This message is from: Jean Ernest <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Thanks everyone who has offered suggestions. Brigid, I really like your approach as I do like to let my Fjords graze while on lead at times. Before I had the little pasture, that was the only way they could eat any grass. I wonder if this grass diving behavior is such a problem with those Fjords who are living out on pasture every day? Seems to me if they have access to grass most of the time, they would be more willing to keep their head out of it when you are working with them.
At any rate I am going to work with Adel in the corral before the clinic and hopefully will have her pretty good with the Level One "Seven games" by the end of the clinic and then I can start working with her in the presence of grass. My big gelding, Bjorken, who is 17 now, is pretty good about grass, and when we trail ride we have favorite plaes that I stop and let him eat..he doesn't get to eat until I tell him "OK, head down. (horrors, eating with a bit in his mouth!) after a few minutes when I want to move on I tug on the reins slightly and say, "time to go..He hurriedly grabs a few more bites,and then "head up" he brings his head up and we go on. I have been using a sort of clicker training on the trail, with a pouch full of carrot pieces, stopping him going down hills, "Good!, gimmee" and he turns his head around for the treat. I work on leg yields, turns, halts, bending,backing, etc. out on the trail and reward with treats from the saddle. He loves to go on rides with me, heads down to the little arena where we do a lot of bending and leg yielding, etc.before we ride out. So I do believe in treats. After one (last) lesson from my dressage instructor where she had me wear spurs, crank his mouth shut, and "stop him running thorugh the half halts", I was working this using spurs as she had instructed. He looked so unhappy and I wasn't happy either..So I Thought "to H*** with this! this isn't any fun" and decided we were going to have fun..started to do the clicker stuff and went down to the little arena to "PLAY". What a change in his attitude! He soon would eagerly head down to the arena on his own if I gave him free rein and enjoys these maneuvers! I do have to admit though, that he still will snatch bites from tall vegetation that is chest high..we often are riding down the trail with a stem of fireweed flowers hanging from his mouth! Adel is a sweet mare, very eager to please and wants to work with me, but she also has a very dominant strong will, and isn't as easy to dominate as is Bjorken..but then she bosses HIM around. Her Grandma Stella bosses HER around! It seems to me that gelding generally may be easier? (most geldings..not Gail's Odin?) Jean in Fairbanks, Alaska, sunny but still a bit smoky, 75 degree predicted. > >You'll love the 7 games! Rafael & I are having a lot of fun. > >Yes, do like John Lyons says and "work where you can." Make it easy for her >to start and get the exercises going in the corral. Later, when she knows what >to expect and you have more control, move to the grassy area. The key to >working on grass is to allow grazing, on command. ************************************************************ Jean Ernest Fairbanks, Alaska mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
