The cat took me to a special place today where I could get out of the rain and watch my equines from a vantage point without them knowing. It was dry and cozy and the thought had never occurred to me to go in there. Can you guess where?
The hippies' outhouse. They'd built this pretty wooden outhouse and lined the interior with red velvet, and padded the weather side with moss beneath the velvet, and the door is two layers - green velvet and a cream colored polarfleece curtain cut in the square scallop pattern used at Renn Faires. There is an upside down triangle cut out on one side as a window facing my pasture, with the red velvet perfectly aligned. This thing was built with love.
I had been standing in the rain watching Mag and Bellis and saw my cat dart into the outhouse. I said, "You like it in there?" and joined her, feeling awkward. The rain pattering on the ceiling was nice. I fought the urge to pee, I prefer the bushes to outhouses, even though this one is very tidy. There was a shelf above the seat with a candle lantern and rolls of TP in plastic. The cat somehow climbed up the window wall and onto the shelf, where she groomed herself above my head.
I shut the curtain against the wind and enjoyed my new place. I opened the toilet seat and saw a wheelbarrow below with a large pot in it to catch what falls. There was no smell - it's been so long since they've had a party.
In Summer the blackberries surrounding it will be so thick I won't be able to see my pasture, but for now, it's a place to get out of the weather and observe.
***
This morning I had another tying session with Mag, feeding him beet pulp from time to time as he stood there. He doesn't relax yet, he wiggles around still, but he's not upset, and seems to be OK with the routine.
Check it out - I was able to get his hind legs up - THREE TIMES this morning. 1. Clean and brush out the hooves 2. Spray tea-tree oil 3. Squirt betadine on and scrub it in with a toothbrush. YAY! He's starting to figure out that I'm obsessed with his hooves, and that he's the best horse in the whole world when he gives them to me politely. He's starting to shift his weight off each leg as I approach - that's so awesome compared to my struggles last week!
I was thinking about his sale ad, "Takes some time to accept new people." Hm, such a friendly horse, how can that be? But maybe this is it - "I don't know you well enough to give you my feet. I will however cuddle with you." Hm.
It was pouring rain so I got his blanket on and then let him go, after opening the two wire gates. I took the rest of his beet pulp and called Bellis out of the paddock, out into the space between the paddock and the path to the pasture. She happily ate it out there with Mag staring at her, head low to the ground, trying to figure out how to get to her.
This non-existent wire gate he's afraid of is a powerful memory. I'd read somewhere that if you use an electric fence with pigs, and you ever intend to move it, plan carefully because pigs won't pass where I fence once was. So my little piggy is actually pig.
It's interesting to just stand back and watch him, not influencing him, as he wavers in his mind, trying to take a tiny step, but pulling back, and then trying again. I will have to get that on video.
Finally I just go to him and snap a rope on and lead him through, and he happily goes to the pasture.
It seems coming in is easier than going out, which makes sense - he was shocked going out.
Very curious if today, when the donkey has had enough of the rain, if he'll come in, or I'll have to get him.
Update: It's only 12:30 but I just looked out and they are BOTH standing in the paddock against the barn under the shelter. I guess the rain got too much for Bellis, and the horse just came in with her. Yay: ) I don't like for them to only get a couple hours of grass in a day, but the donkey hates the rain. I wonder if she'd wear a rain jacket....
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14 comments:
He's learning to trust you. You guys are going to be an awesome team.
He's starting to trust you so that is good.
Try this with the 'invisible gate'
lead him through every time for a few days. then gradually move the spot where you un clip the lead closer to the gate and then before the gate.
This should help him figure out that it's safe and replace the scary memory with a different one.
Camryn, I hope so, I want to be riding already but we're not even ready for taking neighborhood walks yet.
Teresa, That's a very logical approach to dealing with this problem. I'd like to try that as soon as he's not so wound up as we go through there; he's on the verge of blasting past me or flinging me into the fence - at least, those are the scenarios I am trying to avoid every morning. I'll try it, but it will be a slow process with millimeter increments I think. I could only start the process when he's not quite so snorty and upset about it. I have this radical idea that maybe going through this will teach him to load into a horse trailer with me: )
What about if you feed him carrots where the terrible deed happened? Orperhaps up and down the alley. Start some positive memories?
KB, that's a good idea too. We need to buy carrots urgently, the only treat he really likes so far. I need to protect myself though, so I'll have to be very careful.
That's great about his feet! He's smart and a quick learner. :D
When you untie him (after leaving him tied a while) are you doing it while he's still moving? I used clicker training to teach Chrome to stand tied, but when I do refresher work on it I tie him up and then go sit down at a distance. I ignore him while he's moving. When he stops I go up and pet him, then go sit down again (especially if he moves). I only untie him when he is motionless! Never untie if he is moving or you're only rewarding the behavior. It takes a while, but it's one of the most important lessons to teach in my humble opinion.
I'm glad he's starting to trust you. Also a big deal that he came up on his own in the rain! Yay!!!! Donkeys are good horse trainers hehe.
Achieve - of course you're correct. I never release him until he is standing still, or has given a big sigh. It's probably not optimal, because I haven't waited long enough for him to become truly bored, but I'm weighing the balance of torturing him daily vs. teaching him and I don't want to leave him unattended. Perhaps I should make myself a cozy chair with comforters and kindle? At this point he still lets met catch him, halter him, and tie him, even though he is stressed by it. Moving on to the next level soon....(I saw how calm Chrome stood for your training videos...) No worries, I praise and feed him when he seems to relax, and ignore him while he fusses. I think he's a lot like Chrome. Lord help us. JK!
I figured you were doing it right, but I thought I would mention it. Sometimes I get distracted or in a hurry and don't pay attention to what I'm rewarding when I turn him loose. :) Hehehehe on your last sentence! That cracked me up! :D
Heh, I wonder if I'm right. I am about ready to start leaving him unattended for more than 5 minutes, considering he's wearing a breakable halter. I've left for a few minutes, but not more. But I need to go slow because I don't want to be the biggest bummer in his day: ) I kind of want him to like seeing me.
do you remember the early days of teaching the Road to stand in the cross-ties? It took almost a month to get him to stand still long enough to say "good boy!" Usually he wiggled while I was still on "gooo---"!
Perhaps this event should be seen as something that has given him PTSD. Every time I came off a horse, I had some PTSD to deal with. And the time I was untying Khanalee in the trailer to unload him, and he thought I'd untied him,but I hadn't,and he set back, freaked,and smashed me into the side of the trailer,god did I have PTSD about getting into a trailer. When I sold the pony, the buyers had a large trailer and asked me to lead the pony in and tie him. I almost had a melt down, and there was nothing to be afraid of. (After that, I taught my horses to self load.) So be patient and encouraging. It can take 3 weeks to create new path ways. Eventually the positive will out weigh the scary. And don't feel rushed about the tying. You are quite intuitive about such things. Listen to your gut about what is best for him now as he gets used to things.
You have a whole new herd since I last visited!
He will still like you! Even if you left him tied for an hour he would still like you. Once Chrome figured out how to stand tied, he loves it now and naps regularly. He knows he will be there for a while so he just cocks a leg and nods off hehe. It's very relaxing for him now. I also groom him while he's tied and he LOVES being groomed so that makes it rewarding as well. Does Mag have any favorite itchy spots? Once you find one that is a great reward for standing tied too. :) He will figure it out.
I was leaving Chrome tied unattended when he was a weanling while he ate his feed for fifteen or twenty minutes at a time. I would go back inside the house lol. He never pulled or broke free during that time. It was great practice for him and another way that I made being tied pleasant. I've done everything I can to make it a really great experience and to make him like it. The really cool thing is that it means he is completely relaxed when I tack him up and it bled over into under saddle work because he will stand with me on his back, without moving for as long as I want him to and he just chills out, happy as you please. Best training I ever did with him I think hehe.
Our donkey Sparky is not a fan of rain. He also dislikes cold. He loves, loves, loves his weatherproof sheet and blanket. He knows which ones are his by their color and he comes walking over to me if he seems me walking in his pasture with one of his blankets. When he has his sheet or blanket on him when it is cold and/or raining he'll happily stay out grazing, otherwise he just stays in a shed.
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