Rosie's Training Journal

[thathorsecrazychick]

Should I start a training journal?
I saw that some people on here have training journals and I wonder if i should start one? I would just say what we did that day and maybe sometimes post pics. What do you guys think?

 

[Kelly]

That would be wonderful! I would LOVE to see the pics too!!

 

[thathorsecrazychick]

I'll start today, I might not get pics of her being trained but definitely some just hanging out around the barn.

 

[Crimson Rose]

Yes please! I love to read about different people's progress and how they train

 

[thathorsecrazychick]

Ok so today me and Rosie worked on side passing and getting over her fear of ropes since I accidentally hit her head /neck area when I was lassoing. Since then she has been very scared of ropes being flung around or straightened in front of her ( a weird fear I know) Her side passing on the fence was really good she side passed a little fast and a normal speed on both sides. I took her of the fence one time and she kinda did it off the fence a bit. We’re working on getting of the fence soon. We kind of went back and forth a couple times side passing and going through a rope I set above her between two garden stakes. First couple time going through the rope she was very resistant but she ended up going through anyway. Then after she was a bit more comfortable with that I asked her to stay still in between it while I shook it around like a scary worm. We also a couple times did a quick little gate obstacle (since she got nervous when ropes were stretched out in front of her and moved). When we were doing side passing in between we also would canter up and down the area we we’re working. Because she looks so cute when she runs. Toward the end I took a random scarf and spun it around in front of me and asked her to follow me. At first she was pretty resistant but after a couple times she followed me with it spinning nicely. Every time I stopped though she would raise her head and give a little white eye. So we just kept doing it until she stopped and didn’t raise her head or give white eye. I decided to end on that note. We worked about an hour.

 

[thathorsecrazychick]

Here some pics of her in the barn before we worked.

 

[1roadtoad]

Hi from Connecticut. I think you're little Rosie is adorable. If it's not too much trouble, I also would love to see your progress with Rosie by way of a journal or just a post here and there. I am trying to work with my 2 boys that I have had for a little over a year now and have looked to others' journals and posts for guidance. I know nothing about training horses, so anything I can glean from posts is very helpful to me. I also love to see photos of minis, just because they make me smile.

 

[thathorsecrazychick]

I’m going to try to post every time I work with her

 

[thathorsecrazychick]

Ok so i decided to go on a 30 min walk ( with a good amount of trotting) as well. It wasn’t to cold and it was drizzleing just a bit. She is in the field half the time when it is pouring rain so not that big of deal. It went pretty well she listened nicely and it was a peaceful/ hard working walk / trot run.

Here are some pics during and after walk.

 

[thathorsecrazychick]

Ok I told myself I was going to be 100% honest and I’m going to.

So I’ll just start out saying that our session did not go as planned. I decided to do liberty in field ( already not the best idea I know). I started out and asked for a walk (she complied) but when I asked for a trot.. well she trotted then cantered away. This went on about I don’t even know how long. But I made it worst, when she did canter instead of just walking calmly towards her until she stopped and/or walk. I ran after her ( because she was being disrespectful) and of course she just ran more. I did a couple times get her to just walk and trot. It didn’t feel right though. Eventually I asked her to walk then stop and I dropped the flag I was using and just stood there. I felt pretty bad ( like what in the world I’d wrong with me!). We then just stood there and kind of talked a bit( I know I sound weird hang with me) I started to relax and tried to do a greeting ritual, we kind of did it. When we were standing there I looked at what she looked at and relaxed like she relaxed. We honestly were kind of napping. After a while I went to walk away and she followed me for a bit then tried to go to barn. So I looked at her butt and yielded it to get her to face me. We did this several time until finally she followed me to the lead rope near the gate. I clipped it on then took her to the barn. Then I took her halter off and she walked away. I was a bit disappointed because she usually waits for me to leave first, I decided though not to push it and just left her be.
Future note DO NOT CHASE HER WHEN SHE RUNS OFF!!!! Also in future liberty I’m going to try more just chilling together instead of running around each other.

 

[thathorsecrazychick]

Ok yesterday I didn’t have time to post. We just did obstacle training and backing though.

Today we went on a very long walk on a road. There was a crane working on a power line. She didn’t freak out when she saw it. But she did try to avoid it. Otherwise a very peaceful walk.

 

[thathorsecrazychick]

Ok today I just worked with her about 30 min with her pack on. We did a circle in exercise since she is pretty good naturally keeping up with me more and trotting etc. She did pretty good and circled around me like I was an obstacle. Little awkward at first ( I had to figure out how to position myself) after we did that on both sides we worked on weaving through cones even better. At a trot and walk. Little heavy sometimes but otherwise pretty normal.
While I was grooming her though I noticed that she is losing some hair not a ton. But now I’m concerned because it’s like when she started shedding last year. She lost hair on front legs and butt first. And that’s what is happening.
Maybe I’m just freaking out but it’s still January and she should not be losing any hair. She seems healthy no swelling, infection, and/ or diarrhea etc. Maybe it’s just some hair that’s just getting pulled out by the brush though. Like just some looser hair.

 

[thathorsecrazychick]

Ok today I started clicker training ( without a clicker) I used the word good to bridge the action to the treat. She did AMAZING . I thought she would be more shoving her face in my pocket. But she mostly just nosed me a bit ( I did not give her treat when she did that) She did so good with it that I did made a target for her to touch and get a treat for. I was able to put the target in front of her and side and far away and she would find it and touch it. She really got clicker training and I’m definitely using it in the future.

 

[thathorsecrazychick]

Copied it on accident here’s a pic of her instead

 

[Crimson Rose]

Ok today I started clicker training ( without a clicker) I used the word good to bridge the action to the treat. She did AMAZING . I thought she would be more shoving her face in my pocket. But she mostly just nosed me a bit ( I did not give her treat when she did that) She did so good with it that I did made a target for her to touch and get a tear for. I was able to put the target in front of her and side and far away and she would find it and touch it. She really got clicker training and I’m definitely using it in the future.

Awesome! I am so excited for you

 

[thathorsecrazychick]

Awesome! I am so excited for you

The future is going to be very fun!

 

[thathorsecrazychick]

Today it decided to snow… so we didn’t really do anything. I just walked here around a bit and tossed the lead rope around her. She still gets nervous with ropes tossed around, but she is a still pretty nervous and scared of them getting thrown around.

 

[thathorsecrazychick]

Today was weird I just kinda was seeing her reaction, to me asking her to move off. And telling her to stop eating grass etc

 

[thathorsecrazychick]

Ok today we did the circle exercise ( she did good) and we went on a shorter walk with her pack on. We trotted a teeny bit and did some backing up to on our walk ( she has hard time backing up a bit faster we’re working on it) she did great. The last time we went on walk with pack on road she was more reactive about everything ( but we did go farther then needed though that time) (we weren’t ready for that) She did great though! Can’t wait to do a picnic in the future at the end of the road!!

 

[thathorsecrazychick]

Today we did some more clicker training. Just associating good with treat, and touching a little target, and perfecting nope ( cause why not) she did good, but she just seemed off… like she only wanted a treat or something. I’ll see after a couple more sessions if that is the case.


Ok later on I did her feet and did more rope desensitization. ( she did ok, getting better!)