Communication

By Neversummer April 19, 2017 Rusty 3 Comments

He’s a high double swirl. I can’t say I didn’t know what I was getting into. Complicated, intelligent, and sensitive, instead of being warned off I decided he was my kind of man.

This ride was a bad idea from the beginning. I hadn’t touched him in weeks, I had hardly seen him other than to say hi in passing. Why did I think I should even try? Still here we were. The clouds hung low overhead, not warm but not cold, the wind finally quiet. My sweatshirt left me feeling clammy but I hated to take it off. Next to me he was walking on eggshells already, not the attentive, responsive horse I had last ridden but one who wanted nothing to do with me his only interest in the lush green grass at our feet.

In my husbands beautifully worked garden plot we stopped. Surely as long as we stayed out of the part so meticulously marked  he wouldn’t be too mad. It makes such a nice arena and I would appreciate a soft place to land. After a brief, absentminded warm up I climbed on. It was a new place, a different mounting routine, I was doing everything out of order and  backwards.

Rusty was concerned. His tippy ears were flicked back, straining to catch my every move. His neck tight, jaw tense. Trying to remember to breath, deep long breaths, I thought calm into the back of his head. Trying to ignore my nerves I breathed out my fear and let my muscles relax. With a squeeze and a cluck and a firm “walk up” I urged him on. Remembering his lessons he moved forward. Immediately I clicked and fed him his cookie. He slammed on the brakes to take it. We fluttered about our makeshift arena like a butterfly or perhaps the unicorn his delicately tufted fetlocks proclaim him to be. No straight lines or clear circles, just a question and his flittery response so light and quick. Until it wasn’t.

He was done and he was leaving. No running, just a simple refusal. He was going and there was no turning him so there we sat, him unwilling to go back as I sat and tried to think what I could give him so we could both win. I want him to have opinions, a mind of his own. I hope he will be like Coyote, a thinker, strong willed, a partner instead of a servant. Then I think of all the trouble that causes and wonder why.

So we went. He wants to go, out and about, a big country horse who can’t stand fences closing him in. I knew what he wanted but his small leaps of enthusiasm discourage me from giving the freedom he craves. I had meant to go out through the corn field today, hurry and make use of it before they plant. We should have gone, my caution gets in the way. I fear what the excess of enthusiasm could lead to, not that there is a mean bone in his body. Rusty would never purposely hurt anyone.

Instead we wandered around the yard, a delicate balance of wills. Holding tight while he demanded his direction then asking diplomatically for a concession. We circle to the right, always hard for him, his nose tips in as his shoulder drifts off in a different direction completely. But we are moving and to the right.Should I ask for more? What aids do I give without a bit? I hesitate only briefly wondering about technicalities, then tighten the outside rein and tighten my calf. A light aid on a green horse but he straightens and gives a step on the circle. For a moment in time we think as one connected by through my seat, his back. I click and the moment is gone as he stops to receive his treat.

Finding a good spot I exhale, breathing out a soft whoa. With a flick of an ear he stops. Feeding one last cookie I slide off. Against all odds and good sense we rode. Searching through the differences of opinion and our fears we found a place in the middle where we could both agree. A place where we could communicate.

Ode To A Horse That’s Good On Gates

By Neversummer April 17, 2017 Coyote 1 Comment

Not like gates in a trail class but real life, nearly impossible to open gates.

My good gelding waits patiently beneath me. Each breath an exhaled judgment. He lets me know exactly how he feels about me, about my riding skill, about this task I’m asking him to undertake. Yet still he stands, waiting. Not patiently, impatiently but still and quiet. I lean down, stretching and balancing carefully to reach the gate on level with my foot. The chain is wrapped down and around, as I uncoil it my attention is split between it and my seat out of my saddle. The cinch is loose, like usual, and keeping the saddle from sliding under his belly while reaching down below his belly is an interesting trick.

Chain undone I sit back up, it’s time for the real work to start. The hinges sag, the heavy gate sits on the ground sinking into the mud. The balancing trick comes into play again. I shift my weight into the far stirrup and heft up on the gate. Once cleared of the mud I tighten my left calf muscle. Beneath me he sighs as his hoof slurps free of the sucking mud and he takes one step to the side. And one step only. I set the gate down, re-balance, re-position , and regather my strength for another lug on the gate. At what point I wonder would it simply be easier to get off and just open the dang gate? I’ve already mounted and dismounted so many times, covering my boots and stirrups in mud, straining his back stepping up from the ground and run out of cookies to offer as a token of my thanks for sticking with me to do this job. I can hardly stand to do it one more time. Surely this gate will open with one more try.

And it does, not after one more try but a few. A few more single steps to the side, a few more light touches of my calf before it reaches a point where it swings easily along with his seamless side pass. If he had thumbs he could open the gates himself, he’s done this enough times. Given the right latch he can and has opened many gates by himself. Freeing his pasture mates to find the greener grass beckoning out there. For now I rub his neck apologizing for the lack of cookies when he turns to look, demanding and expectant. His disdain is visible for all to see as he turns back to his job, our job. I would think he hates me, cattle, everything about this life if I were to judge by the glint in his eye and the disdainful wrinkle of his nostril, he lets me know that I am beneath him.

Then we spot the cow and her calf. We are a team, flowing smoothly together, thoughts spoken through each shift of weight in the saddle. Ears back he sweeps in behind the pair, unerringly working them towards the gate. This is why he lets me catch him, why he tolerates my lowly presence, why I put his big cow eating bit on instead of our usual halter when we are working. Teeth bared, nose pushing, front legs shoving, he moves the calf along behind its mother. I offer occasional suggestions, a light squeeze with a calf, picking up the reins when he gets too… enthusiastic in his encouragement. Placing my hand at the base of his neck I pick up the reins and pull him off as the pair goes through the gate. We’re done now I whisper, easy there, we’re done, and I turn him back away to look for his next target.

Turns And Yielding

By Neversummer April 2, 2017 Coyote, Rusty 1 Comment

I rode Rusty! Again. It’s becoming a habit.

We stayed in the driveway this time. My husband left as I got on to go to town where there is better internet to work on his phone so he was going to be completely unavailable. Fortunately my brother was by his phone. So after a brief conversation with him we did our warm up, Spanish walk and bows, then got on.

He was feeling a little.. pent up maybe?

He didn’t really do anything bad. He was wobbly, not like falling down but weaving in his circles. I tried serpentines. He couldn’t walk it, kept breaking into a trot then couldn’t make the turns. We did work on turns and leg yields. He did both beautifully. I wanted to come in and write about it right away so I didn’t forget. Unfortunately I have forgotten what I wanted to say. I have a video hopefully it’s good and I can shorten it and get it up. Probably on Facebook, even shortened it will probably be too long for the blog.

I’m sure it wont look as cool as it felt anyway.

Ignoble Dismount

By Neversummer April 2, 2017 Coyote No Comments

We have been making a habit of sorting out the pairs on Fridays. Tanna comes over and we spend most of the day horseback. Sometimes we even have enough energy to work with Rusty afterwards, not very often though. Today was different. Today her brother was going to a branding with his horse and would have the trailer on. She was able to convince him to bring her horse over. Then he decided to come play too!

With Tanna riding her horse that left Princess Onna free for The Goblin Child to ride. I bundled her up toasty warm, long underwear, scarf, hat under her helmet. Last time she got cold and wanted to go ride in the payloader with her father. Last time she was riding double with me on Coyote, I must admit it was easier without her help as much as we enjoyed it.

Tanna’s horse is Jerry. Jerry was my mare that I showed on a decade ago this year, time does fly. It was nice to see her again. She and Tanna are doing very well together. Her brothers horse is a big young quarter horse. A sorrel to match the other two, Coyote and Jerry. We were all nicely matched, he is a flaxen even, except Princess Onna of course.

The Goblin Child and Princess Onna did very well together. T.G.C. even enjoyed the trotting we had to do to get around a couple of calves. But soon enough she got cold. Apparently I didn’t bundle her up enough. It wasn’t entirely a bad thing Princess Onna isn’t the funnest horse to pony and combined with the deep mud in places having them along mad life a little difficult. It was great the she got to come as long as she did though.

There were quite a few calves born over the last week and with all of us out there we made quick work of them. My cow hating husband was working mostly on foot as his dad rode around on the four-wheeler with 8 in front. I would wave at 8 as he went by and, from his position laying down on the gas tank, he would grin back at me.

There are lots of gates. Lots and lots of gates. They would be more convenient for me with horse friendly latches. This is a four-wheeler outfit though and being handy for me would mean unhandy for those guys on their four-wheelers. Opening and closing these gates from a horse requires leaning way down off the side and spending lots of time fiddling with chains run down around or over.

I should mention that my cinch is never tight. Coyote and I consider touching his stomach to be tight enough, and that’s at the start of the ride. I lent him to a guy once, and only once, who threw his saddle on and yanked the cinch tight. In protest Coyote threw himself to the ground. He is clear in expressing his opinions.

I was heading back to the others and pulled the gate closed behind us. It latched in a corner, requiring a horse to curve into the corner to reach. I leaned over and stretched. Despite my constantly loose cinch even corner gates aren’t usually a problem, as long as I pay close attention to balance. I was leaned clear out reaching to wrap the chain around another gate and I felt my saddle shift. I pushed back but it was too late. I was up against the fence so I just grabbed hold, no problem. I hooked an arm over the guard rail and hung on. It dug into my side a little, hurting just a bit. I rearranged and pulled my feet out of the stirrups. Or tried. My mud boot was well wedged. Not stuck hard but I was right up against him and didn’t have room to pull if it didn’t slide out easy. I finally wriggled around enough to get both feet on the ground and keep my saddle from ending up clear under his belly.

Now my saddle was well stuck on his side. I glanced up once in a while to see if everyone was watching my fiasco. They appeared to be busy. The cinch wasn’t tight enough to hold the saddle on but was to tight to let me pull it back up. I yanked and tugged then went around to the other side and repeated. He wanted back to the others and was done standing still. As he circled I tried to loosen my cinch without letting it fall into the deep mud. I pulled then went around and pushed, finally it rolled back to the top. I snugged the cinch up, a little and climbed on.

I thought no more about it until afternoon as I rested during the kids naps. My side hurt. I ignored it but it kept getting sorer. I asked my not horse person husband if there was a bruise there or something? He was horrified, there was definitely a bruise. A big one. As not a horse person he can never understand why I love something that causes pain more often than not. I was rather impressed that my brief moment of hanging on the guard rail, apparently the sharp edge of it left such a beautiful purple bruise.

It was a good day though we got most of the calves out and put Tanna’s brother to good use. It didn’t even rain on us!

 

 

Identifying Smells What?

By Neversummer March 31, 2017 Clicker training 1 Comment

My brother wants to know what in the world I’m talking about with this whole scent training thing. Or, at least, that’s what I’m assuming he meant, his comment take a little interpretation sometimes. Maybe I should explain it better. Sometimes I know what I’m talking about so it’s perfectly clear to me but no one else has a clue.

I want to teach Rusty to follow/find scent. Like a bloodhound, or like I think a bloodhound does. I know NOTHING about this, that has never stopped me before. This really is a thing. There are many reasons horses excelle at this, possible better than dogs in a few ways. These are the reasons I have heard, not things I know personally to be fact. If anyone knows otherwise, please correct me.

People can ride horses, that’s a fairly big one. Although I’m sure a person could ride a horse and follow a dog? More country can be covered riding than walking. A horse can raise and lower its head from ground level to around seven foot in the air plus side to side allowing for better coverage looking for scent. Also being mounted puts a person up higher for a better vantage point. Riding a horse lets the horse carry us safely in conditions that leave people unable to see, like at night. Or from personal experience, in a blizzard. When a horse gets hot it breaths through its nose. When a dog gets hot it pants instead of breathing through its nose loosing some smelling ability.

I must admit I have hopes that Rusty can find my children for me as they get older and can wander our rather large farm yard alone.

There is an association, The American Equine Scenting Association, to be exact, that promotes this and offers clinics. There is a how to book, two actually. I guess I’m going to have to get them. I have gotten lots of great advice from the clicker training community though. It is such a great group of people who are happy to share their knowledge. Not just in horse training but in the other areas they use clicker training too. I’m a member of the awesome and always informative Horse Tricks Academy. Although this is not technically a trick, not that type at least, when I asked for tips another member who trains dogs was kind enough to offer advice. We have a good place to start even without the book. I tend to like doing things that way!

It Rained

By Neversummer March 30, 2017 Clicker training, Rusty 1 Comment

Usually, and in this case, that makes everybody very happy. And it does make me happy, we need the moisture. It has been a pretty dry winter. The snow blew off the fields and pastures collecting in deep drifts that only did a few places any good.

It really didn’t do the footing in my “big arena” any good though. The soft deep dirt is now a muddy mess. Much better for the arena’s real purpose as a field, not as good for riding a green colt out in. Not to mention that the cold wet weather hasn’t allowed another chance to ride. Much less head out into the big wide open with him.

The rain and warm weather has also brought lots of green grass starting to grow. It causes a major distraction in our training. I have just started to work hard on identifying and finding smells and now all he wants to do is eat. I try to let him out for some grazing time before we work but the timing can be difficult. And he never seems to get his appetite satisfied. Spring grass is hard to resist after a winter of hay.

When I can get him to concentrate he is doing a pretty good job. I think.

First Ride Out

By Neversummer March 28, 2017 Rusty No Comments

Because I was having temporary blog issues I put this one on Facebook first you can find it here.

I rode Rusty today! I know I have been saying that a lot lately. It hardly seems like every time should be newsworthy. This time though I rode him out. Way out!
The guys are starting to get spring fever. They can hardly wait to get in those big tractors and go round and round all day (if anyone can name that Ian Tyson song I’ll, do something 😉 ) They have been discing the cornstalks, starting with the one that used to have our fence we did cutting practice on. It’s close and easy to get to and now the dirt is worked to perfect arena consistency, soft and fine without being too deep. It is my favorite arena.
I had ridden him out there once last fall, before we gave up riding for ground work. He was skittish, even with Tanna along on Coyote, and our ride didn’t last long. I got off and walked him home when I felt my life may be in danger. Probably a slight exaggeration but I am not a brave rider. I fall off, usually on my head, if a horse bucks. After a winter of ground work he felt safe, incredibly light and responsive and really really fun. He comes from a long line of good Morgan cow horses, out even farther west than we are, in the really big country. He is a big country sort of horse. He stalls up a little in the arena, even our driveway sort of arena. He’s bored and doesn’t see the point. Out here he looked around, took a deep breath, and took off. In that fast walk, like Coyote and Onna have, where you feel like you’re being run a way with. It’s awesome.
He was a little rotten. What green colt isn’t going out and about? He was overly enthusiastic wanting to go more than I was willing and occasionally hunching his back and dropping his head. Nothing too bad though, I am riding him in a halter after all and we’re both still alive!
We worked on walk trot transitions, whoa, go and he was giving beautiful three quarter turns on the hind quarters. Or next ride is doomed, this one was too good.
I really want a gopro

Scenting

By Neversummer March 26, 2017 Uncategorized 3 Comments

One of my favorite trainers, Sandra over at Hippologic, has been asking interesting questions on her Facebook page lately. It’s always fun to see peoples answers and occasionally I’m compelled to put in my own two cents. The last one that really made me think was, What is the ultimate trick you would like to teach your horse?

I thought of bowing without me having to hold his leg, laying down, cutting, riding him! But they all seemed so mundane, thoroughly not worth mentioning. As I vaguely pondered it later in the day I thought of the one thing that has fascinated me that I have never been able to figure out. Scent training. I have tried different things, mostly trying to teach him to find the children based on names. The trying is because it’s hard to wrangle children while working a horse, they run away and play.

After posting my answer Max Easy answered my comment saying how easy it was. She is another very good clicker trainer who always has interesting things to say. She and I don’t have much in common, her being a vegan and me running cattle and all 😉 I think it’s important for people to know others who they have little in common with. Expand our horizons and all that. We get so isolated in our little circles of people who agree with us on everything.

Just associate the scent with reinforcement, she says, no problem, she says. No problem my arse, but how? More details I begged, she kept answering, I remained confused. I left my computer to eat the breakfast my very sweet husband had prepared. While eating I told him of our discussion and how I absolutely could not wrap my mind around it.

He sat and thought. Only for a brief moment though, he’s very smart it’s one of my favorite things about him. That’s easy he said, I thought I might have to kill him. Why did people keep telling me that? Then he gave me a comprehensive, well thought out training plan broke into small easy to teach steps perfect for clicker training. Have I mentioned he likes computers and tractors, he is by no means a horseman. Apparently I really am the only one who can’t figure this out.

Later that day when I had a chance to sneak out and work Rusty for a minute, I rifled through the dirty laundry first and took some stinky socks with me. Children are hard to corral, socks hold still. I held one in each hand, one up to his nose for him to sniff the other out away a little. He sniffed one then the other, click. I dropped the other on the ground. He sniffed one then the other, click. He was starting to get the hang of it.

Today I grabbed two pairs of socks. One from each child. Same procedure, then I dropped two socks on the ground. I chose one of the socks out of my pocket and held it for him to smell. He sniffed, nibbled, them dropped his head to the socks on the ground.When he touched the right one I clicked and rewarded enthusiastically. We switched back and forth, I tried to keep the sock choice random. Then the child belonging to one of the socks tumbled underfoot. I held his sock up, Rusty touched the child. It was working.

Max was right it was easy, and it does seem to be working. I will have to be sure to keep some dirty laundry around at all times. That should not be a problem.

Will load video when I am at a location with better internet!

We Trotted!!!

By Neversummer March 20, 2017 Coyote, Rusty 2 Comments

It started out as a day without promise. Rusty forgot how to go out around the wing fence to reach the gate. Once saddled our time was interrupted by a child waking. I thought any hope of riding was gone. His father was out in the tractor discing a field. I decided we would grab Coyote and take the child to his father.
I clipped a lead rope to Rusty’s halter and thought we would bring him along. I went ahead and got on with the child, thinking it would be no problem to grab it once mounted. For once Rusty didn’t want to be anywhere near us. He would wait until we got close then scoot out of reach. After chasing him across the yard it occurred to me that he could follow along the way he usually does and I gave up on the catching.

Out in the corn field he was off and running. He galloped past us and off across the field then back by again. We zipped out to the tractor and left the child then back to the yard. Rusty running and bucking around us the whole time. Back at the house I found myself with time to ride but after watching all the bucking I was a little scared to get on.

My blanket had worked its self nearly out from under the saddle and everything needed redone. reassuring myself that all the bucking earlier meant he was less likely to do so under saddle not more likely I got on. He was awesome. We circled around our “arena” a couple times before he offered a trot. I clicked him and he stopped for his treat. We did it again practicing stops and turns. Finally he stopped to a loosening of the reins, with an exhale and soft whoa, and I got off. He was great, it wasn’t at all scary in the end.

I have some video, it’s too long to fit here. I will do some editing (shortening) and put it on Rusty’s facebook page. Until then here are the videos that would fit.

 

 

Back To Rusty Again!

By Neversummer March 19, 2017 Coyote, Rusty 1 Comment

I rode Rusty! Tanna came out yesterday and we were going to work with him but spent the day sorting pairs instead. I’ll write about that next time. This time it was all about me and Rusty.

He was mostly interested in eating the little bits of green grass that are poking up. I was going to play with our new ball, he pushed it around a little then left. I gathered my helmet and filled my pockets with cookies and followed him. He actually didn’t want to be caught! That was a first. He finally stopped and I swung up.

We were on the other side of the house from where we usually ride. Out by the stack piles and the garden and the other horses at their bale. The guy was there grinding hay with his big noisy semi and grinder. Rusty stood and grazed, then took off past the quanset and cows eating in the bunk. I was a little worried. Rusty was off and going, until he wasn’t. Still nothing bad, he just wanted to eat.

We rode around doing pretty good until a semi came down the driveway, I thought it prudent to hop off. It was good confidence building for me to get out of our usual routine.

 

Then I got on Coyote and rode out through the cows. Good old cow eating Coyote, he was not interested in working again today. We didn’t do much, checked for new babies and thought about sorting some more pairs, then back to the house where he got turned loose to eat green grass.

 

He was my first trick horse 😉