Help! My horse is herd bound!

I’ve been thinking and reading, reading and thinking, and after five or so years of riding Copper I have finally connected all the dots – my horse is extremely herd bound.

The reason it’s taken me so long to pick this up is because he doesn’t exhibit the typical behaviors you’d expect in a herd bound horse – behaviors that Joey showed.  Copper doesn’t whinny longingly or loudly, he doesn’t refuse to go out on trail rides alone, he doesn’t pace around looking for his herd, or anything like that. 

But last night I had an epiphany – Copper’s herd bound-ness manifests itself in different ways.

1. He always drags his feet when you go to catch him and bring him in from the paddock. He has the slowest walk ever; he’s coming, but he will move like molasses on a cold day. He always has the grumpiest face while you bring him in, groom and saddle – in fact the only time he doesn’t look cranky while you have him out is when you feed him.  Naturally. 

I have checked his bridling, his saddle, his feet – I don’t think he is in pain, and for me, the biggest indicator is that it isn’t pain related is that his gear has been changed and refitted over the years, but his behavior hasn’t changed. It’s gotten worse.

I could be wrong about the pain thing, but I am always looking out for that, and I think the problem is bigger than that.  I think it’s a mental thing. Pain problems are easy to solve, mind problems are not.

2. He races under saddle. He has always been like this. The minute you hop into the saddle he is off, off and away! He doesn’t like standing still for mounting, he wants to run/trot as fast as he can whether you are trail riding with other horses or alone, or schooling in the arena, or jumping – whatever you are doing in the saddle, Copper is fast.

In the past I attributed this speed to his racing history.  He was trained as a trotter for at least six years (he was foaled in Sept, 2000 and his last registered race was 2006), and that sort of conditioning will impact a horse’s personality. So I assumed that he just like racing and running.

Now? I’m not so sure. I think that Copper is simply trying to get the riding over as fast a possible so that he can run back to his herd.

3. He likes to bolt off when you un-halter him in the paddock. This didn’t used to be the case; after I leased him out and got him back unexpectedly, he started this habit. Previously, he’d just amble back to wherever the herd was, but now 90% of the time he’ll take off at a gallop.  I turn him to toward the fence and get him to tuck his nose in and down towards me when I slip the halter off, but he is really good at turning on a dime and – excuse the French – pissing off like a bat outta hell.

These are the three main reasons I have come to the conclusion that he is, in essence, herd bound.

What do I do?

I don’t think it is my riding – I am willing to admit that we have had our share of struggles. I have really had to adjust my riding so that I am not pulling on his face, and I try very hard to control his speed with my seat.

We have been working together a lot better than previously – I have been using lateral work to switch his mind from “Charge! Forwards ho!” to “Oh, I have to think about which foot goes where.”  This has been working really well for calming him down and slowing down his trot and canter without hanging on to his face.

BUT if the underlying problem is not just “Speed is fun!  Whee!” like I thought it was, then all of these techniques aren’t really addressing Copper’s main problem.  He doesn’t feel safe away from his herd and he does NOT enjoy riding, like I thought he did.

Oh help. I guess I’m going to have to do a lot more reading and thinking, because I haven’t the foggiest clue how to go about reaching Copper and changing his mindset.

I don’t know if ground work is the answer, or maybe riding him out on trail rides and dismounting and feeding him in the middle of the ride? I really don’t know what to do at this stage, but I’m not giving up on trying to find a solution.

See, in the end, I think that Joey and Copper actually have/had similar problems. But Joey was at least willing to communicate and reach out, whereas Copper is very shut off. How do you open up lines of communication when your horse doesn’t want to talk to you? How do you begin to show them that work is good and fun and safe?

So many questions that I don’t have the answers too… I think I’m going to write a letter to Mugwump.  I need help.

See ya,

bonita

Nice Surprises

I went and visited Joey for the first time in three or so weeks on Friday, and was pleasantly surprised that he seemed genuinely happy to see me!  I am used to a very "business" like relationship with my horses; for instance, Copper is really only close to affectionate when you have a treat in hand. 

Not that he is unhappy to see you, he's just very neutral, this-is-a-horse's-life-so-let's-get-on-with-it.  In fact, he really only ever gets enthusiastic out on the trail.  I think it might be an ex-racer trait, but that's rather by the by.

It was sweet to find that Joey is more friendly and affectionate ~ he actually seems to miss me!  I love that, it's new to me.  

Plus, I was really happy to see how well he's been going for the girl that has been riding him for me.  She's only been able to ride him once a week, and before I was trying to lunge him twice a week so that he'd be okay to ride for her. 

However, I haven't been able to get down there (darn babies that won't come out ...  *sigh*) to do that (hence the not seeing Joey in three weeks thing) so I was a little bit apprehensive as to whether or not he'd been behaving himself.  I need not have worried though - he was doing just fine!   His rider has been able to throw the saddle on and go, not even needing to lunge, which is great. 

It's a real improvement in his attitude as he used to have a tendency to be spooky and bratty when not worked more regularly.  He'd shy, and generally be stupid, but he was doing really well on Friday - even with all the distraction of other horses working in the arena around him.  (There's usually no one around when you ride at my adgistment because there aren't many horses that are worked regularly in these paddocks, and everyone who does ride is on a vastly different schedule.)

I am really happy, because of course I am glad I didn't sell him after all!  Thankfully, he's coping well with his current schedule, and on top of that, he's improving attitude-wise, so I really couldn't ask for more. 

It's great seeing him do so well, but of course I now reeealllllllyyyyyyyy want to go riding...   

40 weeks +2 days down.  Hurry up baby!  I want to get back on my horse! 

See ya,

bonita 

  

Thoughts on installing a “forwards” button in a horse

So Joey and I had ourselves a little “Come to Jesus” moment on the lunge yesterday…

It all started with his right hand canter lead.  He can counter-canter an 18-15 meter circle, impressively enough, and will do so because get the right hand lead is apparently just too hard!  Lazy horse…

Anyway, after asking for the correct lead a few dozen times, tightening the circle, loosening it, etc, I decided that I’d had enough, so I flicked him lightly on the bum with the lunge whip.

Only I missed his butt and the whip cord wrapped around his tail then slipped off.  You’d have thought someone lit him on fire the way he jumped forwards!  And on the correct lead too….  Heh.  

It actually turned out quite well – not something I’d try to repeat anytime soon, but I got a ‘forward’ reaction and the correct lead I’d been looking for, so I was happy.

I was thinking about what happened afterwards, and the forward response I evoked, and how it’s all a matter of what works for the individual horse.  I don’t use a lunge whip when lunging Copper.  He just doesn’t need it.  And I would never flick him on the bum.  He would flip out. 

But Joey is a firm believer in “movement conservation”, and likes to potter when he can.  A sharp ‘Hup’ can sometimes help, but he is rather inclined for the slow, almost backwards type of movement, where he pauses between each step.  That doesn’t help if he spooks – his reaction is “slam on the brakes”, sometimes followed by “up” or “sideways”. 

None of these responses are what I’d like to see him do.  Therefore I am working on installing a “Forward” button for my backwards horse!  So far I have seen some good progress. 

He’s learning that I will stay out of his face, and I’ll let him work it out as long as his response is forward.  He can jog past a spooky spot if he likes, as long as he is traveling forward (not sideways!).  He can get cranky at an aid, (not that it’ll change my mind about giving it!!) as long as he’s moving forwards, and not threatening to stop and/or jack up. 

This may not sound like particularly good training, but at the moment I believe this is what he needs.  Like I said, he tends to get “stuck” up in front, and will threaten to go up if he doesn’t like a situation – be it a scary one, or a training one, any thing that makes him uncomfortable.   I dislike this tendency exceedingly.  I don’t do rearing horses.  At. All.  

So far, he’s never really made an effort to get off the ground, and I’m trying to make sure that never happens.  Allowing him to realize that he is free to move forwards when he is uncomfortable seems to be working really well for him.  He is a lot less tense when dealing with these uncomfortable situations, and I know that from there I can work on the ideal responses, which of course involve no spooks and no crankiness. 

Mapping out the needs of each individual horse is tricky, but I do think that the need to be able to move forwards freely when uncomfortable is a fundamental need for all horses.

Each horse will react differently when faced with the restriction of that freedom – some will react by going backwards or up, as Joey will, others will react by taking that freedom into their own hands (or hooves) and bolting.

I think that the expression of that freedom is dictated by the individuality of the horse.

For Copper, training him to think “forwards” in uncomfortable situations is superfluous.  He already thinks “forwards” is the answer to everything – even when the question requires “stop” or “sideways”.

However, in Joey’s case, “forward” is often the last answer at the end of a long list!  I am trying to move it into the number one slot, and so far it’s working.

So that’s a little of my thoughts on installing a forward button – any other tips and trick to share?  Please do!

See ya,

bonita

Problem solved…

So I was right about my canter transitions.  They are still a little shaky - I don’t always feel completely ‘plugged in’ to the saddle/the feel of the horse as I ask for them.  Again, I think that has a lot to do with the lack of practise, but I was right about the shoulders tipping forwards thing.  Shoulders back and I got all my transitions when I asked for the them yesterday.  Yay!

I was riding a different horse as yesterday – Buttercup, and while she was sweet, she was definitely more work than Ernie, whom I think I might be slightly smitten on.  I keep on having thoughts about taking him away and tucking him up in a big lush paddock of green grass and spoiling him rotten.  *sigh*  I would if I could, I really would.

He’s not that popular with a lot of the staff at the school, I guess they think he’s too push-button and easy to ride, but honestly, in my mind that’s not the case.  I just feel like he’s a well broke horse; what I am aiming for with my own beasties!  He still has a high enough level of sensitivity that requires precision on the part of the rider, he's not obedient if you don't do it right.  Though, having said that you probably can get away with a lot on him - he is a riding school horse.  What I appreciate about him is that he still requires you to ride correctly or it’s just not pretty.

In my mind that’s the pleasure of a well broke horse.  You get to focus on the harmony between horse and rider, working on perfecting your understanding of each other, rather that just working on making things work full stop! 

Like for example, Buttercup didn’t feel like bending yesterday, which meant I really had to ride hard to get her to respond to me, whereas with Ernie I have to work on timing – making sure that I am asking juuustt right.  I like that.  I like precision and sensitivity. 

I guess that’s just the wanna-be dressage diva in me.  I know people can be rather contemptuous of a push-button horse, but I think that bringing your horse to the level of commitment where he KNOWS his job and will do it practically no matter what – that’s not a bad thing peoples!   It's called work ethic!

Obviously, you don’t want the horse to become deaf to the rider, or at the point where he won’t respond to any different stimuli, but I don’t think that’s were Ernie is at.  I have a lot of respect for him, and I think that he is a good example of what I am hoping to achieve with Joey. 

What do you think?  Are push-button horses just an easy ride for riders that don't want to put in the effort, or is there something more to it than that?  I’d love to hear what you think. 

See ya,

bonita