jacksons_five (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} jacksons_five) wrote,@ 2008-01-28 14:23:00 |
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Going for a drive
Jackson has had a few weeks off riding. First of all, he had a suspected abscess, which has taken a while to clear up. He has been patient about standing with his foot in a bucket of warm water, and has been happy enough to go for long walks to keep the circulation going in the foot.
He also has quite a nasty wound on his back, possibly a bite, which would have made it quite uncomfortable to be ridden. I have done a few short rides bareback, but he's not happy about it, so I've been looking for other ways to entertain him.
We have been advised to try "carrot stretches". These have revealed to me why so many people think training with food is a bad idea. Luring a horse to do something while holding a piece of food is asking even the nicest natured horse to snatch at you. The horse's whole focus is on the food, not the behaviour, so the behaviour is rushed and ends with a grab. We stopped after two days, and began the process of training the stretches by shaping, and clicking for the right behaviour. Jackson relaxed when I started doing this, seemed less anxious and immediately started to offer nicer behaviour - instead of snatching for carrots, he will now stretch to the spot I touch on his side and hold it for a few seconds.
Today, we had a new adventure. I have been walking him out to keep his hooves hard and keep him fit - we have been concentrating on the big hill up to the field. For a change, today I attached a line to each side of his headcollar, and "drove" him, as though I was sitting behind him in a carriage. I started by walking beside him with one rein over his back, and then I gradually dropped back until I was walking behind him. He accepted this the way he tends to accept every new thing - with a calm attitude. We worked on steering from side to side, stopping and walking on. Stopping I had to teach from scratch, because I've never used simultaneous pressure from two reins to ask Jackson to halt, so it was something new for him. After a few tries, he was stopping quickly and standing quietly.
If I ever get tired of riding, I can see I'll have a nice driving horse - Jackson likes exploring and is happy to walk in front. He is unspooky and doesn't tune me out just because he can't see me (I am in his blind spot directly behind him). I think I'd like to keep this up, and aim to do it about once a week. It doesn't have the subtlety of in-hand work, but I can see how it is closer to riding, so a worthwhile exercise.
Jackson has had a few weeks off riding. First of all, he had a suspected abscess, which has taken a while to clear up. He has been patient about standing with his foot in a bucket of warm water, and has been happy enough to go for long walks to keep the circulation going in the foot.
He also has quite a nasty wound on his back, possibly a bite, which would have made it quite uncomfortable to be ridden. I have done a few short rides bareback, but he's not happy about it, so I've been looking for other ways to entertain him.
We have been advised to try "carrot stretches". These have revealed to me why so many people think training with food is a bad idea. Luring a horse to do something while holding a piece of food is asking even the nicest natured horse to snatch at you. The horse's whole focus is on the food, not the behaviour, so the behaviour is rushed and ends with a grab. We stopped after two days, and began the process of training the stretches by shaping, and clicking for the right behaviour. Jackson relaxed when I started doing this, seemed less anxious and immediately started to offer nicer behaviour - instead of snatching for carrots, he will now stretch to the spot I touch on his side and hold it for a few seconds.
Today, we had a new adventure. I have been walking him out to keep his hooves hard and keep him fit - we have been concentrating on the big hill up to the field. For a change, today I attached a line to each side of his headcollar, and "drove" him, as though I was sitting behind him in a carriage. I started by walking beside him with one rein over his back, and then I gradually dropped back until I was walking behind him. He accepted this the way he tends to accept every new thing - with a calm attitude. We worked on steering from side to side, stopping and walking on. Stopping I had to teach from scratch, because I've never used simultaneous pressure from two reins to ask Jackson to halt, so it was something new for him. After a few tries, he was stopping quickly and standing quietly.
If I ever get tired of riding, I can see I'll have a nice driving horse - Jackson likes exploring and is happy to walk in front. He is unspooky and doesn't tune me out just because he can't see me (I am in his blind spot directly behind him). I think I'd like to keep this up, and aim to do it about once a week. It doesn't have the subtlety of in-hand work, but I can see how it is closer to riding, so a worthwhile exercise.
