Know your normal- A colic story

My gelding started to colic Friday afternoon. My first indication that something was wrong was the fact that he was laying down in a odd place (not the normal napping spot). So I called out and he got himself up but immediately started wanting to go down again. This was all the information I needed to spring into colic mode and start treatment. Up catching him I noticed his breathing was a bit labored and he was starting to sweat. When I had called him he did poop while up which allowed me to feel comfortable about giving him some Banamine. After the shot we started walking and within 20 minutes Charlie was feeling much better, and within the hour he was in the stall normal once again happily munching hay. My theory to the actual cause of our colic episode is that with all the rain we had last week a dormant plant/seed started growing in the pasture and Charlie ate it and as a result got a tummy ache.

Now the title of this post is know your normal. Given that Charlie was a good ways out in the pasture if I had not taken notice of his odd napping/lying down location (which made me investigate further) there is a good chance he could have suffered for several hours or even through the night before getting treatment. If he had not gotten early treatment (he was absolutely normal when I saw him out 3 hours earlier) there is a much greater chance that we would have had to go to the vet (and I was ready to do so if he had not shown such improvement early on) or worse he could have twisted his gut and required major surgery.

The moral of the story. Horses are creatures of habit, any changes in their behavior could mean there is something very wrong. While horses can not verbally tell us where it hurts, by knowing your horse's normal everyday behavior and habits you will be better able to tell when something is not right.     

Calm after the storm

Calm after the storm

Just last week I rode through a hell of a storm. My horse in training reared sky high 3 times in a row over a simple back up request while I finishing up my ride out in open pasture, with a bum right ankle, and home alone (Why was I riding at the time you may ask, because I'm a horse trainer I get paid to ride no matter what is going on in my own life). All I could think as she was going up was, “Aw hell, now I have to finish this.” So I did finish it, I did, and she had to trot herself into a tizzy for rearing up, and go back to the crazy trot circles every time she tried to rear again. 15 minutes later she backed up nicely when asked and I slide off. I will admit to being a little petty and rewarding her with only a nice pat and the Babe the movie quote, “That'll do, Pig, that'll do.”, only because I was in serious pain with my ankle from her antics. Even in pain, even after a awful ride by anyone's standards I was happy because I had successfully ridden through the storm once again.

What is the storm? For me I have experienced a storm on every horse I have ridden regularly (Of course I am a trainer so I ride like one, and I expect my horses to do reasonable things at reasonable levels in their training career, and I am never just a passenger), it usually occurs 2-3 weeks into training after quite a bit of sloppy resistance on be half of the horse who usually has never done anything in its life beyond being haltered and brushed. So when I step in and expect attention, energy, and effort for the first time ever their lives they rightfully suffer a little culture shock and resentment. So we plug along, riding because we have to until the horse suddenly says, “Enough is enough, I liked my life before, and I don't like backing up, trotting circles, being caught, etc, so I'm not going to it any more, so make me, or leave me alone!” This is the storm, your horse has decided to challenge you, and you only have two options; win, or back down.

Win or back down. You can only do one, and the one that you choose will have great consequences in your horse life. If you choose to win you will get to experience the thrill of the calm after the storm, or if you  choose to back down your horse will only become more and more resistant. I always have chosen to ride through the storm (and believe me I have been in some spectacular storms) because I know that on the other side of it we will have an understanding, I will have a better horse, and in many cases the beginning of a true partnership. Let's just say that when your horse has dished out a 150% and you are still willing and ready to ride you finish the ride with a ton of “pasture cred” to say the least.

In my horse life after every storm I have always achieved a major break through. So much to the fact that I welcome storms because I know that they are the beginning a much better chapter in my riding life. I know that after a rough ride, 99% of the time I will have a good stretch of clear sailing up ahead. My horse in training has once again been another perfect example of what riding through the storm can get you, she was 100% better on the next ride and every ride since all because I was willing to call her buff and say, “Yes you can, and yes, you will.”

Are you willing to ride through the storm? If so I will meet you on the other side, which feels a lot like heaven.

Please note that all horses were in perfect health and care at the time of all bad behavior, and all had been evaluated for reasonable pain causes for bad behavior prior to being put into training.

Breeding

This year I have decided to breed my mare.

The horror! You and I both know it.

Horses are starving, the economy is in the gutter, slaughter is once again going on in the US, and instead of rescuing some down on their luck horse and giving them a lifetime home I am choosing to create another. Let the flaming commence!

I'm selfish. But before everyone starts lighting their torches I should explain my reasoning.

1. I want a purebred horse- I know a ton of wonderful grade horses, and everyone of these horses are special and valuable in their own way, but in my own pasture, as in my parents you will find registered Quarter Horses. I like their build, deposition, and versatility. As another may prefer Arabians, minis, or mules; I really like a well bred very nicely put together Quarter, so sue me. I also know that while; papered, well bred, and put together young horses do find themselves in terrible situations in need of being rescued, these horses are few and far between. Frankly the horse I want to ride (and own the next 30+ years) is not generally found in a rescue situation. While I am very happy to support, train, and love grade horses until (if ever) I have more money then I know what to do with my pasture will remain a permanent home to only well bred papered Quarter horses.
   
   
2. I want to know my horse's history- I am breeding for athleticism, conformation, personality, and longevity. I will know that this foal came out of a wonderful, extremely athletic, very correct mare (who I have owned all her life, and did I mention she is beyond broke); and a well mannered, well built stallion still ridden in his late teens by young boys. Even better my father has a 10 year old mare out of this stud who he will never sell. I know that both my foal's parents have never been lame a day in their life, and that both, a long with it's half sister have great personalities. Buying a horse (especially a young horse) is a gamble as is breeding one but at least I will know where my foal came from and all of it's life experiences to boot.
   
   
3. I am breeding for myself- I have waited over 14 years for this foal. Waiting for the right place, the right time, and finally after all these years it is here. I know the risks involved and the possibility of complications in pregnancy, and frankly I'm not willing to risk my perfect mare's life to create a horse for anyone but myself. Regardless of sex or color it will be registered, and I plan on keeping it forever as I plan on keeping it's mother. But if I did ever have to sell my foal it would have the manners, conformation, breeding, and education to afford it a wonderful home no matter the situation.
   
   
4. I want to do it right- this day in age the horse industry is really hurting. The cost of feed and hay has risen 200% in last year alone in my area, and many people who are still breeding are cutting corners to keep afloat. This means less feed, less hoof care, and less health care for broodmares and the foals in their barns. I firmly believe that good nutrition, hoof care, health care, and exercise in the early years is paramount to rising a healthy horse long term. I have the space (acres of my own, and access to 100s), the time, the ability to let it live like royalty (as it's mother and uncle already do), along with the skills to train it from birth to a finished horse and do it right.
   
   
5. The future market- The people breeding quality horses are not breeding as much, if at all. The quality of horse I am able to afford to breed for now will cost big money a few years down the road (keyword being quality). Fewer young horses being brought into the world now means there will be fewer quality horses available 5, 10, and 20 years down the road. All the while I will have a perfectly trained 5, 10 and 25 year old horse down the road for my future children and family to enjoy.
   
   
   So please go ahead and think what you want to think. But I am only guilty of two things; creating a horse that any one of you would be lucky to have, and of being selfish only because I don't plan on sharing.
   
   

Pony see, pony do

 Growing up every horse we had always clipped wonderfully. And by wonderfully I mean, ground tied, rope hanging around their neck, head willing held whatever level needed next to the telephone pole, with a huge set of clippers made for body clipping. This was how my Mother clipped her horses then, and this is still how we do it today (but with barns, and better clippers). Now you may think that we spent weeks and weeks teaching every single horse over the years to clip in such a nice manner, but it actually was achieved very simply but just tying/holding every single new horse we purchased right next to every horse that was really good for clipping while we clipped before turning the clipper on the new horse. Using observational learning or put it simply the concept of Pony See Pony Do (so much better than the monkey).

Think about as it if you had lived a  average horse's life, (only experienced normal horsey things; grass, stalls, trees) you too would probably think that a loud buzzing clipper near your face could only mean that person in charge of it was trying to kill you. But if you were allowed to see other people face the clippers who were not afraid of it, you probably would feel much better about allowing it near your face. Foals learn by watching their mothers, you learned to cook by watching your mother. Learning from others is natural and basic means of survival. So why not use this survival instinct to your advantage when training?

Around here I use this type of training with every single horse that comes through the door. Just last week I once again witnessed the awesome power of observational learning with Fancy.

Fancy came here at 6, broke as a 3 year old, then never handled, and this is her story of how she learned to be caught in open pasture.

Day 1: Slightly resistant to being caught in the stall.

Day 2: More willing to caught in the stall, was let out with other horses.

Day 3: Did not want to be caught in open pasture, forcing a 2 hour chase by lawn mower (yes I said lawn mower, and no she was never in any danger, just kept moving at a slow and steady pace), was unwilling touched at the end.

Day 4: The moment Fancy sees me she takes off, I go out and just catch my horses, who will come when called, and always stand for as long as it takes to get the cookie they get after getting their halters on. Ignoring her, I tie them and start grooming. She follows and watches, and eventually stands for brushing, using 3 cookies she is caught within 10 minutes.

Day 5: She runs away, I catch my horses, not wanting to be left out Fancy follows, and is caught as soon as I finish tying my own.

Day 6: She turns away but chooses to stay, I halter my own horses, then proceed to Fancy, she grudgingly accepts the halter.

Day 7: She turns and faces me as I approach, and is willing caught after my horses.

Day 8: She is over by the arena when I step outside(100 yards out), and she trots over and insists on being caught before Charlie.

Day 9: She had been perfect so far ever since.

Now lets break down what happened.

Fancy was in a new environment, her only sources of companionship were my horses. Over time by seeing over that over that my horses (all the horses in her environment) where happy to be caught, and even looked forward to it, Fancy eventually decided that she too could and should be happy about caught. Depending on how she is reintroduced in her home environment she should maintain her willingness to be caught. However if she were immediately turned out with other horses who ran away she would probably revert back to her previous behavior.

Making observational learning work for you.

The only tools you need to use this method is one or more really good role model horses who do exactly what you want the new horse to do perfectly every time. Over the years I've used this approach for clipping, grooming, trailering, tying, bathing, saddling, hoof trimming, you name it. I so believe in observational learning that I show every new horse how it is done by first doing it to my own horses and letting them watch. After watching two other horses sleep while being saddled you would be amazed at how well the new guy can take it. Don't let not having a model citizen in your herd stop you. Most boarding barns have a few model citizens you could ask to borrow for a few hours, or talk with your horse friends and see about setting up some time to work together work on your problems or show your new horse how it is done.   

Definition of Broke

Striking up a conversation with another owner at the vet.:


Me: "Gosh,  She sure is a cute little mare."
Owner: "Thanks she sure is a sweetie."
Me: "What do you do with her?"
Owner:  "Oh, just ride her around the house sometimes, she can be a tough to ride.  But I have her son, and he is just a great little horse, very broke and I did it myself."
Me:  "Well that is just great, training a horse is a lot of work.  What do you do with him?"
Owner: "Oh yes, training is very hard, he does just great about everything until I ask him to move."
Me: " Well they never said it was easy."


And the small talk continued until he was called back for his appointment.


Why am I bringing this up?


Because his definition of "broke" absolutely floored me.


In his mind a horse is well broke is one you can saddle, and get on, and off without bodily harm. 


But is that really all there is to it?


In my mind a "broke" horse exhibits no bad or dangerous behavior and can be easily handled for everything: feeding, grooming, saddling, bathing, etc.  And is willing to move off leg, and listens to aids, and travels easily in all gaits, and does it all with minimal resistance to the rider.


A "well broke" horse does everything that a broke horse can in addition to advanced maneuvers, all on a loose rein, and can perform all these tasks and then some consistently in or out of the arena regardless of location or circumstance. 


And a "very well broke" horse will do all of the above for every rider every time.   


What got me was that he honestly thought he had a well broke horse, a horse I would maybe call green, but never broke.  


I walked away feeling very sad for both the owner and his horses.  You could see his love and commitment to his animals. But until he raises his goals and expectations, getting on and not dying is all that he will ever be able to achieve when so many wonderful things are possible.  



You can have the equine relationship of you dreams, you just must have the want to learn and the willingness to try.  
  

Equine Definitions- Owner Edition

• A Bit - What you have left in your pocket after you've been to your favorite tack shop.
  
• Bog Spavin - The feeling of panic when riding through a muddy area. Also used to refer to horses who throw a fit at having to go through water puddles.
  
• Colic - Gastrointestinal result of eating at horse fair food stands.
• Contracted foot - The involuntary/ instant reflex of curling one's toes up - right before a horse steps on your foot.
  
• Dog House - What you are in when you spend too much money on grooming supplies and pretty halters.
  
• Drench - Term used to describe the condition an owner is in after he administers electrolytes to his horse.
  
• Easy Rider - Rides good in a trailer; not to be confused with "ride-able."
  
• Easy to Catch - In a 10x10 stall.
  
• Easy to Load - Only takes 3 hours, 4 men, a 50 lb. bag of oats, and a tractor with loader.
  
• Endurance ride - The end result when your horse spooks and runs away with you in the bush.
  
• Equitation - The ability to keep a smile on your face and proper posture while your horse tries to pigroot, shy and buck his way around the ring.
  
• Feed - Expensive substance utilized in the manufacture of large quantities of manure.
  
• Fences - Decorative perimeter structures built to give a horse something to chew on, scratch against, jump over, and generally destroy. .
  
• Flies - The excuse of choice a horse uses so he can kick you, buck you off or knock you over and not be punished.
  
• Founder - The discovery of your loose mare-some miles from your farm, usually in a flower bed or hayfield. Used like-"Hey, honey, I found'er." You could also say that founder is a condition that happens to most people after Christmas dinner.
  
• Gallop- The customary gait a horse chooses when returning home.
  
• Gates - Wooden or metal structures built to amuse horses.
  
• Grooming - The fine art of brushing the dirt from one's horse and applying it to your own body.
  
• Hay - A green itchy material that collects between layers of clothing, especially in unmentionable places.
• Heaves - The act of unloading a truck full of hay.
  
• Hives - What you get when you receive the vet bill for your 6 horses, 3 dogs, 4 cats, and 1 donkey.
  
• Hobbles - Describes the walking gait of a horse owner after his/her foot has been stepped on by his/her horse.
  
• Hock - Financial condition of all horse owners.
  
• Hoof Pick - Useful, curbed metal tool utilized to remove hardened dog doo from the treads of your shoes.
  
• Horse Auction - What you think of having after your horse bucks you.
• Jumping - The characteristic movement that an equine makes when given a vaccine or has his hooves trimmed.
  
• Lameness - The condition of most riders after the first few rides each year; can be a chronic condition in old or weak riders.
• Light Cribber - We can't afford to build anymore fencing or box stalls for this buzz saw on four legs.
  
• Lunging - A training method a horse uses on its owner with the purpose of making the owner spin in circles-rendering the owner dizzy and light-headed so that they get sick and pass out, so the horse can go back to eating.
  
• Manure spreader - Horse dealers.
  
• Mosquitoes - Radar equipped blood sucking insects that typically reach the size of small birds.
  
• Nicely Started - Lunges, but not enough health insurance to even think about riding him.
• Pinto - A colorful (usually green) coat pattern found on a freshly washed and sparkling clean gray horse that was left unattended in his paddock for ten minutes.
  
• Pony - The true size of the stallion that you bred your mare to via AI - that was advertised as 15 hands tall.
  
• Proud Flesh - The external reproductive organs flaunted by a stallion when a horse of any gender is present. Often displayed at rides.
• Race - What your heart does when you see the vet bill.
• Rasp - An abrasive, long, flat metal tool used to remove excess skin from the knuckles.
• Reins - Break-away device used to tie horses with.
• Sacking out - A condition caused by Sleeping Sickness (see below). The state of deep sleep a mare owner will be in at the time a mare actually goes into labor and foals.
• Saddle - An expensive leather contraption manufactured to give the rider a false sense of security. Comes in many styles, all feature built-in ejector seats.
• Saddle Sore - The way the rider's bottom feels the morning after the weekend at a ride.
• Sleeping Sickness - A disease peculiar to mare owners while waiting for their mares to foal. Caused by nights of lost sleep, symptoms include irritability, red baggy eyes and a zombie-like waking state. Can last several weeks.
• Splint - An apparatus that can be applied to various body parts of a rider due to the parting of the ways of a horse and his passenger.
• Stall - What your truck does on the way to a ride, fifty kilometers from the closest town.
• Tack Room - A room where every item necessary to work with or train your horse has been put, in a place which it cannot be found in less than 30 minutes.
• Three Gaited Horse - A horse that. 1) trips, 2) stumbles, 3) falls.
• Twisted Gut - The feeling deep inside that most riders get before a ride starts.
• Vet Catalog - An illustrated brochure provided to horse owners that features a wide array of products that are currently out of stock or have been dropped from a company's inventory.
• Well Mannered - Hasn't stepped on, bitten, or kicked anyone for a week.
• Withers - The reason you'll seldom see a man riding bareback.
• Yearling - The age at which all horses completely forget the things you taught them previously.
• Young stock - A general term used for all equines old enough to bite, kick or run you over, but not yet old enough to dump you on the ground.
  

Successful Horses Pt. 2

What do all successful horses have in common?

I have spent a lot of time trying to find one universal quality that every single successful horse possesses and I keep coming back to one thing.

Every single successful horse no matter their breed, discipline, lifestyle, age or opportunity tries.  

What do you think?