The Winter Challenge, (motivation, confidence building, routine, fun)
- Thread starter newforest
- Start date
I can recommend the weatherbeeta over trousers if youāre after something to ride in, Iāve been wearing mine non-stop since it got cold for riding and yard work.
I thought I'd kill two birds with one stone and practice our Working Equitation 'bridge' (just a few boards with a pole down each side) but it wasn't too successful - he went over after a bit of trying but at top speed. So I deconstructed the bridge and we just went for the putting a foot on a board without leaping over it. It was a lot harder than I thought - and I thought it would be hard lol. I should have asked beforehand how you teach a horse to stand on a target. Anyway we got there in the end. Tomorrow, maybe two feet! It was always the right foot today.
I have the opposite with mine, she wants to paw and put her hoof on everything. Saying that if she decides it's not safe, there is nothing I can do to alter that mindset. She will not follow me over the bridge across the ditch. But has no problem with standing and walking on various other things.
You could try asking for one step to the side, the easier hoof and place then item there. It's natural to want to step over it. We would if we come across something out walking, a branch, a piece of fabric, we would just step over.
I donāt treat them as targets as such (they wonāt offer to touch it with a foot for reward, though Monkey does like to stomp on things), I just use foot control to ask them to put their foot where I want it. I want to be able to control each foot independently in any circumstance both in hand and ridden, if there is a hole I notice last minute and want to put there foot not in it, or Iām asking them to pick their way through uneven ground/scatter poles etc I want to be able to put any foot, in any position, at any time. In hand I donāt need to touch them to pick a foot and move it, itās just a very light touch on the leadrope.
Have you got a challenge online for this week @newforest ? If not, I have an idea.
Mine wants to look into holes
Luckily I was able to keep her focused through the roadworks outside the gate.
My problem is getting AJ to stand on a suspicious object rather than jumping over it. I think it all stems from his deep rooted fear of touching things with his legs/feet and I honestly think the only real cure is to get him to knock things and not panic. So I was pleased with him today when he accidentally moved the board a couple of times and knocked it into his other foot, but he still tried again - a while ago it would have been game over if he'd scared himself like that.
He seems to be enjoying the game anyway and he loves his praise, although I suspect that he's quickly learned that if he gives me smoochies back it buys him a bit extra rest time, rather than being genuine I'll take it though.
Two feet on today. He did it better than this eventually but it was too cold to get my phone out again
Asking him to walk forward and off the board was too much though, that would involve the back feet too. So that's the next task. I think 'standing under something' will be a lot easier
He seems to be enjoying the game anyway and he loves his praise, although I suspect that he's quickly learned that if he gives me smoochies back it buys him a bit extra rest time, rather than being genuine
I'll take it though.Two feet on today. He did it better than this eventually but it was too cold to get my phone out again
Asking him to walk forward and off the board was too much though, that would involve the back feet too. So that's the next task. I think 'standing under something' will be a lot easier Keep forgetting to mention that Raf has been playing too, although his idea of the game is slap a foot on and head down to get a bit of grass as a reward.
Perfect, the more ideas the betterIt can wait for a week that you donāt have an idea for
I am getting rid of this as it's not used anymore, someone couldn't help themselves.
I didn't do the under as she's in season so not really available focus wise.
I didn't do the under as she's in season so not really available focus wise.
Lol to him liking the praise! Zi loves being told he's a good boy and I have a special voice I use just for him - its very handy if I need to do stuff to him that he does not like. He had sore heels a while back and it must have been nasty for him having me deal with them (very scabby) and the more praise I heaped upon him the better he was to the point of offering me the next one before I'd even asked.My problem is getting AJ to stand on a suspicious object rather than jumping over it. I think it all stems from his deep rooted fear of touching things with his legs/feet and I honestly think the only real cure is to get him to knock things and not panic. So I was pleased with him today when he accidentally moved the board a couple of times and knocked it into his other foot, but he still tried again - a while ago it would have been game over if he'd scared himself like that.
He seems to be enjoying the game anyway and he loves his praise, although I suspect that he's quickly learned that if he gives me smoochies back it buys him a bit extra rest time, rather than being genuine
Two feet on today. He did it better than this eventually but it was too cold to get my phone out again
View attachment 134101
It was a toilet tent that I used to sit in to watch the birds
Now they just hop around my feet or sit on my hand. So I have no use for it.
Just thought I'd remind myself why AJ is so sensitive about his legs. He had vasculitis for months, started in August 23 and this was Oct. It must have been agony, even the concussion of his feet hitting something must have made his legs sore. The video is of him trying to get out of his stable on a morning, once he'd moved around a bit it eased off, but he really didnt want to move.
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