This message is from: Mary Thurman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
--- Denise Delgado <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > This message is from: "Denise Delgado" > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > so, mary, that means if a fjord crowds you, you > have to have a halter on > him at that moment to teach him that crowding is not > cool. if you have to > go and get the halter and put it on, he will not > put the two incidents > together in his mind; Denise, The 'halter driving' thing is an exercise you do - like many other training exercises - to teach the horse or mule the 'proper' response to your presence. Once he learns the 'right way' to do things, you can ask him to move away and give you some space at any time - whether he has a halter on or not. For example: one of our horses was fond of crowding me in the stall. Our trainer showed me how to 'drive him away'(just involves going around the stall with him circling/moving away from you around the outside of the stall) from me in the stall WITH the halter and rope on him. Once he learned that pushing me around in the stall had consequences - and learned to move away when asked to - I could 'remind' him of his manners without the halter and lead. Whenever I enter the stall with any of my horses, I ask them to please move over and give me room. And DON'T ever present me with the 'rear view', thank you very much! These things are more easily taught while the horse is still small, but can also be taught to the 'big boys/girls' as well. When I am with my horses - in a stall, in the arena, in the pasture, wherever - I want their attention on me!! They need to be paying attention and not jostling me around - that means they 'face up' and watch - no butts. They are friendly, agreeable horses and love attention, but they know-for the most part-that manners are required. I use the 'nail thing' at times on a particularly recalcitrant one who insists on 'laying over' on you in a tie stall or in a trailer when you need to get by them to untie or clean or whatever. Sometimes you just have to 'bite back' to protect yourself - other horses do. Remember how small a person is compared to a horse - and remember how horses treat each other in the herd. I double we could do much damage, and it does help with the respect thing. I've seen a woman pay the consequences of getting into a 'squeeze' with a horse in a trailer - what gave was her ribs!! Not fun! Mary ===== Mary Thurman Raintree Farms [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Photos -- now, 100 FREE prints! http://photos.yahoo.com
