Rescuing Rusty

Still playing with clicker training. Learning the ropes, like learning to train all over again and still getting the hang of it. But having a blast doing so.

He and I have been working on the spanish walk forever now. Ever since Coyote taught me how while calving one time I’ve enjoyed teaching it to my own horses. We were calving, moving pairs out of the calving lot into pasture and I could not for the life of me get a calf to get up and go with its mom. These mama cows would eat you alive quite happily so I couldn’t get off to get him going. Coyote got tired of messing around and pawed the calf, the calf jumped up, I spent lots of time rewarding Coyote and we worked it into a cue. And I have the worlds smartest horse.

But lacking other brilliant horses and, fortunately, the proper circumstances we will learn it the conventional way. A way that Rusty has been doing very well at, especially with the clicker. But he is having trouble understanding the transfer to asking from one side and from his back. If I ask for, say, the right side then step to the left and ask over his back we can usually get it, that will work up, I’m sure, to him fully understanding.

From his back is a little harder and I’m sure only needs more time but today we had help. Tanna was back again, yay!, after weeks of cold weather and sick kids. We worked together on the rest of the basics then I sat on him and she cued from the ground. He got it. She gave me the stick back and I asked from his back and once again he got it! On one side, but hey, it’s a start. We quit for the day on that high note.

With Rusty that is. She grabbed Coyote and had a little lesson with him. She has the little mare (Arapaho Jerry) that I used to show so I know exactly what her horse knows and how she rides. They’ve been having a little trouble with side passing so she and Coyote worked on that. He put on his usual grouchy face and she did great.

In the end we were discussing the difference between a half pass and a leg yield, I think her head almost exploded. But I had a ton of fun.

Last time it was all theoretical. I had done a little with Nevel but that was short lived and I haven’t had an opportunity since then.

Now I am absorbed in the practice, the study and the art. Maybe not, but I am really fascinated. Every chance I have I watch videos and read up on it. This lady is my favorite. Our last training sessions have been at liberty and we are working on some really fun stuff. I would show you but for that I would have to have someone to tape it or we would have more bad videos like the last one. On the bright side the lack of a videographer has meant that we will have many more tricks/ skills to show when we finally get to.

I thought I had the starting of horses fairly well down before but this opens up all sorts of possibilities. While I always taught my own horses fun things and installed extra buttons like pawing on command (hopefully leading to spanish walk someday, hadn’t gotten there yet but Coyote learns what he wants when he wants, Smoke went back to my mom and Nevel wasn’t around near long enough. And very useful for calving even if it never got as far as a spanish walk), putting their heads down to graze, or sniff a calf or find an ear of corn, on command and stepping over to the fence for mounting. I thought I was pretty cool and they had lots of extra stuff, that was nothing. I can’t wait to see where we end up.

He was hot, spooky and prancey. Raring to go, a million miles an hour and not willing to slow down and listen to me. Common things we see every day were terrifying, the windmill was going to eat him. There were a couple of times I was actually a bit worried.

What, Rusty? No. Coyote!

My nearly twenty year old, broke to death gelding had a little melt down when asked to pony Rusty. He’s ponyed dozens of colts in his time, maybe that’s why he was so mad about this. He’s reached a point in his life, ok he may have always been at that point, where he has strong opinions about what he does and does not want to do. He did not want to do this.

All in all it went well though. Nobody died.

I put on a saddle and Coyotes big, cow eating bridle, fortunately. We went up the scary lane between the pens in the feedlot. Then through the pasture to check out the baby calves. He, Rusty, followed one around, neck all arched pretty sniffing like crazy. Then its mom came and we had to leave. Out the gate between the trees that always terrifies Coyote. Around the corn stalks through more cows, then back into the pasture. Past the horse eating windmill, splashed around in the pond. He was hesitant at first, hung back then leaped into the water. But no less upset by it than Coyote. Up and down some hills and jumped up and down some banks then back through the corrals and home. With a brief visit with my husband at a tractor.

Rusty and Coyote grazed happily along side the running tractor and squeezed between the farm implements as we talked. That wasn’t scary at all, not like a windmill.

There has been no shortage of cold, windy days which to work Rusty in.

Today I put my saddle on. We’ve been using the barrel saddle, a very handy little saddle that my father won in a raffle. The people doing the raffle were not happy that he chose the saddle over the money, I’m glad he did it’s been the most handy little saddle ever. Mostly it’s my daughters saddle but occasionally it gets pressed into service to start colts. My saddle on the other hand doesn’t like to face any possible danger and is a little heavy to be tossing around. I love and treasure my saddle, it was handmade specially to fit Coyote. Extra wide bars for his rather rotund frame. And now I’m trying to use it on Rusty.

I think I need a thicker saddle pad. Definitely a shorter cinch.

Oh well, not getting on him quite yet anyway.

We worked in the round pen. Rusty did great. Soon I think we will be ready to show what we’ve been working on but hate to jinx it by saying that.

I love turning him back out when we’re done. I force him out the gate and, if the other two aren’t there to make things difficult, he swings over against the gate, the way I’ve taught him for mounting, and begs to be sat on. Who am I to deny him. I sat on him today halterless, in the howling wind and scratched until I thought my fingers were going to fall off. Then said good bye as he stood, waiting, wanting more.

It was one of those days, cold fronts coming through one after another. Beautiful with the rain visible as it blows away before it reaches the ground, dark on light. And the wind howling til you can barely stand upright. A Perfect day for ground work.

I had a moment between sick children and the house work I should have been doing and snuck out to play with Rusty. We had been doing short workouts in the corral there with the other two and needed to get out a little. So we went out the back gate, down the scary lane with cattle on both sides and pheasants and Daisy, and out towards the corn fields where the cows are starting to calve. Going up the lane we were right along the wind break and it was nice out, warm still but not uncomfortably so. At the end of the lane we did some walk trot transitions and one big no we absolutely do not run and buck when being lead then continued on our way.

Around a corner we found twine caught on a fence flapping in the wind and, after a brief startle gave it a sniff then grazed next to it. After partaking of the good green grass we turned towards home. Then the wind picked up. Looking up to see the power lines blowing sideways we were careful to walk up wind of them. Dust was racing down the driveway leaving grit in our eyes and offering plenty of opportunity to spook. He had a couple of good ones. Darting past me to circle a couple of times before calming down to walk beside me again. So much better to get used to this without me on his back.

The horses came galloping to the fence as we walked by. He made another circle. They called and called to him and he wanted to join them but stayed next to me even of it was on tiptoes. Through the yard past tractors and trees and buildings he made it just fine. Behind the house we did a little work then turned him out with the others. It was a great day.

Life has been crazy lately. The weathers been warm, cattle have needed worked, children have been sick, other than with Tanna last weekend, I haven’t had time for extensive lessons. But I try to run out almost everyday for a quick play time or a walk.

I brush and give everyone cookies, work on a basic or two and a little something extra I’ve been trying to teach Rusty, then sit on him while he gets a good scratching. OK, maybe it takes a little longer than five minutes but he picks everything up and doesn’t get bored or soured.

Or we go for a walk around the yard. Last time it was down a scary lane with cows on both sides, creaky tin and pheasants. He checked everything out carefully but didn’t spook. We worked on voice commands, leading at walk and trot while respecting my space and whoa. I think he enjoys getting out and about.

The little something extra? It’s a surprise! When I see if it works, or not, I’ll tell but until then…..

As we were attempting a riding lesson on Coyote, Princess Onna and Rusty decided it was time to play.

We went for a walk today. It had been a while since the last one. I had backed up a step and worked on other things in the round pen since we weren’t making progress with the walks. Apparently that was what he needed.

On a loose lead we walked down the drive working on voice commands for walk trot and whoa. He stared in fascination at the cows grazing the corn stalks. He had gotten used to them I thought in his pen but it came as a shock to discover they were in other places too! He sniffed the ground, and pawed it one time. For why I don’t know. And we walked calmly and happy even back to the barn.

Not all the way of course. I stopped by the trailer to practice loading. He sniffed a little and walked right in.

Then we went to my newly, somewhat, cleared play area to play with the tire. He hopped over it happily then with work I got him to step on it. Then I discovered that after sitting idle for a few years it needs repacked. That was the end of that. I recently read an article about hand walking and how the lady kept her horse from getting bored at it by teaching tricks. I had thought to bring along my clicker but couldn’t find it as I rushed out the door. She talked in the article about using her voice instead of a clicker and it sounded like a pretty good idea. I noticed, while making the effort, that I stay very quiet when working. But, when I remembered to talk, it seemed to work. So we went back to the other horses.

Almost. First I picked up feet, including the hind feet, for real, for the first time. He has a light colored patch that on closer inspection is  from scar tissue, a wire cut across the back of the pastern. And the strangest shaped hoof on that same side. It doesn’t appear to be from the same injury, just ill formed with one side of the hoof much shorter than the other.

I am holding the hoof square with the ground in both pictures not at the angle that it would appear. Yes he also needs a trim and yes he is base narrow, and walks with the weight on the outside edge of the hoof causing it to wear more and flare to the inside. Not a big deal, either problem, and the oddly shaped hoof probably isn’t either. It’s just weird.

All the time I feel like we are making great progress. He saddles, bridles, lifts his feet, gives to pressure, rein and hand, doesn’t spook much. As we drive past in the feed truck, payloader and four wheelers he hangs his head over the fence to watch. Cows are interesting now instead of terrifying. He’s doing great and has come a little ways, he’s the kind that came broke.

Then the horses run past or chase him a little and my broke, well behaved horse disappears and he runs right over me. No matter how much time I spend working on manners and think that it’s sinking in, as soon as he’s stressed a little it all goes out the window.

We were shipping calves and I walked through their pen to shut the gate, locking them in and allowing us to run calves past. They all came over to say hi and get a scratch.  I turned to walk away, with my hoodie up a big no no on my behalf, apparently Rusty was following with his otherwise best buddy Princess Onna following him. Onna bit him on the behind and, with the whole wide open pen around us, he crashed into me and thundered past while she stood back looking all innocent. I yelled a little wishing there was some way to train at that moment but I couldn’t think of any so I walked on happy to find myself lightly bruised but not hurt.

He is coming along so nicely but for that lack of spatial respect that I have not yet been able to teach him. Will it come? I believe so, but I always believe I can will what I desire into being. I think it is a necessary belief when training horses. The surety that we can convince a thousand pound animal to do as we ask. So we will keep trying.