tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476030038561997950.post8689780169426077397..comments2023-04-15T03:58:45.461-07:00Comments on It's a Really Long Way Down: Desensitizing - what's your theory?verylargecolthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18035418539530230889noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476030038561997950.post-58104580851722135802009-09-22T18:59:32.357-07:002009-09-22T18:59:32.357-07:00I have train tracks at the barn I am boarding at r...I have train tracks at the barn I am boarding at right now!! Our little filly saw the train up close and personal (scenic passenger train) from day two of life. Drifter is totally cool with the train and related dump trucks.<br /><br />Desensitizing has a place, but I feel that with many props it needs to be done with someone who is watching the horses' response and backing off if they can't cope. Things like plastic bags are easy for most horses to cope with and can safely be left around the barn or stall, but for bigger things or scarier things I like to have a person/horse relationship to monitor the horse and build his/her confidence and avoid any terrible experiences. I don't believe in pushing them until they melt down.ginahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05029390347118823043noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476030038561997950.post-48659058647665167742009-04-27T20:45:00.000-07:002009-04-27T20:45:00.000-07:00I'm printing out this entire comment trail - what ...I'm printing out this entire comment trail - what great ideas!<br /><br />Canyon is fairly convinced that wolves go for the pintabians first and it's been quite a challenge to work thru. I'm going to try half of the ideas here and then the other half if I have to peel him off the barn roof.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13104422629934443842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476030038561997950.post-74675457447219220462009-04-27T17:17:00.000-07:002009-04-27T17:17:00.000-07:00DittoDittoBeasley the Wonder Horsehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15980053756419492309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476030038561997950.post-78707551755112909062009-04-22T18:01:00.000-07:002009-04-22T18:01:00.000-07:00What is happening w/the VLC these days??? I feel ...What is happening w/the VLC these days??? I feel like it's been forever since we've had an update! Is he at a trainers yet? How is his strengthening coming? I'd love to hear how he's doing!Jst4Funhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05445290748192602041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476030038561997950.post-81203057687176332482009-04-22T06:26:00.000-07:002009-04-22T06:26:00.000-07:00Laughing because this is such a timely topic for m...Laughing because this is such a timely topic for me! Due to a change in jobs, I FINALLY have time to work with my gelding again, and went out yesterday for the first time in a loooong time, with the intent to just groom and mess around with him. On a whim, I brought a tarp out to the barn. I had him loose in the indoor arena, and when I pulled that tarp out of the bag, he lost it. Instant departure, buh-BYE! Since I usually free-lunge him anyway, I set up my tarp and a second one I found so that the free-lunge "path" ran between the two tarps, with about 3 feet of space for him to go through. He stopped dead a few times, and had to hunt for the path through the horse-eating tarps. When he started hitting the path both directions without blinking at the tarps, I started pulling them closer together, until finally they were touching and the path was gone. Total time: 20 minutes. End result: a horse that lunges and leads over tarps like they're not even there. <br /><br />Not sure where this falls in the "desensitization" realm. My point was to give him a way to do what I was asking (go between the tarps) without forcing him to do what he was afraid of (stepping on one). As he got more comfortable with the closeness of the "bad" things, and they didn't eat him after all, he made up his own mind to step on the tarps. He certainly could have jumped them, but chose not to. I didn't want to box him in and force him to step on the tarps, as I envisioned a giant blow-up and mind-boggling permanent tarp phobias, lol!<br /><br />Guess I did okay, eh? I was VERY proud of him.iceponyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10695036477598776443noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476030038561997950.post-6151093479342661982009-04-21T10:25:00.000-07:002009-04-21T10:25:00.000-07:00Desensitising in the way you describe, just leavin...Desensitising in the way you describe, just leaving them confined in the stall with the scary object to "Deal with it", is called flooding...and it doesn't work on very sensitive horses! Infact, flooding can cause a horse to become increasingly terrified of day to day life. With more stoical horses, flooding can lead them to becomming dull, through a process called 'Learned helplessness'. Essentially the horse learns that it has no control over the situation, so becomes inward focussed, to avoid having to deal with scary objects. It's like a person covering their eyes and ears with their hands while watching a scary movie, but doing it all the time to avoid seeing 'life'...<br /><br />A much better way to gain a horses trust is to put them in a situation that enables them to feel a certain degree of control but it also increases their trust in their handlers ability to make descisions.<br /><br />For example, to desensitise my own horses to plastic bags I tie a small bag on the end of a stick and take them in to a secure place (like a sand school). They wear a rope halter (which they are trained in), with a long rope. I walk them around the school with the stick ahead of us, essentially we follow the bag. At first you'll find that the horse is sceptical and spooky, but after a while they become interested because the bag is not coming at them, but continues to move away. Once they follow the bag calmly, I'll start to move it about and make it animated ahead of us. I allow the horse to focus on the bag and follow, to the point where they just can't help but want to get closer. It turns in to a game and starts to cause a previously nervous horse to become an inquisitve one. It works with all sorts of scary items, like clippers etc. Eventually the horse no longer recognises the item as a threat, and stops reacting to it, yet doesn't become dull about life in general.<br /><br />I've posted a clip of me working my own large youngster, out on a local nature trail after doing the above work in a secure place, on YouTube (just look for Marik and Plastic Bag!). It's ideal for 'spookbusting' and developing a horse.<br />I'd like to point out (if you do view the clip), that Marik was three years old at the time of filming and standing almost 17hh. He's wearing 'body bands' as part of his physio treatment (having suffered an injury to his pelvis and hind proximal suspensory ligaments, as a two year old).<br /><br />Also, a good way of desensitising a horse to having parts of it's body handled that it would rather you didn't, for example it's ears, is to use 'approach and retreat' techniques. Touch the horse on a part of it's body that it is happy for you to, then gently move your hand to the 'awkward' area. If the horse goes to move away, maintain contact and only remove your hand when the horse stands still. It takes patience but works wonders, because the horse again begins to understand that to control the situation, it must become calm and accepting. <br /><br />These techniques never cause a horse to become dull...Char...xxxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01707857732113262359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476030038561997950.post-40292535979174124932009-04-12T09:51:00.000-07:002009-04-12T09:51:00.000-07:00I'm working with the same thing on a 10 year old r...I'm working with the same thing on a 10 year old ridden but untrained appendix horse. She is an athletic edgy horse but extremely curious. <BR/><BR/>We are working on leading and giving to pressure. So far we are doing well on the head but the tree stump thing has got me stymied. <BR/><BR/>One of the things that I've found helpful is lowering the horses head. I started using the Shrake leading method because I got tired of being shouldered and the method is passive but found that by keeping the lead at my hip she started lowering her head. That got her listening because a lowered head is submissive. <BR/><BR/>I don't think I am going to desensitize in the classic sense I think I am going with the look to me for leadership and if I say it's no big deal it's no big deal.<BR/><BR/>I like the "What your horse is trying to tell you book." by Margaret Campbell Self's daughter.omalley1creaky kneeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12930050971811758988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476030038561997950.post-75932915427522293252009-04-11T19:46:00.000-07:002009-04-11T19:46:00.000-07:00My neighbor who raises gaited mules for field tria...My neighbor who raises gaited mules for field trials hangs milk jugs -- a forest of milk jugs -- in the barn aisle so they get used to having stuff whacking them in the ears, and strows tires, logs, and all manner of debris in their lot to get them used to picking up their feet. <BR/><BR/>I want all of mine to stand without being ginchy for being handled all over, for all the normal processes of horse life, like picking up feet, clippers, baths, cleaning those icky areas, taking temps, worming, etc., etc. etc. <BR/><BR/> I want them NOT to freak if there is a rope around their legs or flanks, so I spend time flipping one around there, and over their backs and all over, including picking up all four feet with a loop of rope. I want them to be able to be rubbed with a large towel, have a saddle pad put on in a kind of big way without falling apart, and I want them to be nonchalant about people appearing and disappearing, dogs, and all the "stuff" that accumulates on a farm. <BR/><BR/>As for the random and moving scary objects, I just expect them to deal with it. Maj.Anders Lindgren puts it in such a neat way -- he says "don't involve yourself in the horse's problem" == so if there's a problem the horse gets to work it out on his own while I try to keep him "with" me and focused on his job, which might mysteriously get a bit harder or more challenging when he has time to scout scary things. I think riders can create spooks by always and forever pointing out things with their tense, worried energy for the horse to worry about. Someone I know taught her colt to be terrified of hoses -- he gave one the hairy eyeball once and scared HER, so every time the hose was out she tensed up and grabbed him and stayed honed in focused on the hose until she persuaded him they really would eat him. I try to keep my energy calm and relaxed and keep refocusing the horse on me when something carnivorous presents itself.<BR/><BR/>What I DON'T want is for the horse to turn into an oblivious lump of flesh. I think SENSITIZING is every bit as important as DE-sensitizing. I want him to move at a fingertip's pressure, not have to get the backhoe to shove him over, I want him to work off my energy -- light on his feet, responsive, and paying attention, not so overstimulated or jaded that he just tunes out the world. I want him to work off just a feel on a loose lead rope, not require a tow boat to get going, etc.<BR/><BR/>I get "imprinted" colts in for training who think they can wallow on people, and don't have to respond to being moved off or stepped over -- that's as dangerous as a horse that's skittish, IMO.<BR/><BR/>For all that, I have one (my uber unflappable lesson horse) who is unreasonably terrified of plastic bags (despite such tactics as lining her feed bucket with one, sacking out efforts, treats in sacks,etc..), and that is just a quirk of her sizeable personality (like abject refusal to take her right lead) that one has to work around to have all the wonderful things about her.ellenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08656782046970910772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476030038561997950.post-71075581587245503902009-04-10T14:25:00.000-07:002009-04-10T14:25:00.000-07:00Firstly - I love the name Andalusions of Grandeur ...Firstly - I love the name Andalusions of Grandeur - cracked me up.<BR/>Secondly - everyone here has great thoughts on this subject but I enjoyed Kate's first post as being very commonsensical.<BR/><BR/>Here is a desensitization story where it worked too well.<BR/>Briefly- I trained my first horse from the ground up when I was 12. An orphaned quarterhorse which I bottle raised. <BR/><BR/>I read EVERYTHING about training- and had been riding for 6 years at that point and showing for 3 - so I wasn't an average 12 yr old.<BR/><BR/>My idea to get her trailer trained at just turned 2yrs old was to put the trailer in the round pen - drop the ramp and slowly feed her on it and then in it. -Bucket near the ramp- then on the ramp - then just inside the trailer till she was going in to eat every day.<BR/><BR/>That little mare loved her trailer.<BR/>Fast forward to age 4. Took her to her first show, slotted her for a couple of in-hand and small hunter classes.<BR/><BR/>She was very cool and calm about everything, acted the pro.<BR/> <BR/>I tied her to a rail at one point and ran into the barn (some commotion going on in there with a colicky horse) and when I came back out 10 min later she was nowhere to be seen. My girlfriends, mother and myself hunted all over. Finally went to the announcer to make a general announcement about a missing mare.<BR/><BR/>(by now i am convinced she was stolen and freaking out)<BR/><BR/>the announcer makes an announcement about 15 min later that she is in the 3rd horse trailer, red over white, in the west parking lot, 3rd row back.<BR/> <BR/>Someone spotted her trailer hopping and informed the Show sponsor- LOLSpecializing inhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16324464071866855182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476030038561997950.post-31810450799237715942009-04-08T01:10:00.000-07:002009-04-08T01:10:00.000-07:00I don't actually "desensitize" my horses to things...I don't actually "desensitize" my horses to things as much as help them understand and separate ideas about things. For the most part, I treat new things as if my horse had experienced them every day of his life, but in a way that won't overexpose him and get him in a panic. I don't "regulate" my actions around him "because he might get scared." I do what I need to do, and if he has a little scare from it, I pay no attention. Pretty soon, he pays no attention to the thing that scared him. I think he thinks that "Mom does some really dumb stuff at times, and my job is to make sure she doesn't get herself or me into trouble," so rather than get overly frightened, he simply keeps a wary eye, and I do my part to not panic him.<BR/><BR/>I think that if I spent time trying to "desensitize" him to things, he'd be a nervous wreck, wondering what the heck I was going to torture him with that day.<BR/><BR/>So life is just life, and stuff happens. Deal with it. Yet, I try not to allow things to get him into trouble, so that he feels I'm not much good to him in a tight spot. I want him to believe that no matter how frightening something might be, it's under control and he won't die.<BR/><BR/>One way to assure that is to let him spook if he absolutely has to spook, without trying to hold him back, keep him still or make it seem like I even care that much that he spooked. He'll do his spook, and then we get back to doing what we were doing. So what. No big deal.<BR/><BR/>When I was training horses for a living, I often got horses in that had been wrecked by a panic situation where some human got him into trouble and he literally had to kick and fight his way to freedom because of it. Nothing ruins a horse quicker than putting him in a situation like that. If that situation was also their first experience at something, they have a lifelong phobia about it. I could get those phobias to where you'd never know the horse had a problem, unless he got upset over something, anything, didn't even matter if it was related. Then the phobia would pop up again, although usually not as strong.<BR/><BR/>My horse was, by my own mistake, placed in the care of someone who caused him to get into a wreck, which triggered rodeo style bucking. I worked at getting him over that for years, but every time he'd get a little tight, he'd explode again. Needless to say, I didn't ride him much because I have no desire to ride broncs. A little playful bucking doesn't bug me, but this horse broke open big and wide in a split second. No time to "grab yer slack," as they say.<BR/><BR/>About a year ago, I found the trigger for his bucking, worked him through it, and it seems to have completely disappeared. He hasn't offered to buck even once since then, and we've had some nice, relaxed rides. That was a case of "discover the cause of the fear and help him get over it." He simply wasn't able to get over it on his own, and since the reaction of his panic was a little too western for me, I had to find a way to help him. So, when I discovered the trigger, I spent some time "triggering" him, in a low key setting where he was less likely to have a panic attack. That worked really well. Since then, I've been able to work out some other, seemingly minor issues, that were a bit puzzling to me before, because his reactions were not normal. After dealing with defusing the "bronc switch," those other issues resolved more normally.<BR/><BR/>As for horses that have been overly desensitized to everything so that they're dull and lifeless, I personally feel their lives are shortened. It seems to me those horses die from sickness, colic or injury pretty easily. Not sure why, but if a person goes messing with what nature put into a horse and tries to take it out of him, for sure that horse's life isn't what it's supposed to be. It's a really sad thing to do to a horse, IMO.Gitonyerhorsehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05517771321613273662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476030038561997950.post-13036152487239180022009-04-02T14:58:00.000-07:002009-04-02T14:58:00.000-07:00If anyone has a deadhead and wants an "alert" hors...If anyone has a deadhead and wants an "alert" horse...send 'em my way! I need something that's an old plug to gain my confidence.Daniellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00187033109031613529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476030038561997950.post-14340207998545890402009-03-31T16:45:00.000-07:002009-03-31T16:45:00.000-07:00in my albeit newby experience.. ive found the "fac...in my albeit newby experience.. ive found the "face your fears" tactic and further their (and my ) courage to be the thing<BR/><BR/>gp and gaziAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476030038561997950.post-25377575844866329072009-03-30T16:30:00.000-07:002009-03-30T16:30:00.000-07:00My pony was TERRIFIED of plastic bags. I tried eve...My pony was TERRIFIED of plastic bags. I tried everything from sure as rain tieing it to his feeder or water bucket. He wouldn't drink or eat with it near. <BR/><BR/>So I eventually broke him of this habit, how? Well I put carrots inside the bag. First I crumpled it real small and put a carrot but on top. He ruffled it around and didn't freak out. Then I un crumpled it a bit. Same thing until finally he would just stick his head in the bag to look for the treat. Now when he sees plastic bags he goes over to investigate them to see if theres any munchies. I also fed him his meals on top of a white shavings bag (cut open of course so he couldn't suffocate) because those were a big deal. He likes them now the same as the grocery bags.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14523660446608394720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476030038561997950.post-89881150880401726462009-03-27T23:02:00.000-07:002009-03-27T23:02:00.000-07:00I'm a big fan of desensitizing and forcing a horse...I'm a big fan of desensitizing and forcing a horse to deal with scary things. Running away is never an option. But I think some people can go too far. I started a colt for a friend a couple of years ago that did NOT respond to pressure at all. She desensitized the crap out of him for his first 2 1/2 years, and boy did it show. He wasn't just unafraid of the leg, hand, or whip - lack of fear is great! - he just didn't care about anything. It took a lot of work just to get him to move off my leg, and I hear whips are still completely useless on him. I don't like bombproof, I want a horse that is responsive. I'd rather a little spooky than a complete deadhead.mayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07621908439611852983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476030038561997950.post-68503915563455107742009-03-27T15:46:00.000-07:002009-03-27T15:46:00.000-07:00OH! i have tried hanging a flag in my horses pen.....OH! i have tried hanging a flag in my horses pen.. It hung there for THREE MONTHS. Sure, she was used to it somewhat in her pen, but as soon as I took it down and tried to approach her (foolishly thinking she was "over it") it became a horse eating monster to her again..sigh..crochetyoleladyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10558947029662564330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476030038561997950.post-18999886644901184502009-03-25T07:25:00.000-07:002009-03-25T07:25:00.000-07:00The first poster, green_knight talked about teachi...The first poster, green_knight talked about teaching her horse to "lend me an ear." Love that and I'm going to try it tonight.<BR/><BR/>In regards to desensitization, you can get them use to a plastic bag or black and white cow in one place but they'll spook at that thing in another environment. I do think the horse has to have undevoted trust in you as the leader...which is the real desensitization.Beasley the Wonder Horsehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15980053756419492309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476030038561997950.post-71040126664424604452009-03-24T09:38:00.000-07:002009-03-24T09:38:00.000-07:00I believe there is a balance of training and desen...I believe there is a balance of training and desentsitizing versus making the horse "dull". In my opinion, you get a dull horse when it is bored stiff from over training and from never letting the horse just be a horse. <BR/><BR/>I boarded with a woman that was always training, training, training her horse (even on trail rides). The horse came to resent her and her overly obsessive training and it showed because he had a sour attitude.<BR/><BR/>Just think if you always had to work and never had anytime off when being ridden. <BR/><BR/>I work on stuff, then walk around, let the horse relax and think about what they just learned. <BR/><BR/>I go on trail rides and just enjoy the scenery. I still guide the horse and tell them where to go, but if you can't relax and enjoy riding your horse, why do it?<BR/><BR/>I've used the "leave it in the pasture" method, but have had quicker and more success when using the approach and retreat when the horse relaxes method. That is, when I have time to do it that way. <BR/><BR/>I put a plastic garbage bag up (like a flag) over their watering trough and this worked very well, especially on windy days to get them used to flapping plastic.Drillriderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07237598511944008927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476030038561997950.post-6949859133155390012009-03-24T04:53:00.000-07:002009-03-24T04:53:00.000-07:00My approach to spooking is quite a bit different, ...My approach to spooking is quite a bit different, but my horse and I have been together for 12 years or so, so we pretty much have each other figured out. <BR/><BR/>If something scary catches him off-guard, he is allowed to spook in place. If I have to something to him/around him or put something on him, he's not allowed to say, "no". <BR/><BR/>But like I said, I've had him for over 12 years or so, so he knows that I will never do anything to him that will harm him in any way, unless he says, "no". Then it will be me harming him a little, not the 'scary' thing.<BR/><BR/>:)Charhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08898020062632310130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476030038561997950.post-21625880002188759272009-03-24T04:51:00.000-07:002009-03-24T04:51:00.000-07:00I don't think there is anything such as "too much ...I don't think there is anything such as "too much desensitization". If a horse is going to be careful at a jump, they are going to do it regardless of how much training and exposure they have had. <BR/><BR/>However, I want a horse to be able to handle scary things without panic, NOT to have that whole learned helplessness thing. Anyone remember the annoying video on FHOTD with the poor little arab mare being lunged while being beat with blue tarps for 20 minutes. That mare was in the learned helplessness catagory. <BR/><BR/>I was once at a local western horse show close to a wild cat sanctuary. The majority of the people there were the western pleasure types, but they had a few gaited classes, so I decided to go. For the trail class, they had a mountain lion in a cage. Yes, a LIVE mountain lion. It was off to the side, and the horses were "asked" to just walk by it about 10 feet from the cage. All the deadhead type trail horse class ponies walked by it without even glancing. My well trained trail Paso Fino walked by, but he did it sideways, and snorting the whole time. I won the class. The judges comment was "We are judging what would make a good trail horse here, and personally, I want my good trail horse to TELL me when they sense things like a mountain lion, yet have enough trust to keep going when I say it's safe" There were a lot of unhappy people about that decision, but it made perfect sense to me. <BR/><BR/>I desensitise my horses by exposure. I tote plastic bags when feeding, I throw flags and towels around randomly, I leave things like big orange cones with a flag stuck in it between the dry lot and the grass. They have to go through it in order to get the grass. I get bonus points if they have to allow it to touch them to get through. The more the better, but never where they CAN'T escape if they want too. Then it turns into learned helplessness. And I NEVER ask them to do anything I don't know is safe. I don't ever want to lose their trust...it's too hard to get back.Julihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13658636266120304775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476030038561997950.post-44594528253930056862009-03-23T19:46:00.000-07:002009-03-23T19:46:00.000-07:00I don't if I would call it desensitization, as far...I don't if I would call it desensitization, as far as what I like to do with horses coming up in the world. I think of it as more learning to socialize with the world, kinda the way you socialize a puppy. <BR/><BR/>We spent most of last summer really re-teaching our TB mare to deal with the world. Trails and such were very good for this, as she just had more exposure to more different things. <BR/><BR/>She's a much calmer, focused mare for it.Capilethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16351111539599899217noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476030038561997950.post-61924834505554656242009-03-23T19:35:00.000-07:002009-03-23T19:35:00.000-07:00I agree - as long as it's stuff they can't get hur...I agree - as long as it's stuff they can't get hurt on, nothing wrong with just leaving it in the pasture or turnout for them to find and figure out!<BR/><BR/>Well, the plastic bag on the door apparently worked fine because tonight the SSP actually picked up a plastic bag in his mouth and only had a little spook when it, OMG, followed him and fell to the ground. Now how do I keep a couple of CATS in the stall so he gets used to those? LOL...he saw a cat today and had hysterics. I am starting to question whether he has 100% vision. He flinches to my hand on both sides but that does not mean he is 100%. He would not walk into the barn aisle tonight until I turned the light on, so now I'm very suspicious he may have some visual issues. On the plus side, he is actually longeing both directions at the walk and we did some trot today without drama. <BR/><BR/>The other one is doing fine. He's really not hard - he's just a "tester." Every day, he asks if he HAS to do it ("it" is something different every day), and every day, he loses. But he's not aggressive or unusually spooky or anything really problematic - he's just always going to need a rider who can say YES, you are, and mean it - without abuse, just someone who gives him firm and consistent directions and praises him when he is good. He LOVES people and LOVES attention. He genuinely likes to be worked with and I can see him becoming a great horse for the right person.fuglyhorseofthedayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14748297520774828265noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476030038561997950.post-49952690937496523562009-03-23T18:14:00.000-07:002009-03-23T18:14:00.000-07:00Karen V said:Another "fun" trick, is to take a lon...Karen V said:<BR/>Another "fun" trick, is to take a longe line and loop it through several plastic bags, a trash bag 1/2 full of aluminum cans, a piece of carpet, milk jugs wil rocks. Turn him loose in the arena, then pull the mess around the arena. Just walk. <BR/><BR/>The person I board with does that with her youngsters. The horses can't stand the curiosity and follow this trail of junk all over. Since they are free to leave, they usually stick around! She does this on windy days, too, so the "creatures" flap and wave. She also ties water jugs full of rocks to the fences. I will try to do more of this while my guy is a baby.moosefiedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15021948180320627992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476030038561997950.post-25858397475269494672009-03-23T14:42:00.000-07:002009-03-23T14:42:00.000-07:00I employ the "toss it out in the pasture" method o...I employ the "toss it out in the pasture" method of desensitization all the time. I love to put stuff in a spot where they have to walk past it to get to the feed tub or into the grassy field.<BR/><BR/>It took all of 1 day for my young mule to decide that the big, blue tarp spread out on the ground wasn't scary enough to keep him from walking on it to get at that flake of hay in the middle of it.<BR/><BR/>Of course, it probably helps that 1. mules are generally intensely curious and 2. I typically "bait" scary things with horse cookies.<BR/><BR/>For things that can't be left out for the mules to interact with on their own, I usually rely on classic approach-and-retreat.muleriderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10660063475807674685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476030038561997950.post-77574987550617299862009-03-23T07:33:00.000-07:002009-03-23T07:33:00.000-07:00With scary plastic bags, I like Clinton Anderson's...With scary plastic bags, I like Clinton Anderson's methods of steady rythm, moving away with the object on a lead, horse follows object and build courage, then turn and face horse, again with steady rythm, move slowly towards horse to find the "I'm gonna run" spot, then continue until the horse drops head, then retreat. <BR/><BR/>I used this on my mare who was scared of flags. Within 30 minutes, I was draping the flag over her head without a flinch from her!!!Drillriderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07237598511944008927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476030038561997950.post-23200696233454454742009-03-22T20:53:00.000-07:002009-03-22T20:53:00.000-07:00When my older horse was a colt, the breeder tied p...When my older horse was a colt, the breeder tied plastic bags all around the weanlings' hay feeder. She also did groundwork, led them over tarps, etc. When I got him as a yearling, he wasn't at all bothered by plastic bags, I once wrapped him up in a tarp, and have gone trail riding numerous times in numerous areas. The only thing that bothers him slightly is a person w/ an overnight backpack, altho I've seen other horses bothered by the same thing--just looks way too weird! On the other hand, he is afraid of cows, and there is a sizeable herd of cattle living behind his pasture. Still doesn't like cows. But he doesn't freak out and bolt around them either. When I have to ride by cows, I make sure I'm relaxed and not focusing on them. I let him look as we go by, but I don't make a big deal out of them being there.robynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01001532366083423219noreply@blogger.com