Trailer Training with Dude and Other Updates

It is finally drying up around here. I haven't gotten the 2-wheel drive truck stuck in at least a week!

Saturday morning I decided to start trailer loading practice with Dude in the new trailer. I hitched up the trailer, took down the butt bar and opened the back door (no wind - yay). A glance at the pasture proved amusing as Matt's back end could be seen headed for the back fence. Haha, old man, its not your day, today! Even Dude was a little wary of being caught, having observed trailer hitching.

I got Dude haltered and put on the good lead rope wearing my gloves. I had a pocket full of carrots and a bucket with a little sweet feed. Dude came right to the trailer, ate from the bucket on the floor and surpisingly readily, got in for the bucket when it was on the manger. But when he stuck his head in the manger area, it was too much of a dark hole and he backed out fast (too fast).

I praised him lavishly and he got in again. This time he stood and ate the feed. He seemed calm so I began desensitizing him. I said, "Dude, while you're in here, something might touch your ears." I touched his ears -- no problem. "Dude, while you're in here there might be noises." I banged on the manger -- no reaction, I stomped on the floor -- no reaction, I banged on the ceiling -- no reaction, I banged on the sides -- no reaction, I touched his sides -- no reaction. I praised him after each little test. He finished his food and backed out REALLY fast (still way too fast). I praised him for being brave and turned him out to eat rye grass in the front yard.

Next time, I plan to swing the butt bar closed (but so that it can be pushed out of the way if he backs) to see if that freaks him out. It may take a few weeks, but I think I can get him to load. I want to be able to take him to some places with trails!

My daughter and I had a good ride out on Dude and Matt on Sunday. Dude also knows the word, "faster." We were sneaking down this lane that has a "no trespassing sign. I was behind my daughter and I stage whispered to her "Go faster." Dude instantly picked up a trot.

When we got into an open field my daughter wanted to canter, so she did. Dude wanted to follow and got excited. He put his head down and bucked a little. I kept him at a walk and made him do tight cirlces in each direction. He has the bendiest neck! He got the idea he has to behave with me, somewhat. He jumped the first ditch after that with GUSTO. Considering the landing was on the paved road, I was freaking a little, but he then walked on as if to say, "You wanted a jump, I gave you a jump... beotch."

Remember I told you that Dude knows a lot of words in English? This ride, we passed the place with lots of horses again. Dude balked and would not move past there onto the path through the woods. Somebody must be in heat again. Every time I would try to make him go, he would back up, including backing up in a circle. I swear he's some kind of reining horse. I tried talking mean to him, my daughter swatted his behind (against my better judgment) and we tried getting him to follow Matt. I finally got off and led him. I knew he might run off (toward the mare who was across a big canal), but after trying and trying it was my last resort. When we got down the trail a little ways, I got my daughter to block the retreat with Matt's body and remounted. Sure enough, Dude would have whirled and headed right back if not for Matt.

As we stood all balked in the path, I said something to my daughter about going home. At the word "home" both horses sprang to attention, lined up perfectly straight beside each other facing the path and awaited the signal to move out. I've never seen anything like it! We had some more cantering and "happy bucks" and head shaking, even though I am giving him plenty of rein, I think. I'm going to have Katherine out to check me again, soon. If she says its not me, I'll get the vet to check him. I worked on balance and trotting and Dude and I are going much better at the trot. My posting is much better, not whumping and bouncing and I'm reaquiring a sitting trot. I would trot ahead for awhile and then my daughter would canter up to catch us. She likes to get on Matt and run and run. Matt's in better shape than Dude because she rides him more -- she had a show and then a 3-day camp last week. One more time we were looking for a short cut that dead-ended. The horses didn't want to turn around, so I tested the "home" word again. Again, it worked like magic to get them going. Thank goodness for older, well trained, if spoiled, horses!

P.S. Matt is trailering a whole lot better, now. He now realizes resistance is futile. I think he likes the new trailer a lot better. Going to the show, he got in pretty quick with the long rope trick. Coming home from the show he bout trampled me to get IN the trailer (LOL). Going to camp I barely had to work the long rope to get him in. Coming home from camp he got right in! He just didn't like the old trailer and I can't really blame him. Now that he knows the new trailer is better, he's pretty willing to get in, just doesn't like to leave Dude. He also knows now that all he has to do when he goes somewhere is carry my daughter and he seems to like that just fine.

Real Good Ride - Centered Riding

I read Centered Riding last week. I had a real good ride on Dude this weekend as a result. Right away, when I applied the principles of balance, relaxation, etc., he went forward better at the trot. He usually takes off all "one sided", but yesterday he went nicely. On the first canter he did a little head down, head shake thing, but I think that's just a quirk he has (or he wants more rein -- I don't know). But he didn't buck or whirl. Yay.

We had a good couple of jumps. I felt really "with" him. Good thing, because later, in a field we found my daughter on Matt and I, on Dude were going to jump this ditch and my daughter balked. Matt did not balk, my daughter pulled up at the last minute. Good thing I wasn't just getting in jump position and shutting my eyes this time because when Dude saw Matt stop he stopped, too. I was able to compensate and not go up on his neck. Heh!

We had some nice canters with Dude not trying to run out from under me. I started losing my right stirrup once, but I got it back without breaking the gait. We went right past the pasture of horses -- no interest from Dude this time -- didn't see the little paint mare there. Two little yearling fillies and a buckskin mare came to the fence - so cute! It was a good ride. Dude is such a great trail horse.

Bridling - no problem, saddling - same old circling. He started to move when I was mounting and I said, "Dude, let me just get ON." When I put my foot in the stirrup he settled down. As long as I wasn't tightening his cinch he didn't care. I've found in grooming him he's real ticklish in the cinch spot, too.

We got the neighbor to take a pic. I'll post it when I get it off my camera.

Trail Ride with Jumping

We went on a long trail ride today. I shortened my stirrups one hole on each side. My jumping was better. Kinda iffy on the canter in 2-point. While cantering, Dude put his head down, shook it and then did the little rodeo happy buck a few times. I stayed on. Yay! At least he didn't do the quick cut to one side that I have trouble with. I'm sure he'll do it next time.

Why does he do that? He seems to want to run, so why does he fight it?

We came across some horses in a pasture adjacent to the new trail we were exploring. Dude did not want to leave them. I think he thinks he's still a stud sometimes and there must have been a mare in heat. I wonder how old he was when they gelded him?

Everyone says he was left a stud along time when they look at his jowls.

More About Matt

Matt's 22, an old school master, and very standoffish with me. He almost always puts his ears back when I come near him, but submits and minds me when being led, etc. except when we get to the door of the trailer. Anyway, when he puts his ears back, I just scratch behind his ears anyway and call him a grumpy old bastard. I watched covertly today as my daughter bounced out the back door and went and hugged Matt's neck. He does not put his ears back for her. He's her horse.

Today I had to start getting Matt ready for the show on Saturday -- clean up bridle path, etc. I put him in the cross ties. He wouldn't put his big old head down, so I got a chair and stood over him. No adverse reaction to my climbing up on the chair, so, I continued. Now, remember, I've never clipped a horse before so here I went. Bridle path went okay. Then, I started on the ears. He did better when I put my hand so that it blocked some of the sound. I didn't take the tufty hair out of the middle -- just did the edges. Then, I did under his chin and his whiskers. I don't like removing the whiskers because I think they need their "feelers" but they'll grow back. I did under his chin some more and along the jaw line. Here's where I get confused... where do you stop, exactly? I'm going to put his bridle on and use it to draw a line along his cheeks with chalk and finish that later.

In the process, I found Matt's good, good itchy spots!!! Right on the jaw bones. I got a little plastic pocket comb and combed and combed there. He almost went to sleep. He seemed to like me better when I turned him out after that. Maybe Matt acts the way he does because he's vying for position with me.

Dude bosses Matt and Matt always submits, Matt has to be separated to be fed or Dude would steal all his feed. Matt would just back up and let Dude have it. I boss and squeal at Dude when necessary, like when carrying a bucket of feed past him and keeping him from attacking it. Dude respects my boss and squeal. Matt backs off even easier than Dude. But Matt almost always puts his ears back when I come around. ??

Trailer Loading with Matt

I got Matt into the new trailer yesterday and successfully made it to Dee's Ride-A-Horse Arena ( I love that name) for a lesson. It only took 1 hour plus 15 minutes to get him loaded. I got dizzy lunging him and then trying again, I finally started just making him back up and then trying again. Finally put the butt rope around on him with a nose rope (which he pulled tight and hurt himself - I let him get hurt, my bad). I also had to hit him with the little crop. Matty still hates me today and won't hardly let me come near him. Grouchy old bastard.

He was good for Ella in class. He did slow western trotting and loping in prep for Saturday's show. Still had his big old head above the withers, but, oh well. He was good in the trailer and only kicked once when we made an over a hill and then cut back turn.

I go really slow (to the anger of people behind me, but too bad). I only had one crazy redneck pass me for going 50 in a 55 with oncoming traffic. Scared the be-Jesus out of all of us. I caught up to him at the 4-way stop and laughed at him. Stupid.

For coming home, Matt loaded pretty easily because there were a bunch of people to help and they got behind him and he followed me right in. I wish I had a helper at home to help me load him. Ella is chicken to do it, and I don't really blame her. She's only 10 and I don't want her to get hurt. R is chicken, also and is never around any more, anyway.

Dude was so sweet last night. He still loves me, anyway. He nuzzled my head while i scratched his favorite itchy spot under his jaw. He lets me scratch his ears a lot of times now, too.

Some day I'm going to take Dude to the show for HUS or maybe Western walk/trot if I get a bosal for him.

Thoughts on Matt Trailer Loading

After reading some other threads, I think my trailering issues with Matt might be all my fault as well. I mean, I come blowing in from work at high speed, load the tack, boss around the child to get her boots and get in the car, hurriedly hook up the trailer and, by then, am running short of time and then its lets get Matty in ASAP. Okay, GET IN!!!! Matty!!! GET IN NOW!! For Matt, this comes after weeks of bucolic days of chomping around the pasture and occasionally being groomed and trail ridden. He's probably half asleep and then rudely awakened by all this activity. I'm going to try to act more casually next time and see if it helps. I mean, he knows HOW to get into the trailer (he's 22 years old). He just balks.

Riding and Shopping

Hello all! We had a great weekend with lots of activities... Saturday morning I went to the trailer place. The man there said if I like my horse I won't put him in that trailer anymore - too rusty on top to be trusted underneath, so I coughed up the $4,000.00 for a new trailer. Whee! My daughter said, "Wow, Mom, that cost more than both horses put together!" Yes, it did. Thus continueth the lessons in the economics of horse ownership. We hauled it home and showed it to Matt. He promptly ran away from it.

I read an article about teaching horses to "drive" with the lead rope and doing ground work for getting into the trailer. Matt did pretty well at that. Haven't tried to actually put him in the new one yet. To answer 4H&H's question, I would say Matt has always been reluctant to get in the trailer -- mostly because he knows it is separation from Dude. Its more of a herd bound, barn sour thing than a trailer fear thing. But, since he seemed to need affirmations that I am in charge of him, I worked on ground work with him.

Later Saturday, after going for a load of sand with the flat-bed trailer, we finally got to saddle up to ride! I put Dude in cross ties to brush him out. He does pretty well in cross ties, although I had to watch him that he didn't get too tight and panic himself. I let him loose to bridle him and although he tossed his head and fussed a little, he didn't try to get away. I was giving him carrots intermittently so he was in my pocket for that!! Dude was amazingly good considering that I was trying to fit him with a new bridle. Had to give up on the new bridle -- needs more holes punched - and put on the old crusty nylon one (ugh!). But, at least I got to use the new reins. Dude was pretty good for saddling. I gave him lots of carrots and "easy good boy"s and he finally stood kind of still for me reach under to get the girth from the other side. He didn't circle much while I was tightening it.

Note that later, on the trail, when I got off for something else and tightened the girth while I was down there he paid no attention to it whatsoever. During saddling, he was more worried about me going on his off side to load the gator-aid in my pack thing than he was about anything else. He is getting better and better. He was remarkably good considering that I haven't tried to saddle him in a couple of months!! On the trail, I had to get off to lead him over the first ditch as it had water running fast through it. Then, he and Matt were both reluctant to start into the tree lined trail. But once we got them going, they were great.

I noted that Dude is going strung out and heavy on the forehand and this is causing him to stumble when he starts to trot. I try to get him to collect some at the walk before he trots, but we were both rusty and out of practice and out of sync. I expect improvement for us both with more time in the saddle with Spring coming.

The thing I love about Dude is that he knows so many words in English. On the creek trail there are a lot of little ditches you have to cross that are running into the creek. At the first ditch as we approached I said "Dude, jump it" and his whole body responded and got ready and jumped. Boy, I was textbook not ready, though, holding on, pinching, behind and pulled his face. Poor fella! Good thing he's in a hackamore, although I'm sure that was not pleasant for him either. Daughter was coming behind us on Matt, of course -- she's been taking jumping lessons so she's way better than me. My form improved as we jumped about 10 times. Although I lost my stirrups a lot. Man, I was bad. Glad there were no video cameras around. It would have been a how not to jump video!

Dude was great. Of course he shook his head after I popped his face on the first jump, but he kept trying and giving me more chances to improve. Dude finds it so hard to train his human. Dude really liked having on shoes for the trail ride. At first he was avoiding the pea-gravel part of the road and then he figured out it didn't ouchy him anymore and liked trotting on it!

One last funny thing. I got my cordless clippers out to do Matt's bridle path and thought I would see if Dude was afraid of the sound of them. Surprise! He walked over to me and stuck out his chin to be clipped. He stood letting me trim under his hairy chin and almost went to sleep -- lulled by the buzz, I guess. You just never know with him!!!