Hey everyone !
I'm working on ground manners with my filly (2 year old paint mix) and i need your input cause i'm a bit confused.
My problem is with standing still, i just don't understand how i'm supposed to stand, where to look etc. I've watched the videos over and over again but there's just something i'm missing. Should I look my horse in the eye or at the knees when she's standing still ? Should I stay in a relaxed position in front of her or with shoulders square ?
She gets distracted very easily moving her feet and looking everywhere and i can just see that she doesn't understand what i'm asking her to do (how could she since I'm not sure how i should ask her what i want...)
So far here's what i've been doing : I start with walking her around on the Dually, stoping, turning nose at the shoulder, then I stop, step in front of her with a slack line and if she move i give a tug on the line, move her back a few steps then forward and start all over again.
Since i'm not sure how i should stand or where i should look i'm just testing a little bit of everything and trying to see how she reacts to try to find the right attitude but the more i do that the more confused i am and i just don't want to accidentally teach her the opposite of what i want...
So if you have any advice for me I would REALLY REALLY appreciate it :)
Hi Lucie. Eyes on eyes, shoulders square but relaxed. Let her take 2 or 3 steps before you school her. She'll soon get the message. Sometimes raising a finger as they start to move can remind them they should be still & remember she is still young so if she stands for 10 seconds, praise her & let her move. If you ask for too much time initially she will be distracted by something & loose concentration. Cheers, Jo.
Thanks Jo, I thought I had to school everytime she took a step, that must have been so hard for her.
I'll try with your explanation and see how it goes :)
Thanks again
Hi Lucie. Keep in touch & let us know how you get on. Try standing very still yourself - it's really very hard to do so you need to allow them to shift their weight/feet. Build up the length of time gradually & make sure you walk her in between asking her to stand to prevent her getting cramped muscles. Good luck. Jo.
Hi Lucie
:
I a a bit different to Jo; I will school as soon as they move because two or three steps could mean they've gone way past you :-) However, before the feet move there are other signs...where the ear goes, the nose/head starts to bend towards the direction they intend to go and then the feet go so catching the signs early mean that minimal correction is needed.
:
I agree with Jo in that short easy sessions and finishing on a good note are best.
Hey vicci,
i was going to give an update and i saw your reply.
You were right, I had to go back to schooling as soon as she moves, i tried letting her take a couple of steps and she would just completely lose focus. I do use the finger thing now and it helps A LOT, when i see she tenses her leg muscles to move i raise my finger and she stops.
I tried the way Jo explained and the eye-on-eye definitely made a difference too. I feel now she gets I want her to wait for me because the keeps her ears on me, head much lower and she looks very focused, she doesn't move, not even her head.
I'm also doing much shorter sessions as you both suggested. Ususally she stands for a few seconds on the first try but it's hard, then she stays for 10 seconds but you can just see she's really holding herself back so once i get a good stand still i ask for 2 more and then I move on to other things.
I know it's very little but i don't think she's ready to do more for now so i'd rather have 3 perfect stand stills than 10 average ones and then i'll gradually ask for longer exercices. I guess it depends on each horse and we have to find their limit, right ?
The past few days working on that have also helped me with picking her feet, it's still not 100% succes on all four feet but she is in a better more relaxed "frame of mind" when I try to pick up her feet after the standing still session. She just wouldn't stop fidgeting before (i'll probably end up opening a topic about my lovely lady instead of posting one question at a time :D)
So thanks for the advice guys, it REALLY helped, i'll keep working on the attention span now :D
Hi Lucie
:
It sounds as if you are doing a great job :-) You have it so right Lucie - I love what you said "i'd rather have 3 perfect stand stills than 10 average ones and then i'll gradually ask for longer exercices."