sorry I'm back again to do some brain picking!
ok so bob and his napping is greatly improved, had a lesson today with some jumping and flat work and he's much, much better.
soo my next question is how can I get more forwardness and impulsion both hacking and in the school without him rushing. At the mo I'm mostly having to hack out on my own and I'm really having to nag nag nag to get much out of him and even then hes still megga slow. I know very well that he's capable of being very forward (soo nice gives my legs a rest!), but how can I achieve this when I ask for it not just when he feels like it? I was lent some spurs today (rubber roller ball ones) in my lesson and they definitely helped but the problem is I'm so used to having to nag my legs are not still enough to use them and I don't want to fall into the trap of strongers bits/ spurs etc.. as its so easy to do!
He's been going better since join-up and will keep going with that as well. I don't think a giddy-up rope would work as hes got such tough skin he'd probably just look at me like I have problems and continue plodding.
definitely more cookies for anyone with any good ideas!
plus instructor seems to think he's never going to go anywhere so need all your help to prove them all wrong!
thanks :)
chaz
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Horse Behavior and Training
bob question number 2!
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Hello Chaz! So good for you not to fall into the trap!
Giddy-up rope is not to touch the horse, but to have him see the movement in his visionfield and decide to go forward, you stop swinging the rope as soon as he goes forward.
This makes the association is your horse's brain, that movement is asked and he's rewarded for answering your demand. I also had some good result with a plasticbag on the end of a small whip, I swung the whip in the air, the plasticbag made its noise, the horse moved, the noise stopped. I never touched the horse with it. The idea behind this kind of training is to minimize the signal, as soon as the horse understands he can make it stop by his reaction.
Give it a try and prove most of all to yourself, that it workes without violence. It does!
I had the same experience with a plastic bag. After swinging it and having a reaction, I put it under my clothes and just made the noise touching it and it worked.
thanks guys.. the problem is bob loves plastic!! If I do that he will turn round to see if there is any food in it!
He also wouldn't move forward just seeing a rope, things like that just don't bother him. Or if I did it suddenly he'd maybe jump then look at it, decide its fine and ignore it completely the next time. I thought you could tap with it till it became irriating but must have been something else I was thinking of.
so rephrase of question how can I make fatty bobster move forward when he is literally not phased by anything?!
OK, then I'd REALLY swing the Giddy-up. touching left and right behind the saddle, to startle Bob, and still: as soon as he takes a step, stop swinging it. This way he can teach the rope to stop, when he moves forward. You don't have to frighten him, just let him see the value in movement. Be consequent and reward immediately. Good luck!
I could try that (need to find a giddy up first though), but I suspect after the first time (if that works) he won't respond at all to it.
He really isn't phased by anything my instructor has tried chasing us with a lunge whip in lessons (and I mean chasing! but not touching him with it obviously) and it has no effect what so ever. He also has a hi-viz exercise sheet that I got recently as so dark early now and that flaps an awful lot and he just doesn't care.
I could take a water pistol with me and squirt his bum with it as he isn't a huge fan of water, but then mostly he dislikes water round his face so don't want to sit there and take aim at his ears each time he won't move lol!!