I talk about Rusty all the time. This is his page after all. But I think my good old Coyote (Rustc V’s Raisin Cain) deserves more mention than he gets. Coyote is such a good rotten little pony. He’s taught me more than all other horses combined. I may have, mostly, started him but he trained me up the way he wanted me also.
I greatly regret that I didn’t know enough to do right by him way back when. I let some idiot cowboy do some riding on him and he broke things. Coyote is still scared of ropes, he will let me do some roping off him dispite that. He knows his cows and is tough as nails. He is light, responsive, and a heck of a horse. Despite me.
He was out grazing in the yard today. When it was time to bring him in I walked clear out to the other side of the yard with a pocketful of cookies. He came when called and lined up to the feed bunk for me to get on. The video got a little lengthy so I cut it down a little, sped some parts up a bit. I love his beautiful flaxen mane, he is the reason sorrel and flaxen is my favorite color of horse.
Cowboy Dressage?
My husband had the kids. He had gone over to do some work for his sister and they went along to play with their cousins. I had all the time in the world to ride and play. No need to rush back today. So this is what we do for fun.
We rode through the cows as usual. Rusty isn’t wanting to take off anymore. He realized that running just makes more work. Now we trot along on a loose rein. As he gets better I am starting to brave the top of “The Big Hill” instead of skirting around the side as we did in the beginning. With time to spare we stopped to play on top of the big hill. His Spanish walk is a bit rusty 😉 We’ve been working on regular riding stuff and the tricks have been ignored. I think we need to get back to them.
Happy Easter!
How A Good Horse Is Made
I believe I’ve mentioned a few times that we are calving. I ride Rusty out to check them when ever I can. A four-wheeler works better when small children are along and goes a little faster but isn’t nearly as fun and doesn’t put any training on my horse. It has been amazing to see the effect it has been having on Rusty.
Practice doesn’t make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect. Riding through the cows and just yanking him around wouldn’t accomplish much. But spending the time on him working on refining his responses and teaching him to be calm and relaxed out and about amidst the cows, going up and down hills, braving the weather; it’s starting to make him into a decent horse. He still isn’t getting the time I would like but it’s better than nothing.
We topped the biggest hill in the pasture the other day, the wind was blowing, the sky was spitting rain, Rusty ducked his head and went into it. I clicked him at the top, just for being such a good boy, and we paused to eat a cookie and admire the view. The sky was a patchwork of dark and light, stormy clouds juxtaposed against bright sunlight. I scanned the fields looking for cows in the far corners of the field hoping to cut the ride a bit shorter. I scratched his neck and told him what a very good boy he was. Only the week before we had pranced nervously through this very spot, now he stood clam and relaxed. We walked on down the other side.
At the base of the hill he lost it, prancing and determined to head home. I let him trot and them lope circles, stopping when ever he wanted but turning him into a circle again as soon as he started jigging. It was kind of a hairy spot to be doing circles, between holes, grease like cow poop, and a line of silage where the cattle had been fed. As he slowed and was willing to walk again we started finding carrots strewn across the ground where they had bounced out of my pockets. He learned quickly to reach down and search the ground after being clicked to find those escapee carrots.
Through the terrifying tunnel of doom, known to some as the gate between the pasture and the corn field, and out into the stalks we went only a bit nervous. Through the wheat stubble we stopped to play find the calf. It’s amazing how they can disappear as soon as they lay down. Then across the corn. From the hill above I had seen a cow out there that I wanted to check. As we came out of the wheat he asked to go. With the long open expanse ahead of us I didn’t stop him.
He lunged into a gallop and we shot across the field. I fought the urge to tighten the reins and let him go. He slowed from a headlong gallop and settled into a traveling gait. He leaped the pivot tracks and stayed on his feet through the rough, jagged stubble. Clear across the pivot he went and was happy to stop at the other side. Then we turned around and walked blowing hard back to the cow we needed to check back towards the middle of the field.
The next day I rode him out again. We followed the same rout. Except coming into the corn field. Instead of cutting across the middle I steered him around the edge where the path was flat and smooth. Asking for a haunches in, something we haven’t worked on yet, he gave me the proper lead anyway. I urged him into a nice, easy, slow lope. With every stride he said hey, lets stop now? I said are you sure? How about we go a little farther, remember you wanted to run yesterday. Not today, he said, today how about we walk? And so we did.
-
- On top of the hill
-
- The tunnel of doom
-
- Across the wheat stubble
-
- Playing hunt the calf
-
- I don’t see one in there
-
- Oh, there it is!!
-
- She doesn’t look happy
-
- A sweaty tired horse, ready to roll!
International Horse Bell Choir
Some of us at the horse tricks academy got together and did a thing.
It was a blast seeing how many different ways we could teach our horses to ring bells.
Learning To Be A Cow Horse
We haven’t been riding through the cows as much as I had hoped. Some weird thing about parenting. I guess I’m supposed to watch them instead of play with my horse? And it got cold and snowy and wet. Lots of time spent on a four-wheeler.
We did get out once this week. I love the way he walks next to me and stands quietly while I get gates without me having to hold onto him. The first couple of times I sent him through a gate without me I was afraid I’d be walking home but I put my faith in him and he well rewarded me. Once we made it out of the corrals and into the cornstalks he was raring to go. I let him and we loped out through the stubble. Other than a slight drift towards the buildings he went wonderfully. He’s learning to rate himself, he’s not trying to take off as much any more. That helps me to sit him better. I’m relaxing into the saddle and not stiffening and flopping around as much, which probably leads to more bolting from him, which leads to more stiffening from me. It’s a bad cycle that we are managing to break.
After making quick work of the cornstalks we got to the pasture. He was puffing pretty hard. I had hoped he would use up his energy on the mostly flat ground and be more settled once we got to the hills. He is a Morgan though and he was no where near tired. Fortunately we took the time to put a good foundation on him before heading out into the world.
The cows were clustered near the corrals where they had been fed. He found a calf there and since I couldn’t see it’s mother close by I let Rusty say hi. He sniffed and followed and played with it for awhile then we went through the rest of them. Then out around the pasture. Holding onto faith in a horse is easier when it’s not so far down. He did good though, up the big hill and around. He was nervous and wanting to prance. I kept rewarding him for a walk on a loose rein. We made it past the windmill without any issue. Around and down (which always gets C.W. McCall’s Wolf Creek Pass stuck in my head; down and around, and around and down, we run out of ground at the edge of town) and through the corrals then out the gate and home.
Once home and unsaddled we worked on laying down again. Nothing like a hot sweaty ride to make that easier. He did wonderfully a couple of times. I think he gets frustrated with me for ruining his roll. He has to think hard on whether it’s worth the food to pause his rolling. He hasn’t figured out that I don’t want him to get up, he’s welcome to keep rolling. He could stop and eat then roll, eat then roll, then eat. It could go on as long as he wants. He finally stayed down to eat and we stopped after that one. I turned him out so he could roll for reals and hang out with is friends. He thinks I’m punishing him by turning him loose. It’s nice that he wants to come in and ride but it makes it hard to put him away when he really wants to stay. It’s the only time I need a halter on him.
More Not Laying Down
I was going to ride through the cows.
We ended up moving them instead. There was a spring storm forecast and it was decided that the cattle should be moved off the cornstalks and into the pasture where they would have to be behind the windbreak. Given a choice cows would drop their calves out in the wide open, without any shelter. In a bad storm that would be the end of it. So we feed them up close to the windbreak and hope they don’t wander too far to calve. Ranchers were some of the first to train with positive reinforcement. They’ve been doing it forever and don’t even know it. Fortunately the storm wasn’t a bad one. Good wet snow but not the wind or too cold.
I walked Rusty through the corrals, I would have to get off to open gates anyway and might as well get through the scariest stuff on the ground. We found one cow with a new calf and one calf left along while his mother grazed. We walked over to him and did the introductions from the ground. When a calf is walking under a horse for the first time being on the ground can be a very good thing. Rusty took it well, he was very curious and interested, lipping the calf and sniffing. He did not think he was OK with it nursing him though and jumped away with some squealing.
Out in the cornstalks we found the little guys mom not far away and sent her back in to baby. The others were showing up with four-wheelers then and we trotted up to them to begin our being one of the four-wheelers training. The first thing we came to was a cow with twins. Cows can do a great job of raising one calf and some cows will raise two. Most wont. This one was happy with one and not interested in the other. She was leaving. I took advantage of the opportunity to teach Rusty about calves from the saddle.
People think trick training is silly. Not of any use in a real riding horse. Those of us who trick train know better. Rusty sniffed the calf when I asked him to drop his head. The calf didn’t get up, Rusty did get rewarded strongly for his interest in the calf. I asked for a Spanish walk and Rusty gently pawed the calf. The calf finally got up. Rusty sniffed some more then pushed it with his head. Lots more rewarding. That’s exactly what I want in a good working cow horse. Coyote knows where we are going and will push a calf very long distances. It was good to see Rusty is willing to offer the same thing. He picked his head up and, after a good reward, I asked for Spanish walk again. Rusty lifted a leg and in the process gave the calf a good push. Lots of reward again. Calves don’t travel well by themselves if their mom’s aren’t their telling them to. Often not then either. A horse that can “help” move the calf along is a great thing to have.
My father in law came back from running the other twin and their mom up to the corrals with the four-wheeler then and took the calf up in front of him. I’m not sure Rusty is quite ready for me to carry a calf in front of me on the saddle yet. We went off to help move the rest of the herd. Rusty did good if overly enthusiastic. The cows went easily. He worked well with his four wheeled herd. Once through the gate and the terrifying tunnel of trees that accompanies it we were done with cow moving and went to brave the windmill again.
We made it past with me mounted! Then he had a melt down. Over what I don’t know. He couldn’t walk. He pranced then walked. Then pranced. Then walked. He frothed and foamed and looked around nervously. Until we got back to the cows, then he settled right down. Was he that upset about being away from the cattle?
We walked through them all looking for anyone calving then back to the house. He did a great job moving cattle. Better than he had his last time when we just pushed them out of the corrals. I can’t wait to do it again!
Checking Cows
I’m going to do this one ride in two separate posts. At least partially to break up the monotony of horse laying down and rolling videos.
I was able to ride out through the cows yesterday. They are starting to work on calving and need checked often throughout the day to make sure no one is having problems. Most of the time they are left alone to do their thing. They are out on corn stalks, wheat ground, and pasture, with lots of room and shelter and the privacy that they prefer. It makes for a long ride to get all the way around them. Plenty of training and exercise time for us.
Heading out into the cornstalks on Rusty was, interesting. He hasn’t had much riding time lately, mostly ground work. Our one ride last weekend was a bit scary and stressful for him. Now he was in a constant stop and go. He was in a big hurry, he was excited, he wanted to see everything and get way over there. Fast. He also was nervous, he wanted to sniff the ground looking for ears of corn. He would lurch forward then drop his nose and stop, then forward again without fully reaching a stop. Once I let him trot he wanted to take off.
I did let him canter for a bit on the way out. We were on the wheat ground so it was smoother with better footing. He hopped into the canter, smoothed out a bit, I tried to steer him around a hole. He didn’t steer in time but he saw the hole at the last minute and spooked sideways while trying to stick his head in the hole to see it. We decided to walk.
We had a few more, slightly less eventful canters. I seem to keep hanging on his face. The footing is still slick, there are holes to watch out for. The cows are a little too exciting. He wants to go really fast. We should probably settle down a bit before we do anymore cantering.
We followed a cow through the narrow scary tunnel into the pasture. Then there were lots of cows laying around enjoying the sun and filling their bellies. He snorted and sniffed his way through them. I wanted to look over the far hills and make sure nothing was laying out of sight having trouble.
In order to get over the hill we had to pass THE WINDMILL!
He was pretty sure it was going to eat him I can’t say I blame him for thinking that. They would be scary looking to those unfamiliar. He tensed and arched and looked. I got off. Discretion is the better part of valor. We walked up to it, snorting and blowing and hiding behind me. I was mostly scared that a mean cow would come along and eat me while I was off. The shadow it through on the ground was MOVING! And I expected him to walk through it! Was I insane!
It didn’t eat him. We did walk up and inspect the tank. No mean cows ate us. Although one old girl stood and watched, wishing we would move so she could drink. Away from the windmill I got back on and we rode over the hill. We didn’t get eaten by the prairie dogs either. We made it up and down hills on a, mostly, loose rein. Then through the corrals headed back to the house.
The corrals were full of cows laying around sunning themselves. I thought it was interesting, considering all I hear about the cruelty of farmers and ranchers to their poor long suffering animals. We force them to stand in dirt lots! Without grass or room to roam! We’re so mean.
Yet here, in the bare dirt lots, were most of the cattle. The gates were wide open. There was another water source out in the pasture. They were fed out on the grass too, they didn’t have to come in to eat. Strange. One would almost reach the conclusion that they liked being in the feed lot. We’ll have to teach them better. Make sure they know it is abusive, to them, to stay in this place that they aren’t supposed to like 😉
We survived the ride. There were two new calves. Not new today, just in the last few days. It was a long, for us, tiring ride and I hope to do it again today!
Laying Down On The Job
I didn’t have time to ride Rusty. I was going to saddle up and go ride through the cows. Calving has start, one, that counts, and I like to check ours and put the millage on a horse. It didn’t work out that way. After meeting the bus, not on horses, the kids went out to play and I had a moment to work with Rusty.
I called and all three came running. I let Rusty into the front pen where we had been working on laying down. The other two were mad about being locked out.
We started out standing in the spot they like to roll. It must be the perfect spot, they all love it. I asked him to paw and clicked him when he did. I stood in the same place next to the fence and clicked him when he walked away from me at all. Then clicked him when he walked to “the spot”. Then waited until he laid down.
And he did it. Without being hot and sweaty he did it. He remembered. He was willing. He offered it himself. I didn’t put anything on him and pull him down. I just put him in the same place and waited. Once he was down and I clicked him he hurried to his feet and I offered a major jackpot. Shoveling food into his mouth as fast as he would eat it. The last time I asked him to laydown and he went right out and did it. It was almost like he did it on cue.
I got some video of his first efforts. It is long and boring without being played in fast forward. Lots of time spent waiting for him to get done looking around and thinking and decide what he’s going to do. Now I need to figure out how to get him to calm down and stay down when I walk up to him. Time and patience I guess.
It’s For The Dogs
A friend of mine told me she was taking her dog for a lesson. I could come along if I wanted. The guy does some of that clicker training stuff.
She caught me there. I had to know who she was going to see. Some guy out of Scottsbluff. I follow a guy who trains dogs out of Scottsbluff, could it be the same guy? It was!! It was Jeffrey from Bangarang Bow Wows. How exciting.
Her dog is adorable. He’s sweet, well behaved, and beautiful. I couldn’t imagine why she was looking for a trainer. Much less a clicker trainer. That’s my thing. She thinks I’m weird, in the kindest way possible I’m sure. Her wonderful dog is sweet and submissive, very submissive, too much so. He listens but he also cowers. I understand fully how unbearable that is. Our practically perfect Daisy does the same thing and I can not stand it. I don’t know what her life was like before we got her. It’s possible that she was handled more harshly than she could take, or it’s possible that, like my friends dog, she never had a hand raised to her, she is just too sensitive to handle life. My friend is fully committed to her dog and needs to find a way to fix this.
So, she went looking for a trainer. I had never recommended this guy because he’s a clicker trainer and we are too weird for her. She doesn’t have a problem with it. Just not her thing. She stumbled on him on her own and was going down to see how it went. It’s a good two hour drive from here. Most things are, we like being in the middle of nowhere. Her dog rode wonderfully, but nervously, in the back of the Suburban the whole way.
The guys training facilities were in an interesting neighborhood. We were glad that the lesson had gotten moved up from evening to mid afternoon. I teased her a bit about her plan to drive clear down here by herself to meet some strange guy she had met online, at night, in the town version of the middle of nowhere.
He looked just like he does online. We were able to recognize him right away. The dog warmed to him immediately. As she tried to explain the cowering problem her dog happily wandered about, tail wagging, ears up. They decided to put him back in the back of the Suburban. He leaped in happily, then coward. She asked him to laydown and he hunched, not laying, worried about the command, worried about life.
Jeffery stepped in then and went to work. It was so much fun watching someone else doing the same things as me. Someone with different experiences and training. My clicker training friends are all online, I’ve never met one in person. He did some luring. Got the dogs head down sniffing the treat, then clicked him. The dog was instantly enthralled. He went from cowering to curious.
Once he laid down they stood there talking for awhile. The whole time Jeffrey would randomly say laydown, click and reward. I stood off to the side trying not to say anything. Trying not to say, look! he’s teaching him the meaning of the word! Look what you’re doing! I’ve read about this. I’ve done this. I am going to be doing this with Rusty and laying down pretty soon too.
Then they moved back into the building. I don’t remember everything else that was said or done. There was more work on laying down. Discussion about training theory and technique. The whole time her dog wandered back and forth under their legs, sniffing around, sitting and looking up expectantly, and occasionally laying down. He got a good amount of C/R and seemed thrilled with the whole thing.
It was tons of fun to get to meet another clicker trainer. I would love to go back with her to watch again. I joked a little about bringing a horse sometime. He did have a video up awhile back, apparently too long ago for me to find it quickly, of him working with a horse on targeting. I suppose the parking lot there could work for an arena, we’re used to using our driveway for and arena 😉  The real training for them will start next time, this was a meet and greet. Otherwise known as a consultation. I can’t wait to see how the two of them do. I hope that she gets sucked into the whole thing as bad as I have.
