Back to basics with Hogan

I took him into the paddock this morning, to work on his treat mugging. In fairness to him, he's brilliant with feeds - walks back and waits for his bucket.
It started with a concerned look - I'd obviously forgotten the hayScreenshot_20230129_113839_Gallery.jpg
then the mugging in my face
20230129_103052.jpg
and finally looking away with feigned disinterest20230129_103256.jpg
We only did about 15 minutes, but ended on a good note. We'll go out tomorrow and seek out some "trigger" situations.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GaryB, Jane&Ziggy, Trewsers and 2 others
Went out this morning, and again, pretty good boy. He planted a few times and I realised he's worked out if he stops, I push him to walk on, and he gets a reward, so stopping is a BRILLIANT idea. So, no more clicker training on that, unless I change the reward to scratches. We met one person and chatted for a few minutes, and he was fine after. Good news is, he's no longer lame in trot, so maybe one more lead out and then I'll try a ride.
 
  • Like
  • Love
Reactions: Kite_Rider, Trewsers, Jessey and 1 other person
Huggy said:
I took him into the paddock this morning, to work on his treat mugging. In fairness to him, he's brilliant with feeds - walks back and waits for his bucket.
It started with a concerned look - I'd obviously forgotten the hayView attachment 116055
then the mugging in my face
View attachment 116056
and finally looking away with feigned disinterestView attachment 116057
We only did about 15 minutes, but ended on a good note. We'll go out tomorrow and seek out some "trigger" situations.
Click to expand...
I love his moustache 🥰
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Huggy
Well, what a lovely walk out this morning. We met lots of dog walkers, and went one of the bogey routes and he was perfect. One more walk i think, ( I actually could get used to this walking - I'm thoroughly enjoying it). I can't deny half of my enjoyment is people admiring him - he rather likes it too! Pretty much ruled out giving treats - he's too food obsessed and keeps stopping (bad) then walking on (good) so he can get a treat. He's such a toad, but can't stay cross with him.:rolleyes:
 
  • Like
  • Love
Reactions: Trewsers, Jessey and carthorse
Huggy said:
Well, what a lovely walk out this morning. We met lots of dog walkers, and went one of the bogey routes and he was perfect. One more walk i think, ( I actually could get used to this walking - I'm thoroughly enjoying it). I can't deny half of my enjoyment is people admiring him - he rather likes it too! Pretty much ruled out giving treats - he's too food obsessed and keeps stopping (bad) then walking on (good) so he can get a treat. He's such a toad, but can't stay cross with him.:rolleyes:
Click to expand...
I love the walking side of things as well that's why we still lunge and longrein.
Though some of the routes are non ridden permissive paths, that's a mouthful 😂 So you can't ride anyway if you want to use them.

I think with clicker you start with click and treat, then drop the treat and keep the click.
She does carrot stretches for a year, she gets that and doesn't move or mug.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Huggy
newforest said:
I love the walking side of things as well that's why we still lunge and longrein.
Though some of the routes are non ridden permissive paths, that's a mouthful 😂 So you can't ride anyway if you want to use them.

I think with clicker you start with click and treat, then drop the treat and keep the click.
She does carrot stretches for a year, she gets that and doesn't move or mug.
Click to expand...
It takes a bit of getting used to, the clicker thing. I've stopped the treats for walking on, because of the above, but I'd like to get the hang of it for other things.
 
I sat down tonight and had a talk with myself. Looking at Hogan, there is really only one thing I'm not happy with, and I feel I need proper help to get him over - the mid ride, unexplained rodeo. I'm thinking of getting someone to come out and help me. Not sure what I should be looking for - any suggestions would be a help.
 
Have you spoken to your vet about this in case there's a pain issue that doesn't show up at the start of a ride? When you say mid ride is it after a specific time or does he do it at roughly the middle of the ride (ie the point where you start heading towards home) no matter how long or short the route.

There's been a lot of talk on Welsh Cob pages about PSSM, one of the signs of that is sudden unexplained bucking. I doubt it is anything like that, but it may be worth looking up because there are a whole list of signs and if he starts ticking a lot of them it may be worth discussing with your vet. I only hear of it as it was a possible for a friend's horse, though tests then ruled it out.

If you rule out pain and tack fit (does saddle shift during a ride?) then it may be worth getting a good trainer in who'd be prepared to hack him for you and see if they can come up with a way of dealing with it.
 
I talked to the vet about it, she had very little to offer. The thing is, we can have a month of totally fine hacks - calm as you like, then boom - 3 or 4 hacks from hell, then back again to fine. The catalyst is a mystery. It can happen if we stop to chat, or if we don't. It can come totally out of the blue, not having met or seen anyone or anything. It starts with snorting and huffing, escalates to a bit of bunny hopping, then just feels like he's going to explode in all directions. Other times we can stop and chat, meet ponies, dogs, walkers, bikes and he's a gem - doesn't bat an eyelid. The saddle doesn't shift at all, and there's not a mark on him when I take it off. Also, in the past he's done it when being led. I'm flummoxed.
 
In that case it sounds more like an attitude problem that needs riding through a few times so he gets he idea he's just making life harder for himself. That's no fun for you though, and not helpful either. I don't know what your hacking is like, but would it be possible to take a lunge line with you and if you feel a rodeo act brewing or one starts from nowhere maybe get off and lunge him? That way he's made to work but you're safe, and you can get back on when he's got over himself. Getting someone in to help is problematic if they could be riding him every day for a month and nothing happens.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Huggy
Ive questioned in my mind for a while that youve commented that he doesnt want to canter on hacks yet he will in the field.
Then theres explosions/bucks. It could indicate an intermittent pain issue somewhere.
Did the vet indicate where the lameness is coming from. Did she do any flexion tests to indicate which leg it was.
Have you had any physio checks done.

Do you lunge him at all. Will he do all 3 paces at lunge.

Could you get a good rider to come and ride him. Have you got a flat area in the field they could school him in. Put him through some paces.
 
carthorse said:
In that case it sounds more like an attitude problem that needs riding through a few times so he gets he idea he's just making life harder for himself. That's no fun for you though, and not helpful either. I don't know what your hacking is like, but would it be possible to take a lunge line with you and if you feel a rodeo act brewing or one starts from nowhere maybe get off and lunge him? That way he's made to work but you're safe, and you can get back on when he's got over himself. Getting someone in to help is problematic if they could be riding him every day for a month and nothing happens.
Click to expand...
I agree it's behavioral rather than physical, and so bloody frustrating! He's come on so well, in so many ways and can be such a star. I do try to gauge in advance when it's coming, so I'm not getting off as it happens, but of course I sometimes try to ride him through it, which sometimes works, but then if it doesn't, I'm getting off at just the wrong time.
 
chunky monkey said:
Ive questioned in my mind for a while that youve commented that he doesnt want to canter on hacks yet he will in the field.
Then theres explosions/bucks. It could indicate an intermittent pain issue somewhere.
Did the vet indicate where the lameness is coming from. Did she do any flexion tests to indicate which leg it was.
Have you had any physio checks done.

Do you lunge him at all. Will he do all 3 paces at lunge.

Could you get a good rider to come and ride him. Have you got a flat area in the field they could school him in. Put him through some paces.
Click to expand...
The vet poked and prodded a bit, but didn't feel he had any back issues, and the lameness was literally just the last week or two, and seems sound now. I haven't lunged him - to my shame, I'm rubbish at lunging - couldn't even do it with my obliging Ramsey. I'd like to get someone to come and lunge him, and perhaps ride - we do have some pretty good flat areas in the fields. I had a physio come out in the early days, and she gave him a clean bill. Like carthorse, I lean towards attitude problems - the only time he does it in the yard is when the track from a particular field is muddy, never in dry conditions, or anywhere else - he hates mud!
 
@Huggy did you once say he'd had a bad time in his past? I wonder if there's some tiny common factor to these incidents, something so small you maybe don't notice it but that reminds him of a bad incident and so he reacts. Not helpful I know, I'm just thinking out loud, but maybe after an episode try to identify every tiny thing leading up to it. As an example early on Luka would get very tense and shake if I shifted slightly looking over my shoulder for traffic, with what I now know I suspect he was expecting a thrashing - could there be some connection like that in his head?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Huggy
newrider.com
Top Bottom
Back