tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6550515326326288148.post8459760631476395559..comments2024-02-24T01:52:05.892-07:00Comments on BrownEyedCowgirl: CluesBrownEyed Cowgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03610547057139295854noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6550515326326288148.post-33551532510085606122008-12-07T20:56:00.000-07:002008-12-07T20:56:00.000-07:00Oh man, I have a horse I am currently working with...Oh man, I have a horse I am currently working with (well not right this minute current because of my surgery but you know what I mean) that defys all of this. He locks up his shoulder with his head and neck turned away from me as he tries to race past. Blocking him by pulling him towards me is nearly impossible with him braced against his shoulder like that. He has been a tough nut to crack.Rising Rainbowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04239592070775412669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6550515326326288148.post-7417597236902408502008-12-07T13:40:00.000-07:002008-12-07T13:40:00.000-07:00Great post BEC. I could visualize everything you w...Great post BEC. I could visualize everything you were saying.<BR/>My sister's Paint mare had issues crop up in the middle of her training a couple of years ago. She would start popping up (half-rear) when going to the left. At first the trainer worked through it as a behavioral issue, but after a week or so or they had a chiropractor come out and it turns out she was out on the left side. She was an 8 yr. old greenbroke broodmare who had never had any serious training and was obviously sore from 5 day-a-week workouts.<BR/>Also, I think some horses do have a "side" they are worse with. When watching a Chuck Kraft clinic last fall, there was a TB mare that had to keep Chuck in her right eye at all times, no matter what he tried with her, she shifted her body and head so that right eye was on him.<BR/><BR/>Speaking of Chuck Kraft, Melanie, he is a NH trainer that has worked with Arabs, I believe! In fact, he has a Saddlebred that he rides. He worked well with a little Spanish Arab at the clinic I saw. and I think Mikael over at her Arabian blog has posted on him working with difficult Arabs, as well! :)Pony Girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02464088874054923635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6550515326326288148.post-71119216716174512162008-12-06T11:49:00.000-07:002008-12-06T11:49:00.000-07:00Yes, I do admit it. I do think quite often it is ...Yes, I do admit it. I do think quite often it is something I'm doing or not doing, but I think back to when the trainer was still working with us and when I couldn't get the mare to pick up her left lead when she WAS actually loping, the trainer would hop on and it took him quite a few tries to get her on the correct lead as well. We've gone over and over on ways of trying to get her to pick up the correct lead going to the left, but none of it seemed to work. Like at first we were tipping her nose to the inside. That didn't work. Then we tried tipping it to the outside. Didn't work. So he had me try to get her to start loping as we were turning in the corner because I would kind of force her to pick up the right lead. Worked sometimes, not often. I will have to check once I can get her to lope on the lunge line or if we are able to turn her loose (option A seems more likely) to see if she will pick it up on her own without me riding.<BR/><BR/>I'm trying to think, and I can't really come up with something that would kind of show that I'm off in any way, but I'm not discounting that notion. I could be unbalanced in some way and maybe it's affecting her. I know my saddle ALWAYS is slipping to the left. No matter how much to the right I start it off to, or adjust as I'm riding, it still slips. Could that mean something? Or all of this together could just mean that I don't know what the heck I'm doing and I'm screwing up my horse. That's a possibility. :(ezra_pandorahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04626213285612235702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6550515326326288148.post-79360811479286523312008-12-06T10:41:00.000-07:002008-12-06T10:41:00.000-07:00BEC-Thanks for your comment on my blog!!! Sometime...BEC-<BR/>Thanks for your comment on my blog!!! Sometimes you just snap and let it all out(forget about PC)...or at least I do...lol!!!Melaniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08682815635702122191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6550515326326288148.post-73971338971910762202008-12-06T01:14:00.000-07:002008-12-06T01:14:00.000-07:00Funny you should mention that Cdn-I wrote up a pos...Funny you should mention that Cdn-I wrote up a post to start working on the riding issue(that focused on getting Ezra and her mare into the correct body positions), but then EP commented on her troubles of getting her mare to even move away from her going to the left on the ground so I backtracked.<BR/><BR/>Whether she has actual problems getting her mare into the left lead, I will have to ask her. I realized the I don't actually know if she has trouble getting her mare to pick up that lead or if it is a cadence issue.BrownEyed Cowgirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03610547057139295854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6550515326326288148.post-66502096606498196342008-12-05T23:54:00.000-07:002008-12-05T23:54:00.000-07:00Wow! Excellent posts BECG. You explain things so...Wow! Excellent posts BECG. You explain things so clearly and yet its not all dry and boring.<BR/>I can't be the only one that wants to take some vacation time and come get some riding (and handling) pointers from you! :)<BR/><BR/>On the lead thing though... its a possibility that the problem is EP.<BR/>I have a very difficult time with right leads. Yes I know this is more often the "bad" way for the majority of horses.<BR/>But even with a horse that has A+ right leads I have problems.<BR/>The sucky thing is I know why. I had a bad car accident where we were t-boned on the highway when I was 16. I was the passenger and we were hit just behind my door.<BR/>My right side is buggered to this day. Sometimes more than others.<BR/>The good thing is that although this will be a constant problem I am at least aware of it and can try to work with it.<BR/>If EP has any stiffness or problems that could be what is causing her mare to have problems with the left lead.<BR/>Perhaps her weakness is so slight that it doesn't usually cause problems and her mare is just really sensitive.cdncowgirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09055181472294995601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6550515326326288148.post-71911158424963562282008-12-05T23:00:00.000-07:002008-12-05T23:00:00.000-07:00Melanie-You are welcome to vent or rant all you wa...Melanie-You are welcome to vent or rant all you want too here...about anything. I am so sick of PC this and PC that. Say what you want to say!!<BR/><BR/>I'm a believer in natural horsemanship and trying to obtain unity with the horses that I work with. Techniques that have been developed are wonderful building block tools that help me reach the ultimate goal of developing a confident, reliable RIDING horse.BrownEyed Cowgirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03610547057139295854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6550515326326288148.post-30775346508707640642008-12-05T21:28:00.000-07:002008-12-05T21:28:00.000-07:00OK...I came back because I feel kind of bad for ra...OK...I came back because I feel kind of bad for ranting. It is just that everyone I know is so gung-ho on NH, and I can never properly vent my frustrations, so I just did it to you...nothing personal! :)<BR/><BR/>I think that you know that, but I just wanted to make sure!!!Melaniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08682815635702122191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6550515326326288148.post-44722651509868978642008-12-05T21:22:00.000-07:002008-12-05T21:22:00.000-07:00Great info for anybody who has this type of troubl...Great info for anybody who has this type of trouble, BEC!!!<BR/><BR/>About that natural horsemanship comment...I don't think that it is all bad either, I just think that some of the big trainers place too much emphasis on groundwork, and that they are heavily biased towards easy going stock-type horses.<BR/><BR/>I have seen some popular NH trainers pass over Arabs (or other hotter breeds) because they said that they probably wouldn't listen to them or be responsive. Translation- "this horse is probably really difficult and I am not going to be able to make myself look like a god within one hour."<BR/><BR/>Anywho...there are excellent individuals out there, and I love to regualry see them at clinics, but as a whole, I am kind of soured on the "movement." <BR/><BR/>Can you tell that I am one of those people who never follows the crowd...lol!!??<BR/><BR/>I think that it is great that you are so knowledgeable and willing to share that with your fellow bloggers!!! You and Mrs. Mom should start an online advice column/blog...seriously!!!!Melaniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08682815635702122191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6550515326326288148.post-63372189449706930102008-12-05T13:52:00.000-07:002008-12-05T13:52:00.000-07:00I'm happy if anything I said helps in any way Ezra...I'm happy if anything I said helps in any way Ezra. I understand that your mare comes with baggage from previous abuse and that does make a person want to avoid pushing certain buttons. However for her to ever overcome the majority of her insecurities, she is going to have to learn how to think again rather than just react. Once she can do that, her confidence level will start building and she can learn to truly trust you and will start looking to you for guidance.BrownEyed Cowgirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03610547057139295854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6550515326326288148.post-39641389943960051992008-12-05T10:42:00.000-07:002008-12-05T10:42:00.000-07:00Thank you again. Yes, my trainer right from the s...Thank you again. Yes, my trainer right from the start kept having to push her away to get off of him because she was so nervous. She was always trying to walk under him and he kept telling me to enforce getting her to give me my space, which I thought I had been doing. I just didn't realize it could be different on one side or another. And I thought by now she wouldn't still be nervous and would trust me a little more.<BR/><BR/>I do have the rope halter and like the 15 foot rope or whatever it was for natural horsemanship. Funny enough, she was actually the example horse for a Frank Bell Clinic. Where we used to board, Frank's brother is 1/2 owner and they had him out for a clinic. At that point in time, everyone was still afraid of her and she lived with her halter on because she would rear up if anyone tried to touch her head. She was a mess. So he said he would use her as his example for the clinic and have her ridable by the end of the clinic. HA! She was a bit crazier than he thought she was going to be, so he only used her for some ground stuff and didn't try to ride her (which would have definitely been a video worthy event). I guess I didn't even really think about using any of that for this. I just keep thinking physical problem first.<BR/><BR/>Going to the right, no problem. I simple point her in the direction, have the lunge line in my right hand and either twirl the end with my left hand or flap my hand against my leg and she starts. To the left, my mare has stamina. I can turn circles trying to stay at her shoulder all day trying to get her to go FORWARD instead of just keep turning towards me. But I think what I do is just stop her when she's backing and get back to starting to try to get her to go forward instead of making the backing be my idea and keep her going back. I did not think of that or the rearing part. I will be comfortable with it. When she rears and backs, it's never AT me or going forward. It's always pulling back. I don't know what the guy that had her before us did when he was trying to train her, but it did cause some issues. I think when she's kicking out in my direction, I really am going to have to give her a hard wack. Poking doesn't work and makes her kick out more. Maybe the wack will.<BR/><BR/>Thank you for the awesome ideas and since it's the weekend, I won't have any time constraints to work on this calmly and relaxed and not be in a hurry. I think I too have confidence issues with making her do what I'm asking when she's just being ornery. I'm not commanding enough. I am going to follow your instructions when I go out and see how that goes. I will definitely give you an update. You have been the absolutely best about helping me with this.ezra_pandorahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04626213285612235702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6550515326326288148.post-88592440942840672272008-12-05T06:42:00.000-07:002008-12-05T06:42:00.000-07:00I absolutly love ground work. For some reason gro...I absolutly love ground work. For some reason ground work has always come easy to me. I don't know why, but it's just my thing. My kids can lead my three year old colt around. My Dad always wonders how I can get a 1500 lb animal to listen to me, but I can't get a 7 year old boy to listen and obey. LOL!! <BR/><BR/>This is a good post. There are a lot of things that this helps with. It's amazing how much can go wrong when a horse just tenses up and won't move that shoulder. And if he won't do it on the ground, imagine how the ride will go. <BR/><BR/>I am really enjoying these posts. Great information and wonderfully said.Andreahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13155749395336824191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6550515326326288148.post-9295530403294323262008-12-05T06:07:00.000-07:002008-12-05T06:07:00.000-07:00EXCELLENT two posts here BECG. Totally. You are a ...EXCELLENT two posts here BECG. Totally. <BR/><BR/>You are a wealth of information! ;)Mrs. Momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15269132012512166439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6550515326326288148.post-73101941978875013312008-12-04T18:08:00.000-07:002008-12-04T18:08:00.000-07:00Oh! I'm excited! This is news I can use. My horse ...Oh! I'm excited! This is news I can use. My horse always wants to face me. He wheels his hips around on me all the time. And yes, it IS quite a workout. I can't get him to go out from me. What you are saying makes sense and I hope, hope, HOPE I can make it work!Leah Fryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18158981037468411293noreply@blogger.com