The KISS Method

The KISS method also known as Keep It Simple, Stupid Method works wonders in the horse world.

Just last night I blanketed the Mozzie Man (19 months old this month) for the first time this season.  It took 2 cookies, a halter, and a total of 20 seconds to complete because I first set myself up for success by putting on the halter.

Could I have blanketed him without the halter?  Most likely, but it surely wouldn't have been a crisp, quick, and clean as with the halter.

Will I eventually blanket him without a halter?  Of course, but I will not even attempt to do so until I am 150% sure that I can.  Be it this season or the next eventually he will blanket like every other horse I own.

But until then I would rather take a halter out with me and spend a few seconds tying it than spend an hour or two trying to catch, calm, and undo all the trauma of a horse running all over the pasture with a blanket half on because I tried to rush his training with shortcuts

 

The problem with play

In my last post "How quickly things can unravel" I wrote about the sudden change in Mozzie's behavior after just few minutes of playful interaction.

I will admit to being totally taken a back at Mozzie's sudden nippy behavior (he has been perfect for months) until later than night when I couldn't sleep and I started replaying the incident in my head.  

It was then that I realized that I never offer to play with Mozzie like my brother in law had started to do.  

I do not play with my horses.  Never have and never will.

I love my horses, and freely give scratches and butt rubs, but I do not find any joy in a horse chasing/following me.  

In fact I hate it when horses are behind me.  I always catch them making ears at me.  I am the boss mare and I push them instead of the other way around.

I do not touch muzzles unless I am grooming, deworming, or checking teeth.  I do not allow noses any where around me and any attempts at nuzzling are punished immediately.

I am a person and people are not be played with. End of story.

Foals grow up and I do not want a 2 year old 800 lb Mozzie looking at myself or at his 2 year old 30 lb human sister thinking that he can play.

The problem with playing with your horse is that you can not sit them down and explain when it is okay to play.  That it is okay to play with the BIL but not with the baby.  

And since I can not explain when it is or is not appropriate to play I choose to not play with my horses.  

  

How quickly things can unravel

Awesome weekend with the horses.  I have really tried to set a side some Mommy/ horse time lately and I am so enjoying it.

I clipped Mozzie for the first time after he begged me to do so while I trimmed his mother.  They both ground tied side by side for their sessions. I cleaned up his jowls a bit and buzzed him everywhere else (I'm just not ready to for him to loose those fuzzy teddy bear ears).

Half way through I actually realized what I was doing.  That my 9 month old colt had asked to be clipped, was ground tying for the first time, and was clipping like a seasoned veteran.

All in all I walked away beyond proud of my little man.

Later the same day my sister and brother in law (BIL) stopped by to visit and on their way out to the car Mozzie came up. Both horsey people, my BIL started playing with Mozzie's nose, playfully boxing it side to side and in less than a minute of that happening Mozzie started wanting to nip.

BIL of course properly corrected Mozzie for trying to nip but it was amazing seeing how quickly his manners fell to the wayside when given the opportunity.

The take away.

It only takes a little bit of bad to undo a whole lot of good. Anytime you are around horses they are learning something.  You control what your horse is learning and whether it is good or bad.

My New Long Term Project

For the time in a few years I finally have something new to train for myself.  This is Mozzie.  He is currently 3 and a half months old and is the newest member of the KnP team.  Just like his dam Pie he is already proving to be quite the horse and character.  I am excited to be able to document his training progress here on the blog so stay tuned.