tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post4385553889744411043..comments2024-01-03T03:28:48.980-07:00Comments on mugwump Chronicles: Q and A's - KickingMugwumphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01487540636265322556noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-69425318155542310752008-10-02T08:36:00.000-06:002008-10-02T08:36:00.000-06:00summersmom-I only do one step at a time per riding...summersmom-I only do one step at a time per riding session. When they get that I move to the next. Sometimes you will have to repeat a step many times over several days, so this could take a long time.<BR/>worldshowbound- first make sure there aren't any soundness issues, sore bruised feet or the beginning stages of absesses will make them stumble-then get her out of the arena! Riding over uneven ground and having to think will help. Backing up hills will strengthen her hindquarters and help her rebalance-the ground pole suggestion is good-lack of drive can be involved-but trotting out on the trails or even in a field works wonders.<BR/>iknownothing-Perfect!<BR/>cbrewster-this is a question I'll cover in a post, soon, I swear.<BR/>austriancurls-I don't know the mare so I can't second guess. Kicking still means "get away" be it from aggression or fear, if it's a nasty horse I go straight to step three. I will reaffirm myself on the ground and teach the horse to face me when I approach-always-and then I do the same on horseback.<BR/>lonesplainsman-rant away! I also hope you guys feel freee to write in and offer up your ideas on these issues.<BR/>Sydney-thanks for the banner!mugwumphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00319060800328355056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-84747107680622027252008-10-01T20:29:00.000-06:002008-10-01T20:29:00.000-06:00mugwump, I've only had the one horse who ever trie...mugwump, I've only had the one horse who ever tried to kick--this would be Sunny, my little palomino plug of a trail horse, and he's really not much of a threat. He's bought into me as boss hog at this point and I don't see this behavior. But I don't doubt it would resurface if he thought he could get away with it. Great post!Laura Crumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15200878892304748308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-49764881165763186932008-10-01T16:35:00.000-06:002008-10-01T16:35:00.000-06:00Hey mugs, Not post related but I thought you could...Hey mugs, Not post related but I thought you could use this<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://www.acornrack.com/ravencity/files/mugwhiteBG.jpg" REL="nofollow">mugwump banner</A> If you use it make sure you put it as the background and make it sized to fit. If you want colours etc changed on it just ask :3<BR/><BR/>Save it and upload it onto your blogger as I will be deleteing it soon because it eats up my bandwidth. Hope you like it.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14523660446608394720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-16930846914821233682008-10-01T15:43:00.000-06:002008-10-01T15:43:00.000-06:00Great explanation, mugs!I love the idea that while...Great explanation, mugs!<BR/><BR/>I love the idea that while you try to understand WHY, you don't get hung up on it. One of the things I see a lot in the NH world is the "my horse was abused so..." or the "oh, my horse doesn't do...". NH puts such a strong focus on understanding the horse that sometimes people get hung up on it and turn it into an excuse, rather than a reason. And actually, as Fugs so often points out, this is not so unlike how some stallion owners behave. "Well he's a stallion so he can't..."<BR/><BR/>IMO..<BR/>Reason = explanation for behaviour.<BR/>Excuse = justification for MISbehaviour.<BR/><BR/>I really love how you try to understand why the horse does what he/she does.. but you don't stop there! You still expect good behaviour from those horses, regardless of their "horsenality" or their history. That was a difficult concept for me to grasp but I really like it.<BR/><BR/>It's seen a lot though - and not just in horses. Even in school or with people there's this corruption of reasons into excuses. "I have __ so I can't do __" Or "he's from a broken home so he's allowed to be __" Um... NO. Not OK!<BR/><BR/>Now, certainly, you can't just smile and expect them to be cured. It does take longer, more effort, to make a kicker into a polite horse - to take a badly behaved child and get him well behaved - but it can AND SHOULD be done.<BR/><BR/>Sorry.. off rant/soap box. I just really liked what you had to say there!<BR/><BR/>Keep up the Q&As.. but don't forget the other stories! I love the Mort/Sonita stories just as much as this stuff... maybe more!loneplainsmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13872076354276714175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-57221317155837422192008-10-01T15:16:00.000-06:002008-10-01T15:16:00.000-06:00I was on a Christmas ride last year, and a mare th...I was on a Christmas ride last year, and a mare that has been in the group for years and years has started kicking, sometimes it is another horse or a person. It isn't my mare. <BR/><BR/>The Christmas ride is such that the one girl with the wine gets off her horse and goes to the door and give a bottle of wine to a pasture owner, one that lets us ride over the fields in winter.<BR/><BR/>While she was doing this, another girl while mounted was holding the reins of this mare. I didn't know the mare had a new kicking problem. I've known the horse for years, anyway, I'm sitting there stupidly on my horse, and this horse starts circling the lady mounted, and circle slowly, by the time I noticed that she was circling in my direction it was too late, I immediately took a rein and turned my horse to get away, which instead of lining up my horses chest, lined up my shin which took the full brunt of a shod kick. Lucky it didn't break my leg.<BR/><BR/>Now, the girl appologized and said oh the mare doesn't like ponies (I happened to have ridden a pony that time). But, then later I heard from three other people that they had been kicked too. This mare has been to tournaments and was State Champion (dressage, jumping and cross-country competition).<BR/><BR/>I don't think it's a crowding issue, as no one was crowding her, rather it was a purposeful and determined attack. We were far enough away, and if I had known she had kicked other people/horses I would have clued in the one holding the reins and also got my butt out of there. We were a group of about 7 riders.<BR/><BR/>What's that all about? This mare did have a first foal the year before.austriancurlshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03015633298952678666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-81952084397298303822008-10-01T13:39:00.000-06:002008-10-01T13:39:00.000-06:00Hey Mugwump, I return again, what have you done ...Hey Mugwump, <BR/><BR/> I return again, what have you done with clients in the past to help them build confeidence?<BR/><BR/> I took a bad fall off of a colt, his first day on the property. He was previously abused, but now is calm and willing as can be. I, on the other hand, am still extremely nervous when riding him undersaddle. I've ridden for years and have trained horses, but now with my own colt I've turned into the world's largest chicken.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-12560729951991398442008-09-30T17:56:00.000-06:002008-09-30T17:56:00.000-06:00That's essentially what we do with dogs translated...That's essentially what we do with dogs translated into horse. Thanks Mugs!<BR/><BR/>Understanding why an animal is doing what they're doing helps us humans figure out how to correct the behavior and move past the issue. It's not necessarily being permissive (though some people do that).ORSunshinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07212211388313548187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-31114854395462165752008-09-30T17:03:00.000-06:002008-09-30T17:03:00.000-06:00Awesome. I love playing leap frog. Another thing t...Awesome. I love playing leap frog. Another thing that game does is teach horses it's ok to be anyplace on a trail ride. Worked many times over with lead bound horses on trails.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14523660446608394720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-963139293950252512008-09-30T16:39:00.000-06:002008-09-30T16:39:00.000-06:00Hey Mugs,There is no way that I can find to contac...Hey Mugs,<BR/><BR/>There is no way that I can find to contact you directly. <BR/><BR/>Would you be willing to e-mail me so that I can send you some thoughts directly?<BR/><BR/>neckpatter@gmail.com<BR/><BR/>If you prefer I can post here. ThanksWhywudyabreedithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12069453160852561143noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-60455091633630209852008-09-30T16:18:00.000-06:002008-09-30T16:18:00.000-06:00worldshowbound- For what its worth, my trainer has...worldshowbound- For what its worth, my trainer has me doing trot poles. We started on a lunge and then did under saddle stuff. It forces them to 1)Pick up their feet and 2)Pay attention to where their feet are. I was using them to help my mare develop muscling to support a round frame, but she also now picks her feet up more when she's collected.gillianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12116128687769268871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-39639962205401722542008-09-30T16:03:00.000-06:002008-09-30T16:03:00.000-06:00Mugs, you are so on it with a prompt and clear res...Mugs, you are so on it with a prompt and clear response to a great question.<BR/><BR/>You are spoiling us!<BR/><BR/>Thanks =)Whywudyabreedithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12069453160852561143noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-84096790392932786552008-09-30T15:42:00.000-06:002008-09-30T15:42:00.000-06:00I love your no excuses, direct approach. Just fini...I love your no excuses, direct approach. Just finished day 2 of no spooking or crowhopping and trying not to antagonize my horse by picking at her.<BR/><BR/>Thanks from both of us.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-10113249681829801182008-09-30T12:38:00.000-06:002008-09-30T12:38:00.000-06:00Awesome suggestions, Mugs. You rock!P.S. I hope t...Awesome suggestions, Mugs. You rock!<BR/><BR/>P.S. I hope the new job is still going well?!Charhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11901638136431043360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-29303157683009021012008-09-30T12:31:00.000-06:002008-09-30T12:31:00.000-06:00OK - here's my problem. I have started a 6 year o...OK - here's my problem. I have started a 6 year old mare that up until 3 months ago, was only used for breeding and never had any undersaddle training that we know of. I've got her walking, trotting, and cantering, both directions on the correct leads. She is still nervous at the canter and tends to be very quick. That's not my problem, as she is starting to relax. My problem is that she won't pick her feet up and tends to trip - a lot. A couple of times we almost went to her knees and would have if I hadn't basically caught her and brought her back. I'm starting to have nightmares of us going down and me being seriously injured. Any suggestions?worldshowboundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13128565906306804739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-23853220232515869532008-09-30T12:15:00.000-06:002008-09-30T12:15:00.000-06:00Mugwump, thank you so much! As soon as I can talk ...Mugwump, thank you so much! As soon as I can talk one of my friends into helping me I'm going to try this. It definitely makes sense and I did have this feeling as if she was afraid I just couldn't protect her. She hasn't spent alot of time in the pasture recently with more than one horse but I make sure each time I bring her in that I make a big production of driving that other horse away before we go through the gate. Running me over to run through the gate and get away is not an option. I'm still fairly new to being a horse owner (just over a year) but have found an amazing trainer that is teaching me to become the boss. We've made some big steps and each time she respects me more than the last. <BR/>I do have a silly question though, the steps you take, are they all in one session or do you spread them out over 3 sessions?summersmomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07545553348128321600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-42330296771205208002008-09-30T11:24:00.000-06:002008-09-30T11:24:00.000-06:00Hey, that's cool! I've never had to deal with a k...Hey, that's cool! I've never had to deal with a kicker, but I will definitely file this away. It totally makes sense.Original Lhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08503068909740890309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-19701848689674124792008-09-30T10:34:00.000-06:002008-09-30T10:34:00.000-06:00I use the same approach with every horse. Summersm...I use the same approach with every horse. Summersmom's horse is kicking from fear. But as I have said before and will say again, "It's good to know the reason, but it's never an excuse."<BR/>Kicking is kicking in my book.mugwumphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00319060800328355056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-81469352117935326452008-09-30T10:25:00.000-06:002008-09-30T10:25:00.000-06:00Mugs, excellent post! I have a question though. Yo...Mugs, excellent post! I have a question though. Your explanations seem to focus on why this works for a horse who is kicking out of fear. Do the same maneuvers work for a horse who is kicking because she wants to dominate other horses in the arena? Our problem mostly comes up when horses are passing us going the other direction. Horses coming up behind her dont bother her anymore. <BR/><BR/>I had just been doing my best to work the little mare hard whenever she pins her ears at anyone.gillianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12116128687769268871noreply@blogger.com