Hi guys!
So i have moved to a fantastic new yard where we have a big school, more horse for woods to make friends with and friendly helpful people for me! Wish i had found this sooner!
He managed to load and travel so bravely (probably the third time hes traveled in his 20 years but this time with a positive outcome!
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For the first few weeks he was a big mummies boy and even followed me out under the electric fence when i had to go! He was out during the day and in at night and after a two weeks went into a field with the horses he was next to and they are now firm friends.
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Since hes been out with them he was been a pain to catch, but i understand form his point of view that why should he come in to stand in a stable without his friends when he could be with the herd. Ok, you can live out with them until winter when they all come in. Happy pony!! That's my main goal for him to have him happy.
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But now i am having real trouble catching him in the mornings (i work till late so mornings it is) I have watched a re-watched Monty's videos on catching your horse and some days i can catch him within 5 mins, other days, not a hope in hell.
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I've been trying to do every other day catch him, bring him in, groom, do something and feed, and opposite that in the other days, just spend time with him in the field, lead him round with me, he'll follow me and we'll have cuddles and ill leave him there.
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But as i said, other days not a hope in hell. The past tow days he has not wanted to be near me at all. It's upsetting (i understand from his point why he wants to stay out) but its a kick in the guts when your horse you've worked so hard with and for doesn't seem to want to be with you. He's got conjunctivitis atm and i can't even get near him enough to attempt to get drops in, let alone even check him over. He'll allow me to get close, then move away. He hasn't kicked out but he does put his ears back and, don;t know if he's herding his friends away from me, or taking his pissed off mood out on them when i'm there. I can go in with food-not interested, i can fuss the other horses, doesn't care. I always go in poo picking so he doesn't think im straight after him
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HELP
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Firstly, any thing i might miss and to add and also, to make him want to be with me.
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Thanks
Jess
Hi Jess. First - be calm. The more upset you are the less likely Woods will want to have ANYTHING to do with you. After all, he has pals, who naturally speak his language, who understand how he feels, instinctively! That is going to be so attractive. What you need to do is introduce something so much more attractive - like, well, here goes, my secrets - marmite sandwiches! Extra strong mints. Horses & ponies usually love mints & always love salty stuff like marmite. I use marmite to make medication fun - Max is now confirmed as having Cushings & happily takes his pill in a marmite sandwich nightly. It's the one thing he comes for in canter! Woods is no youngster. What you want is to find a key to unlock him, to you. Find a flavour he loves & make it your own. It's not rocket science! All you really need is for Woods to see a reason to come to you & leave his pals. Great flavour will do that. It won't make him an athlete, it won't make the years drop away but the right treat will cure this problem. Good luck & keep posting! Cheers, Jo.
Hi Jess,
Now this weeks lesson is going to help you a great deal! Catching a horse that is hard to catch, here's your solution on a plate... Maybe you'll have to wait until this series is over to get the whole picture, but it's coming for you!
Let us know how things work out for you,
Miriam
I am being EXTREMELY dim I feel- I can find all the lessons but can't see them in date order so where can i find this weeks?? Do forgive me... I have a clients pony who sometimes take me 30 mins to catch by doing join-up which obviously isnt effective as of course why I am having to do it everytime- totally defeats the object so somethings going wrong! She's kept on her own as well! Maybe for a while seperate him with some electric tape? I know you can't always do this on yards. My mare has a paddy everytime I go to ride her out without her best buddy- bucks when we try to go past the barn door but yet comes to me everytime in the field and is nice as pie so it's not that she doesnt like me it's just she likes me better when Lilly comes along too. I did for a time with my clients difficult pony shimmy along to her and itch her bum then slowly itch up to her mane and once you had her mane she knew game was over but now its autumn and she's not so itchy....
Hi Becky. From here go to lessons & the latest one is the last one listed. It's Izzy Wolf & Polo Ponies. Once you've watched a lesson you can click 'done' & take Monty's Challenge - earning you accreditations as you pass them. Each is 4 questions specific to that lesson & passing them gains you rosettes. Cheers, Jo.
Becky, is there someone who can video you trying to catch the horse you're working with. There might be something you're doing that is sending the horse away. If you can get someone to record you and post on youtube we can have a look?
Widgymaphlip - Jess :D - same again, can you get someone to record you. Although a tasty treat might work, if there is something in your body language saying to him go away then it would be good to address the cause before a treat.
There is a horse I'm working with at the moment at liberty most of the time as he really is struggling with head collars. We believe he's been hurt within the last year and know for sure before his last owner who rescued him that he'd been beaten and has scaring on his body and legs. His owner died a year ago and he's been looked after by several other people before ending up with a friend of mine, but she can't catch him now the head collar is off and he's 2 acres to run off in. One of the methods I used as part of the join up was to separate him from his new mate, so cutting across his shoulder and blocking him whilst sending the mare away. Once separated then it's keeping him away from the mare and following the join up process, this was the starting point. When the ears go back, then so do mine and I move forwards sending him away. We've got to a stage now that he'll do anything at liberty, even stand for the farrier. The head collar though is a different issue, which we're working on.
Many people when the ears go back tend to back off, but this puts us at the lower end of the hierarchy and they have control. You'll have your head collar in your hand if you're out to catch them so when their ears go back - send him away! A stern look in the eyes, frown to say you're cross, and slap the lead rope on your body. Careful of any buckles on the head collar!! When he goes off, relax to reward. then try again to approach passively, relaxed with a smile on your face. Each time he tells you to go away, send him away then relax.
If the horse knows you are in control in the Equus way, then they listen. An example of this is a horse across the way from me,he's bitten his owner so many times she's got scars up her forearms. When his ears go back, she runs, backs up and moves out of the way. The first time I had to go in this horses field, he charged at his owner and me, she moved out of the way so he then switched his attention to me. I stood still stared him in the eyes and gave a look that said don't you dare. He stopped inches away from my face and just stood still. He's a big boy about 17h. We both stood face to face for a moment, then I nodded my head and told the owner I'll leave his space and calmly walked away. This was the start of our Equus communication, I respected I was in his space and told him so and that I was happy to leave. He'd not experienced this before and he just stood watching me. Now when I'm near him talking to his owner I can stand right next to his face, but outside his space and he'll just stand there with me. The owner goes you're too close he'll bite, my response is no he won't and I look him in the eye, nod and smile. I respect his space and he does the same in return. Equus works! ;)
HI Jess, how's things going, any progress?
Hello! Thank you for your advice and (don't want to jinx it) but its going really well!
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I have to say I did give myself a couple of days away form him to get it together (he was still checked on)- whether it was good for him or not I don't know but I needed it!
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One of the issues was that when he saw me he would immediately start grooming his best bud, then almost herd the others away. So when he stopped to groom or eat I would increase pressure and make him move on, when he stopped, I stopped. He is very infuriating as he wont tank off, or go for me (not that im complaining about that!) just keeps me just out of reach. I can even touch him but if I move my hand to the lead rope, bye bye. I stopped bringing in a halter, just the lead rope, so less faff for me and less for him to look at. It took me nearly an hour of this and when he did stop and allow me close I gave him lots of love, a little groom (he loves a good scratch) and then put the rope round his neck and lead him in in circles away form his friends, stopping at the furthest point for a scratch. He then would start following me without me leading him and I did this for a few days.
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I then started to leave a bucket of feed towards the top of the field and leading him to it-he thinks I make a good decision! The first time I did this he was hesitant to just walk away from the herd but by the second time he was more than happy for me to lead him. Every day the bucket got further towards the gate, then through and is now working its way down the path to the yard. if I went in with a bucket of feed before he would avoid me as I've used this 'trick' before but now I make a good decision leading him to food and grooming him and loving him he wants to be with me! So much so that now when he sees me he leaves his friends to come to me, nags me to follow him if im poo picking, follows me around the field! Result!
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It is going so well I now have the opposite problem that he will follow me under the electric fence and when I barricade it stands there pawing the ground and staring after me! I feel so mean leaving him! I am starting to get him in and work him gently twice a week and then will increase this as the weeks go on. I will keep you updated as he always gets moody when it rains so that will be a test!
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Thank you all for your advice and glad to hear everyone's stories of how you get over this issue. Bloody love Equus!
This is great stuff Jess, you've thought it through and worked so hard at this, very impressive, thanks for sharing it with us; I know I've learnt from it!