tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post6396584154475939844..comments2024-01-03T03:28:48.980-07:00Comments on mugwump Chronicles: More on TraileringMugwumphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01487540636265322556noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-39057782112799040002009-05-27T13:43:04.296-06:002009-05-27T13:43:04.296-06:00Gillian,Regarding the balancing, if he is leaning ...Gillian,Regarding the balancing, if he is leaning into turns, change those turns up on him. Not necessarily in a dirty fashion, but try not to warn him. When you feel a shoulder dump (probably right before he gets heavy on your reins), sit deep and tall ~ which will encourage him to use his hindquarters and lift his front end ~ and smoothly but firmly take the rein opposite of his leaning and circle him the other way. I also bump with my legs to encourage forward motion when I do this exercise. If you do this regularly, he will learn to stay balanced in order to be prepared for your "surprise" maneuvers, instead of becoming comfortable going around willy-nilly. After he does several of these exercises pretty swiftly, let him take a straight line, then a soft large circle and see what he gives you. Repeat if necessary, but don't drill. Just my two cents. It has worked wonders for me in the past.lopinon4https://www.blogger.com/profile/00413859466329003832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-63716139047154389082009-05-27T13:28:31.778-06:002009-05-27T13:28:31.778-06:00I just want to update everyone on the little mare ...I just want to update everyone on the little mare who wouldn't load....she did finally load (pretty happily) after day 4 of consistent and calm work. Her pasture mate was removed from the facility and moved to another farm temporarily, and I really believe that smoothed the process even further. She is at her new home, where her new owner vows to do LOTS of trailer work with her. WOOT! WOOT!!lopinon4https://www.blogger.com/profile/00413859466329003832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-47989734130961421392009-05-27T12:42:44.789-06:002009-05-27T12:42:44.789-06:00Gillian: Transitions. Lots and lots of transitio...Gillian: Transitions. Lots and lots of transitions. Transitions between gaits, transitions within gaits, lots of transitions, preferably done using very little hand. <br /><br />Boring and effective. Builds muscle and brain.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-11862240466094858982009-05-27T12:27:50.296-06:002009-05-27T12:27:50.296-06:00Ok, when you need questions I have a more specific...Ok, when you need questions I have a more specific question now. Horsey in question is pretty damn dumb. He does OK when he's calm, but as soon as he gets aggravated his thinking goes waaay slower. (He is learning how to calm down again, thank god.)<br /><br />Anyway, the problem is this: he has a hard time balancing, especially with a rider. His response to this is to get a little agitated, to lean on the reins, lower his head (if you wont hold it up with the reins) and go faster. Its the worst at the canter. <br /><br />If I hold his head up like he wants me to, he calms down and balances a little better on his hind end (ok, and on my hands.) I thought if I let him pack me around on a loose rein that he'd figure it out. I'm sure whatever balance issues I have aren't helping, but he leans on longlines for balance too.<br /><br />I really want to help him balance back on his hind end. I know he'd be happier that way; but I dont think he's going to figure this out on his own. He is really attached to his current plan of leaning on the reins and/or speeding up. Particularly at the canter. (He also leans into his turns like a motorcycle.) Eventually when he still doesn't find his balance he throws a few bucks, and then runs himself into a wall. (Left to his own devices that is.) <br /><br />I've been trotting like ben cartwright (it works at the trot, its pretty neat.) That has helped some with his trot. I really dont think its safe to do it at the canter. <br /><br />Right now my plan is to longline him some more, do some turning exercises and whatnot. I want to get back to riding him though. So what do you do to help a horse that doesn't figure out the whole working from behind concept?gillianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12116128687769268871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-23521414990952133222009-05-27T11:11:31.306-06:002009-05-27T11:11:31.306-06:00Here's one...
I decided yesterday, in order to ge...Here's one...<br /><br />I decided yesterday, in order to get Starlette used to jumping higher (2') jumps not that I will necessarily be on her jumping that high), to free lunge her over one that I set up with rails funneling her into the jump. I lunged her counter clockwise, then asked her to go over the "jump"...I had put poles on the ground to start. Note here...this is the side I am on when I go to load her into the trailer. So she got up to the poles, and did what she does when she refused to load...panics, spins, then faces me and gets into my space, and gets freaky.<br /><br />Interesting, I think. So I lead her over the poles and she's fine. Tried again lunging over...same response. I tried forcing her, lost my horsei for a moment in frustration, and she got so upset that she ended up changing directions. I collected myself, and sent her over the jump going clockwise, and not a problem. Hmmm.... <br /><br />Anyway, to make a long story short, since I didn't have any problems with the one direction, I took the other "trailer-loading" direction and broke it down into pieces..first lunging in circles away from the jump, then in front...and finally sending her over. She did hesitate, go to spin...then a light went on (I saw it!) in her head, and over she went.<br /><br />She loved the jumping...by the time I quit (was only a few rounds both ways not to wear her out) she popped over 2' without any problem.<br /><br />So I think I've found an answer/solution to getting her to load! At least and idea how to help her get past this.<br /><br />Oh, my husband wanted to know why I hadn't just ridden her her over the jump LOL! I am just popping her over 8" right now :)<br /><br />JackieHorsesAndTurboshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03607758320356759231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-71719498507773947582009-05-26T17:01:59.334-06:002009-05-26T17:01:59.334-06:00I have a mare that will also throw it in reverse a...I have a mare that will also throw it in reverse and run you over if you don't get out of the way. <br /><br />She will walk in and stand until the divider is closed (3-horse slant). Then she will start trying to back out - forward - wham, foward-wham. Open the divider and she'll drop her head and burn rubber in reverse. <br /><br />She will only do this when hauled alone.<br /><br />Our "fix" - we left her loose in the trailer with the dividers tied back. She turned around to face backward, and leaned against the front of the trailer. I don't tie any of my horses in the trailer (one accident taught me that one). They all will "self-load" and "unload", tacked or "naked". <br /><br />We don't haul particular mare a whole lot and I try to have a buddy with her.<br /><br />Another suggestion I received (but never used) was to dig a trough 6 inches deep, the width of the trailer, and 3 feet wide. Fill it with water. Unload the horse into it. The theory is that they'll back out, hit the water, jump back in, look around, and be careful about it.Karen Vhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03905570178257490375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-69645569213379290882009-05-26T15:01:57.611-06:002009-05-26T15:01:57.611-06:00Laura Crum:
I was wondering if that was the next o...Laura Crum:<br />I was wondering if that was the next one in line since it is in the back of the "Cutter" book. COw horses are good too...I tried showing them a few times, but never got brave enough to go down the fence:) I did it a few times at home with a lesson, but I just couldn't see myself doing it at a show...I only showed in the limited class, so we didn't have to go down the fence...I will have to hunt for the next book in line.<br />Thanks!!slippinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-53815032893122137442009-05-26T14:12:43.471-06:002009-05-26T14:12:43.471-06:00slippin--thanks for the nice review. I'm glad you ...slippin--thanks for the nice review. I'm glad you liked Cutter. Let me know what you think of the others (if you read them). Cutter is the only one that features cutting horses, though. Hoofprints, the second one, moves on to reined cowhorses.Laura Crumhttp://www.lauracrum.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-17849003256246645672009-05-26T10:08:21.896-06:002009-05-26T10:08:21.896-06:00Jesse - By 4x4 don't you think it means a 4-wheel ...Jesse - By 4x4 don't you think it means a 4-wheel drive truck? My truck is a 4x4 and I'm not an idiot.mugwumphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00319060800328355056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-11281782938037245172009-05-26T08:23:24.273-06:002009-05-26T08:23:24.273-06:00My big barrel horse started getting a little charg...My big barrel horse started getting a little chargy when backing out of the trailer. I could tell it was the drop that was making him nervous, so i started pausing him right before the step and then tapping him on the shoulder. He knows now when i tap him on the shoulder the next step is the drop. Now I do this with all my horses so they have a clue it's coming. It didn't take the big guy long to figure it out, he hauls weekley.t_orchoskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10620506043178406118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-8103022516721326722009-05-25T22:23:49.160-06:002009-05-25T22:23:49.160-06:00Londoner - English is a funny language, and throwi...Londoner - English is a funny language, and throwing horse words into it only makes it worse. ;-)<br /><br />By lorry, do you mean like <A HREF="http://www.equiworld.net/uk/ezine/1003/Horsebox1046s.jpg" REL="nofollow">this</A>?<br /><br />By horse trailer Americans usually mean something like <A HREF="http://www.governmentauctions.org/uploaded_images/horse-764999.jpg" REL="nofollow">this</A>. I've never heard of anybody pulling one with a 4x4, but I'm sure some idiot has tried.Jesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15203611762503036829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-15083000809775876052009-05-25T21:46:03.189-06:002009-05-25T21:46:03.189-06:00Laura Crum,
I just finished Cutter. Good book! ...Laura Crum, <br />I just finished Cutter. Good book! Now I have to get the rest of the series!LOL I didn't get the book in time for my flight, so I started it when I got back home. Being in the cutting horse world, it was right up my alley! I have been mowing the pastures and kept taking breaks to go read some more...finally finished it about an hour ago..slippinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-82295800599299664032009-05-25T17:39:46.992-06:002009-05-25T17:39:46.992-06:00Juli - I have taught them to pass by me when I cue...Juli - I have taught them to pass by me when I cue them into a doorway, or a gate, or a stall door. I also back them through all these things.<br />Tapping them on the butt has never worked as well for me, since by swatting them on the pasterns it gets the feet moving, which is what I'm looking for.<br />If you are consistant every time you load he will get better in time, just not as fast as he would if you had a trailer.<br />Could you get your friend to pick you up for a trailer training day?mugwumphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00319060800328355056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-19309512718136438362009-05-25T13:33:25.777-06:002009-05-25T13:33:25.777-06:00So, how do you go about teaching a horse to load w...So, how do you go about teaching a horse to load when you don't have a trailer? We have trailered him a couple of times using a friends trailer, but he walks up the ramp and stops dead. It takes a fair bit to convince him to walk in. We've done the butt tapping, and the butt rope, but it still can get hairy. Once in, he hauls just fine,and he comes out fairly easily.<br /><br />I can start teaching him to step forward with the whip tapping him on the pasterns, but is there something else I can do to help teach him to load without a trailer in which to load him in?Julihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13658636266120304775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-6336837451786850092009-05-25T11:50:08.620-06:002009-05-25T11:50:08.620-06:00Good thought kestrel.Good thought kestrel.mugwumphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00319060800328355056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-55700856540760135392009-05-25T09:31:04.472-06:002009-05-25T09:31:04.472-06:00I add an extra cue for my horses, when backing out...I add an extra cue for my horses, when backing out. I stop the horse at the edge of the trailer and say "foot." (My horses are trained first to pick up a foot when the word is spoken and a foot pointed at. I loathe having to yank and tug to get a horse to pick up a foot!)<br />A lot of horses seem to panic at not being able to see the drop off behind them when unloading, so warning them avoids that issue, plus gets the horse to back quietly out of either a 2 or 4 horse.kestrelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03253025366100154732noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-73286332709968289322009-05-24T18:47:16.547-06:002009-05-24T18:47:16.547-06:00Thanks, Mugs. I was thinking "quick" so that I wa...Thanks, Mugs. I was thinking "quick" so that I was punishing him AS he was doing the bad act. The explosion is over so quickly, and then he is standing quietly outside of the trailer. He will go immediately back in, and stand for several minutes, unattended, or however long you want him to, if he is told to stand by the butt bar, or even just standing there with him, until you start to back him out, then we get the nerves and the explosion. <br /> <br />I guess thats what I am having trouble wrapping my head around, how to punish him for flying backwards, unless I can catch him AS he is flying, because he is doing WHAT I told him to do, just not HOW I told him to do it. I'm not meaning to do the "yes, but..." thing. Maybe another day of sending him right back into the trailer is in order. Right now, I don't remember if I sent him right back in, or let him hang around for a while. The "right back in" is something that I think I could handle.Smurfettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02025057533314547558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-57250395655247652492009-05-24T16:17:45.102-06:002009-05-24T16:17:45.102-06:00Mugs, congratulations on the kidlet's graduation! ...Mugs, congratulations on the kidlet's graduation! That's a big deal, mom!<br />I've got a couple questions when you next need some fodder. We've very recently acquired a cute 14.1 pony primarily for our 8 year old beginner boy. I ride him too, to stay on top of how he's going. The horse was formerly used as a childrens' lesson horse. He's got a terrific personality. I need to do some fine tuning though: <br />* He naturally moves out into a BIG, ground-covering, bouncy trot that's a challenge for an adult to handle, much less a child. I'm puzzling at how to convince him that a sustained, slower trot is possible. Lots of w-t transitions for this?<br />* Also, he doesn't naturally follow his nose when turning or even circling. Instead, his neck sorta braces and his shoulder leads the way, so that he quarters his way around a curve rather than arcing his body. It can be jarring, very rushy and hard to anticipate at anything faster than a walk. What are things I can do to encourage a smooth, arcing follow-your-nose approach to curves and circles?<br />* Lastly, he's being ridden right now in a full cheek snaffle, same as in his former home. I'm not in favor of gadgets and equipment to "fix" a problem...but I wonder if that's the best bit for my son when he rides. (he rides Western) He's not a heavy handed kid, though he's learning. I want him to learn to ride with sensitivity, but still have the ability to get the horse's attention if needed. Make sense?<br />Thanks mucho! Have a great graduation weekend!rockymousehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06099036313507359888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-54040380543340104492009-05-24T10:48:18.185-06:002009-05-24T10:48:18.185-06:00I know I mentioned this before, and I know it isn'...I know I mentioned this before, and I know it isn't practical for everyone to get a new trailer (I had to make do with an old two-horse straight load for many years), but a lot of trailering problems go away if you get a slant load trailer with dividers. In Smurfette's case, if I had her horse, I'd try loading the horse backwards, hauling him backwards behind a divider, and when I went to unload, I'd untie the horse, get his attention, make him shift backward from my pressure while the divider was still shut, and then open the divider and be ready. If he will step forward calmly, I'd lead him off. If not, we'd go round and round, whatever it took. He'd be backed back in and led out forward until he did it calmly. Hopefully this would be easier for him to learn than trying to overcome his backing out issue, which is so ingrained. Then maybe you'd have a protocol both you and the horse could live with.<br /><br />However, I realize this is no help if you are dealing with a two horse straight load. I have had horses that wanted to unload too fast from these, though they were not as violent or as ingrained as you describe. I put a long line on them, as mugwump describes, ran it out the feed window, and kept reloading them and asking them to step back calmly. It worked in the end. To let you know that I'm not such a great trainer, however, one horse that I cured of this problem, I also was the sole cause of the problem. Poor Burt hauled and unloaded just fine from my old two horse straight load. Until the day I forgot to untie him and opened the back door and told him to get out. Those of you who have seen this particular wreck can picture it. We had to cut the leadrope. Burt's back legs were pretty scraped up. Then I had to retrain him to step out calmly. Good soul that he was, Burt didn't take long to get over it.Laura Crumhttp://www.lauracrum.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-5413164863977217132009-05-24T09:23:59.487-06:002009-05-24T09:23:59.487-06:00Voyager-You said it best >> I bred her last ...Voyager-You said it best >> I bred her last summer and it took eleven trips to the vet's office to make it happen. She finally learned to load well because of the frequent trips to the vet we had to make.<<<br /><br />Miles cures all trailering problems.....mugwumphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00319060800328355056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-85820694771641225332009-05-24T09:21:16.516-06:002009-05-24T09:21:16.516-06:00Smurfette and Voyager- It's the same M.O. for both...Smurfette and Voyager- It's the same M.O. for both horses. They have to repeatedly get back in until they back out quietly. I would keep the Arab mares head extremely padded. <br />Smurfette-I'm not sure why you feel you need to be quick. You know he'll fly back. So just start whacking as soon as he starts moving. I've mentioned my extreme lack of co-ordination before, haven't I? You don't have to be adept, just go to it. You're not screaming, shouting, no sound is best, your just flicking his fetlocks with the whip. You'll know how hard you need to go because you will practice sending him forward this way first. You can longe him and send him forward with the whip at his heels, or have him go past you into a doorway by flicking his heels, any way that teaches him to move forward when you use the whip. Give him a verbal cluck or something if you want, but only once, then silently apply the whip.<br />Then load him and unload him and send him back in as soon as he starts out. Does this make sense? He doesn't get to stand quietly for one second until he walks out of the trailer. <br />Voyager - To be honest, I would tell the vet your mare doesn't do stocks. They're grown ups, they should be able to work with her without them.mugwumphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00319060800328355056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-90185519466458934122009-05-24T08:54:08.194-06:002009-05-24T08:54:08.194-06:00Wow, these are all great posts on a very difficult...Wow, these are all great posts on a very difficult (for me) subject.<br />I rarely trailer my horses anywhere. However, I would LIKE to. I want to take up trail riding.<br /><br />I have an Arabian mare that was impossible to load because of the very traumatic time she had when we loaded her to bring her home after buying her. She reared a lot, hitting her head on the trailer frame. She also managed to bust the lead rope and fall over backwards. Long story short, we got her home and she bled from her nose for three days. I thought we'd killed her! Needless to say, She developed some serious claustrophobia/head issues. <br /><br />Last summer after doing everything I could think of: spending hours in the daylight and the dark just sitting at the open doors, backing, lunging, butt ropes, starving her to self load in a hitched, open trailer with lots of food, you name it, I hired a horse trainer. With the use of gates attached to the trailer sides and a whip for encouragement we got her in. <br /><br />I bred her last summer and it took eleven trips to the vet's office to make it happen. She finally learned to load well because of the frequent trips to the vet we had to make. <br /><br />However, she never got used to the stocks where she had to be for the exams and ultrasounds. I would have to back her into the clinic because there was a low overhang which she feared. She would raise her head and get reary even though I had been working on head lowering exercises at home. Since it was a busy place of business, I really didn't get the time to school her properly as I did at home. I always make sure she wore a leather helmet because she so often banged her head. Once in the stocks, another challenge with the overhead bar, she would stand very well until asked to back out. When she did back, she would raise her head and run back, often hitting her head on the overhead bar, even though we didn't apply any pressure for her to go. I would use verbal commands, knowing her reaction. How can I cure this? <br /><br />Anyway, I just wanted to mention that you've all got some great tips that I will definitely try to use in the future. <br /><br />Thanks everybody and keep 'em coming!Fantastyk Voyagerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15065772565014490544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-25544711167831337832009-05-24T05:43:57.553-06:002009-05-24T05:43:57.553-06:00This is sooo great. As you may remember, I am teac...This is sooo great. As you may remember, I am teaching my mare to load correctly...finally got her on, but she also blasts off. I finally quit last year when she clipped her leg on the middle support bar (double straight load) and bled all over. I did make her get in and out again, but needed to take a break..stop and think. Looks like I'm in for a long afternoon soon. <br /><br />I really want to take her trail riding - which she has not done in years if ever...but gotta do the trailer first :)<br /><br />JackieHorsesAndTurboshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03607758320356759231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-48577641780932412572009-05-23T22:50:29.312-06:002009-05-23T22:50:29.312-06:00Thanks, mugs...this is a VERY ingrained problem. ...Thanks, mugs...this is a VERY ingrained problem. I've had him 9 years, and we cann't remember him ever NOT doing this. I always put a neoprene wrap tail, and shipping boots on him. Working out of a two horse straight load now, and once he blasts out, he stands quietly, and will reload quietly. I'll think about spanking him for it, I'd have to catch him really quick.Smurfettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02025057533314547558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4380534023229200743.post-40857387457402305602009-05-23T21:24:44.833-06:002009-05-23T21:24:44.833-06:00Smurfette- I have only dealt with this once and I ...Smurfette- I have only dealt with this once and I don't know if my issue was as ingrained a problem as yours is. I would wrap his tail with vet wrap and then put a tail guard on top of that for the trip....<br />I think Laura has an excellent idea. It would be much safer for everybody if it will work. Many horses feel safer if they haul backwards.<br />Remember when I said I worked with some of Sonita's fears? They were serious fears and I respected them.<br />The mare I worked with who did this came out so hard she would flip herself backwards. She had string halt and I think was truly afraid because of her bad leg.<br />I put her back in if she came flying out.Yes I used my longe whip again.Yes, I ran the whip back and forth across her fetlocks. I had my 40 foot rope on her, so we still had her no matter how hard she came out.It wasn't tied, just run through the front window and held by me or the owner, depending on the day. <br />I immediately whipped her back in. No,I didn't beat her bloody, but I sent her in with some force.<br />Every time she flew back I sent her back.<br />Eventually she stepped back carefully, because she thought I was going to nail her. So I stayed quiet, let her out, rubbed on her and was done.<br />The owner stayed consistant. If she was leaning on the butt bar she got her butt slapped with a crop until she went forward. When the door was opened the butt bar stayed up until the mare was quiet. She was sent forward with the crop.<br />Then the door was opened and she was asked to step back.<br />If she blew out she was put back in.<br />It worked.<br />She learned to unload decently.<br />This might seem harsh to some of you, but this mare was a danger to herself and whoever had to trailer her. This was an OTTB with string halt. She was going to end up in a sale if she didn't get it together. I'd rather be tough than lose the horse.<br />I still would try Laura's way first.mugwumphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00319060800328355056noreply@blogger.com