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 Ms. Elvis
Posts: 9606
   
Location: Running barrels or watching nascar | Our horses seem to be a little bit chicken about getting on the theraplate. One will put her front legs on but not her back legs and another won't step on it without me placing her foot on it. Anything else we can do to help them realize it's not a scary thing? |
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2926
Location: North Dakota | How are your horse's ground manners in general?
I would treat the theraplate as if it were an obstacle you were working on desensitizing your horses to. I personally like to use a lunge whip (as an extension as my arm) and control the hindquarters and shoulder. Ask the horse to move foward, and then back up (retreat). One foot at a time. Just like you would if you were working on trailer loading. Keep control of each foot individually and you will be able to place that foot wherever you want it ...... including on the Theraplate. |
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Regular
Posts: 84
| r_beau - 2014-03-17 2:46 PM
How are your horse's ground manners in general?
I would treat the theraplate as if it were an obstacle you were working on desensitizing your horses to. I personally like to use a lunge whip (as an extension as my arm) and control the hindquarters and shoulder. Ask the horse to move foward, and then back up (retreat). One foot at a time. Just like you would if you were working on trailer loading. Keep control of each foot individually and you will be able to place that foot wherever you want it ...... including on the Theraplate.
I agree with all of that... but I have a pony plate and I bribed them to stand still with alfalfa. just the first couple times. now they all stand on it and love it.... |
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Meanest Teacher!!!
Posts: 8552
Location: sunny california | pull up a wheel barrel full of alfalfa drop the leadrope and clean stalls |
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Location: Down South Mississippi | I have a pony plate. Took me almost 2 hrs to get one of mine on it. I had to place his feet up there. When I finally got him on it and turned it on he went ballistic! He at that point tried to KILL it! Finally got him back on it by placing his feet and nose twitched him and turned it on. I got him to stand there a few min, relax and took the twitch off. Had to do this senario for a few more sessions. He finally learned to love it! Walks right on, pull up a wheelbarrow of hay and stays on it almost an hour. |
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boon
Posts: 4
| Always begin slowly, the smaller pony plates can be more challenging to get a horse to stand on the first few times. I recommend when turning the Theraplate on for the first time to stay at level 5-10 then no more than level 20 to 40. Reward with a treat. I have had friends bribe them with a handful of hay every couple minutes as well. I assure you that after just a few times, they will love it and almost walk on by themselves. Let them see you standing on it turning the level up so they become accustomed to the motor sounds. At first don't ask them to stop stand but just lead them up on and across several times. Don't try to slam a twenty minute session on the first time either. i have no explanation why some horses walk right on the first time and never attempt to move while others almost panic. With time and patience it will become easier with each use. I am not a fan of forcing in any situation with a horse. Gentle coaxing works best. I like to set the alarm on my phone for each session and level time change and give a peppermint, sugar lump, carrot, piece of apple, horse cookie whatever. Then each time the alarm goes off they are looking for a treat, standing quietly for the next treat. It's almost like clicker training. Stroking the horse and speaking softly and reassuringly will aid in calming the horse. I was also told by a horse whisperer to never pat a horse, only to stroke and rub as in the wild, a horse is only struck/hit by danger or warning. |
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