|
|
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 899
  
Location: Idaho | Soo, I have come back here. You guys have helped me with some other parts of training with my colt, so I thought I would give this a go!
So I recently moved to Oklahoma, left my colt on pasture while I was gone so he can just relax. He is pretty fancy broke, I figured I didn't want anyone to really touch him while I was gone and just hoped he would remember everything I taught him. Well, he is now out here with me, I put my first ride back on him today and he hasn't missed a beat. Remembered everything I taught him, it was like I never stopped riding him! It was truly an amazing feeling.
He is 4 years old, will be 5 in May, and now he is in a pasture with 3 other horses. He is quite attached to one of the mares. I have been working with him the past week, because he is fine when he is away from the pasture but when walking back he will get a bit fussy. He will try and throw his head and try and push his way so he can go back to the pasture. So whenever he starts to pitch a fit, I start moving his feet and making him work HARD. He can talk, but if he starts acting up.. he gets work. After a couple times of doing this, his attention is completely on me and he returns to his well behaved self. This method seems to work pretty well with him as I have done this (make the right thing easy, and the wrong thing hard) on other issues we have had and were corrected through this method.
Well, before I moved I was going to start working him outside of the arena and get exposure to new things. I never got to do that, so now that is the next step in his training. Right in front of his pasture (there are many pastures) there is a really big circle where riding is available, it is not fenced in, also a cow pasture, another arena and an indoor. I would love to ride him in that circle and in the cow pasture, but since he is my first baby that I have trained I am a little unsure on how to correct him while I am on his back if he pitches a fit. Granted he has only bucked one time (on his 11th ride) since I started riding him (which was July of 2014). Since then, he has NOT offered to buck but I don't want to give him a reason to.
So my question is, if he starts pitching a fit.. what do I do? I usually wear spurs on him as a training/correction aide only. I do have a hand whip for correction purposes only (Let's face it, there were times he needed a little more encouragement to adjust his attitude). I don't want to jump off him to fix it, then get back on because it will never actually fix the problem. I imagine in my head I just get after him with my spurs and make him work in circles, but I am not sure if that is correct. Sorry for the book! I know there are other people who have more experience than me in this.  | |
| | |
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 600
Location: Oklahoma & Texas | If he lets loose I wouldn't spur him... but I would pull his nose around in a tight circle and the more he bucks the tighter I'd pull him around until he quits.. generally they stop real quick if you pull them in/around like that while you're on them... im not talking hurt his mouth and that type of pulling just steady firm pressure bringing his nose in and him flexing at poll - in a tight circle.. and I'd make him move his feet while I was doing this if I had control over him (and he wasn't bucking)... and once they behave let them release and relax and walk in larger circle and if they act up - smaller circle again... I bet he'll be ok - sounds like he has a firm foundation if you could get back on him and he behaved like that - but I understand the apprehension when you are in a big open area on a colt and he has shown in the past he might cut loose... just remember your safety is more important and start out slow! | |
| | |
Elite Veteran
Posts: 899
Location: Idaho | Thank you for the advise! :)
I think I should have clarified about the spurs. Ever since I started riding him, he is a bit dull sided? (At least to me, I hardly ever ride with spurs). It was my fault because I desensitized him like crazy when he was a yearling/2 year old. So I need to wear these big, chunky 6 point spurs to get his attention and for him to feel my cues if he isn't listening. I picture him like a boy, becAuse he can be stubborn sometimes and needs a little extra attention grabbing coercion lol and also he can test you to see if he can get away with things, but if you make him work when he acts up he changes his tune real quick. So by using my spurs, it was more to get his attention and not spurring him to punish him (if that makes sense).
I agree with the grabbing his head, I guess that makes sense! Like you said, I just want to be safe. I don't want to send him to someone else at this point to get that exposure, so I am it and want to make sure I do it right, and safely. | |
| | |
Meanest Teacher!!!
Posts: 8555
  
Location: sunny california | I would ride in the indoor first then go to the patch and do some small task at a walk. get off and walk him back. each time you go to patch ask for a little more. I bet in a week he will ride off in the sunset | |
| | |
Elite Veteran
Posts: 959
Location: Borger, Tx | Long trot long trot long trot out in the pasture!!! I try to stay out of the arena on my colts, it makes them to dependant on the fences. If he's darn sure broke and has a handle on him you should be able to snatch him up quickly and go to working him either in circles or like I said long trotting! Your killing 2 birds with one stone that way, your getting his wind built up and getting him tired. I incorporated lots of circles with my long trotting as well. set some barrels up randomly out there and use them to get him to focus as well. Good luck! | |
| | |
  Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315
Location: East Tennessee but who knows?! | One thing I would do for your safety is lunge him out in the fields with a bridle on a longer longeline (start up close). That way he learns out in the open is no different than the pen --he has to work both places-- and it gives you a chance to deal with him and address any attitude on the ground first. I guarantee you'll see a different horse than what you've been seeing and you'll get a better sense of how he's going to behave. I have found over and over that horses will work under saddle and lunge just fine even in a big pen but them on a lunge in the middle of a field and you find out what you've really got. When you go ride, I would keep him bent just enough that you see his eye. That way he can't get a jump on you as easily. If he goes to throw a fit, hustle and keep him moving and guessing what's next. When one gets antsy, lateral work will slow one down in a heart beat. Try to not be repetitive when reprimand too. I've made that mistake and had them talk and then dash into a circle because that's what their reprimand was. They figure it out quick.Keep them guessing and engage the brain and the feet. | |
| | |
Elite Veteran
Posts: 899
Location: Idaho | Fairweather - 2016-01-14 11:09 AM
One thing I would do for your safety is lunge him out in the fields with a bridle on a longer longeline (start up close). That way he learns out in the open is no different than the pen --he has to work both places-- and it gives you a chance to deal with him and address any attitude on the ground first. I guarantee you'll see a different horse than what you've been seeing and you'll get a better sense of how he's going to behave. I have found over and over that horses will work under saddle and lunge just fine even in a big pen but them on a lunge in the middle of a field and you find out what you've really got. When you go ride, I would keep him bent just enough that you see his eye. That way he can't get a jump on you as easily. If he goes to throw a fit, hustle and keep him moving and guessing what's next. When one gets antsy, lateral work will slow one down in a heart beat. Try to not be repetitive when reprimand too. I've made that mistake and had them talk and then dash into a circle because that's what their reprimand was. They figure it out quick.Keep them guessing and engage the brain and the feet.
Thank you everyone for your responses!! Long trotting I do, I try to keep him in the deep dirt to make him tired. Will keep that in mind for the future.
Fairweather, I usually do lunge him before I ride him just to get out any type of attitude or energy he may have. I have lunged him in the big circle in front of his pasture, and he did good he just looked around a lot. He seems to like the view..He does NOT like the indoor arena, there are a lot of pigeons in there and it makes a lot of noise. So he gets nervous, never has gotten stupid the few times I have worked him on the ground in there. At first he didn't like it because he couldn't see anybody, and he would stop and back up until I made him move. Now he just gets a little flighty when he hears some weird noises, but like i said no bucking or anything. Then I would stop working him when he was acting fine and paying attention.
Thank you for the advice! If I can find a good spot and the weather is good, I will try and work him in the big pasture (there are cows out there) and see how he acts on the ground. I will try and give that a go, he really needs it. I am planning to start him on the pattern too and that won't work if I can't take him anywhere lol
| |
| | |
The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| If the horse has the buttons like you say, I would just get on and go.
Ride with confidence, as horses feed off of our body language, be prepared for the unexpected.
If the horse bolts, or spooks, be prepared to turn circles.
The first time I ride my horses out of the arena, I don't pick at them, I let them walk or trot, they choose, but I don't lope, (this is more my comfort thing) | |
| | |
| It is time for you to get aggressive and get his attention on you whether you are ground working or riding him ... he can't be staring off into the distance or making his circles with his head pointed to the outside ...
Nor can you allow him in your personal space ... it is ok for you to walk to him ... but don't teach him to come stand on your toes to be petted ...
For years I had no round pen and worked colts in the pasture on a homemade 25' longe line and had 15' homemade leads ... the junky 8-10' leads are pure trash for working with horses .... I never could find the type of rope I liked and bought the typical junky bullsnaps and brass spring loaded snaps .. and used hands and body movements to point horse around to do different things ... it is easy to intimidate a horse just by being crazier than they are ... with no yelling ... lol
Around 10 years ago one of my boarding barrel racers showed up with some expensive but high quality 14' lead, 23' longe line and a knotted halter and a funny looking stick with a string on it ...
That was the first time I had heard the name Clinton Anderson ... I was so impressed with his high quality tack, I bought a ton of it ... and used the old stuff to tie gates or secure hay on trailers ..
Once you get used to having 14' leads on every horse you own ... you will wonder how you used the short stuff to do any good with their training ...
I recommend buying a 14' lead.. you will love the boat type snap on it .. 23' longe' line and the knotted rope halter .... this stuff is high quality and will last a lifetime .. so spend some money while you need the stuff. The stick and line is your choice .. you can do so many things just tossing the end of either of the other lines ..
Ok .. advertisement is over .... If he is leaning, looking, pulling on longe' line working in pasture or round pen ... jerk his head off and make him lose his balance and this will make him look at you while he is working ...
Learn what a one rein stop is .. you lift up on the inside rein and bend his head to your boot top and this throws his rear quarters out so he can't use their power to buck ... or runaway with you ..
Teach him on the ground in the pen first ... start by flexing his nose to his ribs and then add moving his butt away from you in a tight circle while using some hard knuckle pressure in his ribs (may have to whack his butt with the end of the lead rope the first few times) while his front feet remain in the same place .. once he does this .. you can easily do the one rein stop from the saddle with rein and heel/spur pressure in his ribs. All of this is to keep you safe and horse busy ..
Also teach him to backup for a mile with nose pressure on halter and a hard finger into chest/shoulder so he moves smoothly, quickly and quick footed backwards ... backing is not normal for a horse and is hard work so don't go crazy on me ... lol
If you go to ride across the pasture ... neighing, looking or acting a fool is not permissible ... do the above ... snatch his head around like you mean it and do the one rein stop motion and it is ok to turn a circle with his front feet steady per above .. his butt is what needs to move ... and keep going where you are headed ...
Since you are the pilot .. spend as much time as you can riding two handed .... and figure out how little pressure you eventually need to move horse to left or right while using only one rein and off leg pressure with slack in the other rein ... riding two handed keeps you and the horse squared up together ... now work on being in rhythm at a walk, trot (no posting) and lope to galloping ...
Too many circles is boring so add some figure eights with flying lead changes, side pass, two tracking use your barrel cues and turn around some bushes, a rock, a tree , jump a log, cross a creek, scramble up the creek bank or a gully side wall ... work him but don't be hateful ... lol
You will enjoy using your barrel race cues in a pasture along with other movements ... there is no arena fence or turns that interrupts you about the time both of you are finally doing what you want him to do ...
I was serious about buying that CA tack ... the added length of the lead has so many uses and his stuff feels great in your hands ... lead line .. is long enough to keep a spooked horse from getting away from you .. tying one to a fence or trailer ... you can tie the end a safe distance away incase horse pulls back and you can safely get to the end to untie it ... use as a butt rope on a baby while teaching to lead or load ..
23' ft longe' line ... for circles in correct lead, short circle it is long enough to whack them on the butt if needed, loading in trailer... long enough to run thru one of the tie rings and you can move back to bump an unwilling broke horse to jump in the trailer or to keep a newbie's head pointed in the trailer while you stand and urge the colt to step into the trailer ...
Getting used to handling the longer lengths is easy ... just let them drag without stepping on the ends or coil them up in one hand like a rope ...
Tieing a horse in trailer or wherever .... just bend the line at the distance you want horse from the trailer tie ring inside or outside .. stick the bend thru the tie ring and just keep on sticking bends in the loops of the line ... when you come to the end .. just stick the end in a loop to keep it secure ...... almost like plaiting with one strand of hair ... this shortens the line so it does not lay on trailer floor or on the ground .. to untie .. just pull the end out of the last loop and then pull on the end and it will undo all of the loopity loops and lead will fall out of the tie ring and horse is ready to back out or lead them away....
This loopity loop way of tying is a good thing to learn .. trailer tie ring .. one loop thru it and start your loops in your lead .......... pipe fence or post ... make your first loop long enough to wrap twice around either and then start your loops .... stick the tail in the last loop ............ you will like how pulling on the end of the lead will untie all the loops in one pulling movement whether horse is excited or asleep .. lol ...
Teach your horse to lead with 2-3 ft of slack between you and him .. and again .. be aggressive by bumping his nose with lead or halter tug or a whack with the lead line to get him to stay out of your space ... no swatting with hands to head ... use your elbow to give him a solid bump or move him in a short circle around you as you keep walking forward .... I have led many a young stud horse on the muscle a mile from a barn to a saddling paddock at horse races ... and I have even let them chew on a loop of the longer lead line to occupy their time while they dance along side of me ... lol ..
Just keep in mind ... anytime you let him get away with bad behavior that is what you are teaching him ....
The $150 in CA tack is cheaper if you find someone that belongs to his Worries club ... let them buy it for you ... that is what I did and I have used mine hard and it is still in excellent shape over 10 years later ... you will find a regular sized halter will fit about anything from big weanlings to grown horses .. if you buy in different sizes ... get them in different colors so you can tell them apart ... i.e. black for regular, red for yearling ...
I did not mean to hound on the CA tack ... but it sure beats the long homemade stuff or 8-10' stuff I had been using for 40 years... I will always thank the college barrel racer for showing me the good stuff ... lol ...
Edited by BARRELHORSE USA 2016-01-14 12:17 AM
| |
| |
|
Working Colt outside the arena