous owner put the harness on a few times; but she didn’t know what to do next. With any horse or mule I was starting for myself I would do exactly what you saw. There are three Connie threads all together. Working on the ground, single, can be difficult with some animals that haven’t quite put it all together yet. The teamsters skill and quickness can be very important to staying behind them, keeping them calm, and keeping them going. For me I feel it is the best gauge of what an animal has learned and what they are ready for next. Perhaps people think I am just saying this in a general sense, but I really mean it – skidding small logs is the best training for a green animal there is. It is almost always going to be the first thing I hook to. I believe it is the best training for a green teamster too; provided they are skilled enough or supported with help. Walking while your animal drags something, waiting while you unhook. Going back empty. They need to learn to go at your speed. You learn to make them. Waiting while you hook. Learning to start a load, a great skill that takes a long time to master but you should be working on from day one. It is all there. Repeat the next day. Donn

[jen judkins]

That makes sense:)

[Ed Thayer]

Don,

Great slideshow,

It has always been easier for me to understand a concept when there are pictures attached. 😀

She is a great looking horse.

ED

[imported_Stella]

Hi Donn and all,

I’m so glad that you have Connie – she is a great mare. She and her team mate were here when they first came from Wisconsin, stayed here for a month or so of training. I think that the woman you bought her from got them as a broke team, though they had not worked together much. We filled in a couple of gaps, but they were going nicely when they left here. Thanks for sharing the pictures, and thank the photographer – they are really great.

As to the question of ground driving first or after, I’m always going for the safest option. I’m not a cat – only have one life, as far as I can tell. I start every horse just as Donn shows in the pics – one piece at a time, slow as can be, just add one new thing at a time. Once they understand that the noise behind them stops when they stop, and the stick against their leg isn’t a threat, then I hook them, first to something dragging, then to a pole.

Enjoy!

-Bekah Murchison
Fair Winds Farm

[Robert MoonShadow]

Donn ~ I, too, want to thank you for your time & effort here… I’m learning a lot = you are very good at communicating your thoughts. Although I am picking up some techniques here, the real value (for me) is the learning of ideas. It’s hard to pick up a technique from the internet & apply it in real life -without a mentor & feedback, I might be applying it incorrectly. But the ideas you (and others here) present, can be used & adapted as the situation warrants. Your ability to convey the idea behind the technique is very valuable. I hope that you’ll keep on with this post.

And have a really good day, too.

[Donn Hewes]

Hi Bekah, Despite the fact that it is a little embarrassing I confess I did know she was up to your farm on her way to central New York. I didn’t realize she was there for that long. I should have mentioned it in one of my early threads and don’t know why I didn’t. I guess that was about a year and a half ago? She is a great horse and will make a great addition to our farm. Donn

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