Forum


Monty Roberts Equus Online University
Horse Training Video Instruction Program

Learn all about Equus • Dually Halter • Shy Boy Mustang • Jumping Horses
• Story of a Horse Whisperer • Riding Horsemanship • Dressage Horses • Willing Partners
• Horse Training • Round Pen Lessons • Performance Horses • Join-Up

← back

Survey

quantity or quality time

Hello!

just wondering about how much time to spend with a young hosre when traing. as much as i would like to spend all my time with oscar working full time having a family and the weather is bad very wet and no indoor training space.I see him twice a day for feeds but im finding i only get time at the weekend to do some training. And every moment is training time as feed times oscars learning to wait wich he finds hard but where geting there. anyway just wondering !!

Certified Instructor Ann Lindberg/Sweden
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed

Hi there! How old is he (or young:)) Being a horse with other horses is the best for our horses regardless their age. Our youngsters 3 year olds get training, somewhere between 10-40 min 3 days a week. The other days we "walk away" - that means we go out and say Hallo in the pasture, groom for a while and then walk away - they seem to love when we come next time! That is Quality time! The real youngsters 1-2 get groomed and about 10 min handling outside the pasture 2-3 times a week, and then we "walk away". Their window of focus is not that long, keep it quality and short. you do not have to have a purpose - just enjoy your time with your lovely horse! Warmest Ann

unicorn
Hello!

Hi Ann thanks I have a feeling im pushing my younging he is 1y4mths and unfortunatly he has no paddock buddies anymore . today i spent and hour 1/2 with him we started with groomimg saying hello and picking up his feet then leading with the dually and teaching him the sweetspot then we did backing wich he is doing beautyfuly again then i was moving him of with pressure trying to encourage him not to turn his bum on me then standing still Im also when he is standing still puting the lead rope over his head and moving it around his body legs rump around the neck i also stand back and spin the rope either side of him we have been doing afew of these thing scince he was 6mths old so he just lets it all happen. today i even led him to a stump and lent over his back giving him a rub and he just watched with his ears .Oscar is very well built he is part waler very solid and at 14 1/2 hands i somtimes forget he is just a baby Oscar will wear a saddle and let me do it up fully he has even had a briddle on but i am leaning towards a bitless briddle depending on his respnses.I do these things slowly and it is always in a process i dont over push and he is very excepting .We are doing join up but i have to stop untill i make another round yard.Thanks julie

unicorn
Hello!

I am enjoying my time today oscar came over and put his head on my shoulder i gave him a scratch inhis love spot he put his muzzel to my nose and we breathed each other i love this smell and this magic moments!!

MaggieF, Melbourne - Australia
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed

Cute, Unicorn. Sounds like you are doing great. Is there any chance of a companion pony for him as I am sure he would appreciate that - if not then perhaps some other smaller animal e.g. calf/cow, goat, sheep, cat?

unicorn
Hello!

hi maggie oscar does have a mate ricky the rottweiler dog they are buds they play chasy around the paddock !! they get along well but now when oscar sees dogs he thinks its time to play horses always learning !! Id love to get an older wiser horse just not the right time for us and me id have a house full of pets but i think hubby may move out he he he!!!

Rudi - Pratteln, Switzerland
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed 500 lessons completed 550 lessons completed 600 lessons completed

Dear unicorn
As MaggieF I am concerned about the fact that your horse is alone. He should have contact to other horses. You are writing "no buddies any more", that means that he had the opportunity to learn the Equus language from other horses before. I wonder whether this was enough. Without contact to other horses in the future he may become a horse who is treating you as a horse, not as a human which would be a dificult situation.

Dear Ann
Thank you very much for your advice. From my experience in horses less than one year to contact them, but already to show them the limits for the same reason I mentioned above. We can't allow them to treat us like horses. They have to learn to respect us as humans.

Rudi