I subbed to Equus University to try and "fix" a barn sour mare. Some background: Last April I found Luna, an 18 yr old Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse mare on the FB page of a reputable horse trader (really, he's super honest and a wonderful person) and suggested that my daughter buy her. She was underweight (body score probably 3/10) but was supposed to have been a great trail horse, ridden by kids, and used as a therapy horse.
For $650, she seemed like a steal and I've wanted a chocolate palomino since I was a kid. However, she was misrepresented by the original owner. After we put the weight back on her she turned out to be as hot under saddle as my thoroughbred. Not spooky but definitely not kid-safe. She wouldn't stand still for mounting (I understand that gaited horses are often trained to take off as soon as the rider's foot is in the stirrup). She's a forward mover but unruly under saddle and toward the end of summer tried to run my daughter (who is an adult but not an experienced rider) under a gooseneck trailer.
I found this program less than a month ago and the change in this mare has been astounding. I've spent about 3 days a week for the last 3 weeks just doing groundwork with the Dually halter (after free lunging for 20 minutes). It took a bit longer with an 18 yr old mare than the 2 yr old gelding in the video, but I felt it to be a reasonable amount of time. I was getting fairly quick results but Luna needed to be reminded of past lessons more often than a younger horse might. BTW, I am also using clicker training and giving rewards for positive behavior. It seems to work a bit quicker and the treats can be phased out over time.
Today, which is day 26, I decided to work on having Luna stand still at the mounting block. It took 30 minutes to stand still when:
1. Beside the block
2. With me standing on the block
3. With my foot in the stirrup (no weight)
4. Standing in the stirrup
5. Sitting on her back.
Luna hasn't been saddled since July and I had absolutely no intention of actually sitting in the saddle today, but she progressed so quickly that I decided to go for it. Since sitting in the saddle went well, I rode her once around the arena in the Dually halter with some barrel racing reins clipped to the side rings. On previous rides, it was very difficult to get her to slow down or stop even with a curb bit (she almost completely ignored the snaffle). With the Dually halter, she responded to "whoa" and rein pressure, and stayed at a steady walk.
This program and halter are nothing short of amazing! I'm thrilled that this awesome mare, who was neglected and either misused or abused in the past, now has a chance to reach her full potential as a willing partner.
For $650, she seemed like a steal and I've wanted a chocolate palomino since I was a kid. However, she was misrepresented by the original owner. After we put the weight back on her she turned out to be as hot under saddle as my thoroughbred. Not spooky but definitely not kid-safe. She wouldn't stand still for mounting (I understand that gaited horses are often trained to take off as soon as the rider's foot is in the stirrup). She's a forward mover but unruly under saddle and toward the end of summer tried to run my daughter (who is an adult but not an experienced rider) under a gooseneck trailer.
I found this program less than a month ago and the change in this mare has been astounding. I've spent about 3 days a week for the last 3 weeks just doing groundwork with the Dually halter (after free lunging for 20 minutes). It took a bit longer with an 18 yr old mare than the 2 yr old gelding in the video, but I felt it to be a reasonable amount of time. I was getting fairly quick results but Luna needed to be reminded of past lessons more often than a younger horse might. BTW, I am also using clicker training and giving rewards for positive behavior. It seems to work a bit quicker and the treats can be phased out over time.
Today, which is day 26, I decided to work on having Luna stand still at the mounting block. It took 30 minutes to stand still when:
1. Beside the block
2. With me standing on the block
3. With my foot in the stirrup (no weight)
4. Standing in the stirrup
5. Sitting on her back.
Luna hasn't been saddled since July and I had absolutely no intention of actually sitting in the saddle today, but she progressed so quickly that I decided to go for it. Since sitting in the saddle went well, I rode her once around the arena in the Dually halter with some barrel racing reins clipped to the side rings. On previous rides, it was very difficult to get her to slow down or stop even with a curb bit (she almost completely ignored the snaffle). With the Dually halter, she responded to "whoa" and rein pressure, and stayed at a steady walk.
This program and halter are nothing short of amazing! I'm thrilled that this awesome mare, who was neglected and either misused or abused in the past, now has a chance to reach her full potential as a willing partner.
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Miss Holy Moley met Monty at SNEC on September 29th this year - first saddle & rider. It was a wonderful afternoon. Monty was great but so was Moley, bucking like mad with her first saddle then coming quickly to acceptance. The 'dumb jockey' set her off again yet with a human on board she was calm & has proved to be so since. I started her full brother, Kirk, earlier in the year. He was completely calm with everything, almost as though he knew he was born for my old saddle & this less than youthful rider. Being homebreds I've let them mature fully before asking for 'work'. Kirk is 6 & Miss Moley is 5 so they have grownup attitudes - not impressionable like real youngsters.
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There is a wealth of knowledge on the Uni. Please take the time & effort to embrace it all & your horses will repay you many times over. It's a journey, it starts with the first step & holds innumerable magical times. Luna may have been misunderstood/mistreated in the past but she has so much to give, given the chance. Good luck. Keep us updated, please & remember, when something doesn't go to plan it's then you have a learning opportunity not a reason to be harsh. Cheers, Jo.
About myself....I am a retired Police Officer. I've been retired for 27 years now, and I owned a part time cabinet shop and went full time in cabinet work after retiring. I just tried to retire again and sold my shop. Needless to say I find myself after 46 years still doing cabinet work in a small 3 man shop.
I joined the UNI 10 months ago and am loving every minute I spend online, watching each lesson, sometimes over and over again. I have watched every lesson the course has and I check every morning to see if Monty has posted another new one. For some reason I can't get enough. But repetition to me is nothing but success.
I own 5 horses, 2 are Registered Quarter horses and 3 are all registered Tennessee Walkers. I bought Dually halters for all 5 and try to work every horse at least twice a week with it. My Quarter horses are both rescue horses. Both geldings, one I bought when he was 2 years old. He was on his way to the dog food plant. The people I got him from was trying to make a Barrell racer with him but came up almost lame and had a bad knee so I bought him. The other Quarter horse is older, maybe between 15 or 20 years old. I found him tied to a tree in the owners yard with no shelter or grass to eat and had been in that situation for some time. I knocked on their door and after talking with me for several minutes, they graciously gave him to me. I just couldn't stand seeing him there every day tied to a tree like a dog.
My Walkers, I have owned for a couple years. One is a big black gelding, I call Midnight, and the other two are sisters and are called Tobiano's I believe according to the Walker community. I think they just don't like to say the word Paints. I call them Apollo and Gemini.
I have found since joining the Uni that all 5 have different personalities. COMPLETELY!!! I am learning quickly that each of them need different types of training to be the kind of horse that I want and would put my 10 year old granddaughter on their backs. Each of them need special attention and different types of care also.
As I work with each of them I will let you know my progress and their success. Or I think in my case, OUR SUCCESS. Also as I learn more about Monty's methods, and put them to good use, I will keep you posted on their progress.
Thanks for listening.
Connie Mack