finding a horse trainer

[patandchickens]

And just having the t-post caps on makes the t-posts a lot safer even if you *don't* put hotwire or electric tape on them (although, since they're right there *ready for* it, it is awfully easy to and would be a big improvement). You just wham 'em on with a couple hammer taps, it is totally not a big festival of tool use

Quote:
That's a good heads-up, but remember that:

a) you could install the ground rods NOW, just leave them there til whenever you start using a charger (hopefully soon);

b) if your ground doesn't freeze so deep that electric fence is frankly kinda useless in winter anyhow, and you have some t-posts driven a couple feet deep, I have seen it work successfully to use about half a dozen t-posts (in series) as your grounds, just using those t-posts your fence itself is made with (this is kinda temporary as it's hard to get a really LASTING good electrical contact with them, but as I say, I've seen it work remarkably adequately)

and/or

c) you can initially install your electric fence as pos-neutral instead of the traditional pos-ground, which requires no ground rod at all and will work no matter how frozen the ground is. Only catch is that it doesn't work quite as well as a traditional pos-ground installation b/c the animal has to simultaneously touch *both* the hotwire *and* the neutral (ground) wire... so a little nudge with the nosie may not zap... but actually leaning on the fence *will*, and after a horse does that they tend to keep their nudgey nosies away too

Pat

 

[BlackBart]

Quote:
Good advice
Lots of people think they are horse trainers, very few actually are.

One thing I could add is if it is a boarding type place ask the other boarders about the trainer.
My friend did this with one trainer she was thinking of using and got a weird vibe from the boarders and changed her mind. She is glad she did.
Beautiful facility, but the training methods were quite questionable and this trainer came recommended.
BUT if the person who recommended this trainer had ever showed up unannounced, she would have seen what the boarders were seeing. Results at any cost.
Punching a horse in the head, whipping them or kicking them, in my opinion is not a training method.

 

[michickenwrangler]

Quote:
Do you have schematic or a link to a system like this? Because when I set up my portable, I usually have a heckuva time getting my ground rod in.

 

[verthandi]

You guys might laugh. But if she isn't going to get the electric in right off, the tops off most liquid laundry detergent bottles fit the tops of T posts perfectly. I use them anywhere that I have non-electic fence...chicken runs and such.

 

[michickenwrangler]

I've seen some posts topped with tennis balls.

 

[Skittlez]

I replied to your post in the beginning, but after having it picked apart, I have just been reading. Even though I said about the same thing as some others. So, here is my 2 cents for what its worth

One thing you will learn real fast is horse owners have huge opinions. Some get a little more heated than others. Try to read between the lines and don't worry about the emotional part. Every horse owner has good knowledge, but we all have different knowledge. You need to pick and choose what you think is best for your horse. Only you know what she feels and how she thinks.

We have the fence thing covered. We all agree, get rid of the barb wire as soon as you are able. Cover your tposts, run a line of electric. Now on to other stuff

Your filly is young and still growing. She is not likely to be overfed unless it is with grain. A good grass hay can be fed in larger amounts and not cause weight issues like alfalfa. Alfalfa is very rich and should be monitored. If she was my horse this time of year she would be getting 3 flakes per feeding twice a day. 4 flakes per feeding when it gets below 15F, more if below zero. She may not eat all of that at one time, she will go back and clean up what she has left through out the day. My rule of thumb is (what works for me and my horses) is feed more and if it has not all been eaten by the next meal, feed 1/2 flake less. Do that untill she is cleaning up all her hay between meals, but still has enough to nibble on through out the day. Horses are grazers and this will give her something to do and keep her mentally happy. She will behave better if she is not waiting for her next meal. Bump up her hay, it will also keep her warmer and her winter coat will thicken up. She may not be being worked right now, but her body is still burning her hay to produce body heat, so chances of her getting too fat are slim. The colder it is the more fat they burn to keep warm. Cracked corn is a good heat builder. I would by a dry pelleted complete feed and add a small amount of cracked corn if you want to save on hay. I would be feeding her 6-8 lbs of complete feed split into two portions. 3-4 lbs per feeding. A large plastic scoop with coomplete feed weighs about 3 lbs. So that is only 1-1 1/2 scoop of feed with 1/4-1/2 scoop cracked corn twice a day. Start her out with 1/2 scoop of mixed and work your way up to full portion gradually. That is really not that much and will do her good to keep warm. Always make sure she has fresh water, horses still drink a lot of water in the winter. Rolled oats are passed more in the manure than digested, try cracked oats if you need mixed with the corn and pellets. She really does not need the oats though if you are feeding a complete feed pellet. It would be a waste of money. My 27 yr old saddlebred is great on 4 pounds complete feed with 4 flakes hay twice day. My paint mare is chubby. She gets 1 pound pellets with 3 flakes hay twice day. My ponies, no pellets and 1 flake each twice day. None are worked right now. All are happy

If she is pushy at feeding time, teach her how to back up. You have a bubble of space around you and she should never enter that bubble unless asked. My paint mare will get very pushy over grain. I put my arms up and wave them and say back back back in a very stern voice and step toward her until she backs away. If your filly tries to kick at you, or comes at you, a good whap with a flat crop on the butt or shoulder will get her attention and not hurt her or leave any marks. It is for your safety. I am not saying go hog wild and put a beat down on her, but a well timed, well place whap does work. It hurts their feeling more than anything. My mare is not allowed to eat her grain untill she can walk to me slowly and calmly. I send her away each time she barges, pins ears, or tries to be the boss. She will run away and buck and snort, but that is ok. That is her way of having her little fit and she is not in my space when she does it. When she comes to me slowly, calmly and her head down, I step away from her dish and invite her in to eat. The first time you whap your filly she might try to get aggressive, so watch those feet and teeth and learn how to be bigger than she is. If she is too aggressive at feeding, simple take her food and walk away ( before you actually enter the paddock) Come back in 2 min and try again. Repeat as often as nessesary. Only give her her food if she is calm. If you have the patience, she will soon realize bad behavior means food goes bye bye. Calm behavior means dinner time.

Rearing is tricky. This should resolve fairly easy once you get her on a little more food and only let her eat when she is calm. If she rears when you have food, take the food away, come back in a few min and try again. I would definetly read some good books on behavior. Cherry Hill is a good author and covers a lot of issues. When my Arab colt reared, I pushed him over and he fell down. He never did it again. He was like, whoa, not what I was looking for. If he reared with the lead on while we were walking, I would pull his head around to his butt to unbalance him. It takes strength and quickness. You have about 3 seconds to make an effective correction. Once you figure out in your mind you are the boss, your filly won't be quite so scarey. Don't feel bad about putting your filly back into her place. You can not possibly hurt her with scarey waving arms, or a whap with a flat crop, or a deep growly voice. If these things don't work, then someone with unbreakable confidence can come over and help you.

A mentor is a great idea. An instructor or a trainer may be willing to come to your place and help you. There is no reason someone can not be hired to come to you and show you how to work with your horse. It will not confuse her. Not all trainers just train to ride. In my opinion a good trainer will either say yes and help, or they will say no, I don't do that. They should be up front about it. A good trainer will not leave marks on your filly, but they will discipline. It may look harsh, but it is really not if done the right way. A good trainer will let you see their facilities and come during business hours. They will also give you refrences, name of vet and farrier. They will let you look at the other horses in traing and show your the quality of their food. If they don't do these things, then pass them up. Not all trainers are at shows and too busy for their clients. If they are too busy for you, they are too busy to work your horse properly. Don't waste your money on a snobby trainer no matter how world known they are. You are looking for help, not a show champion trained filly. There is a difference.

Remember, every time you interact with your filly, your teaching her something. So, join other horse forums, read some books, talk to people at the feed store, just keep asking questions. That is how we all started out. If you are doing something and not getting the results you need, change it. But do give it adequate time to see results. Don't change your style daily. Try something for 2 weeks, unless a dangerous behavior pops up, then you can change right then and there.

Wormer is different for different time of year. Not all worms are dormant in winter. Blood worm breed proliflically during the coldest weather. Almost lost my colt to blood worms his first year and he was on a solid worming rotation. But my wormer was not killing the blood worms. Ivermectine GOLD is good for the winter. It will kill blood worms too.

I am sorry this is so long, but I hope I have answered some of your questions. From one horse owner to another, Keep up the good work at trying to do the right thing and getting educated. That is very comendable in my book and don't get to worked up over opinions. Take a deep breath and say "This too shall pass". So, bump up her feed, ammend the fence, and give it some time.

It will be ok.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Do you have schematic or a link to a system like this? Because when I set up my portable, I usually have a heckuva time getting my ground rod in.

instead of the fence charger's ground terminal being connected to ground rods, you connect the fencer's ground terminal to a wire on the fence that runs close enough to the hotwire that an animal may plausibly touch both at once but not *so* close you have problems with shorting or inductive loss. In some cases a wire mesh fence can be used as the neutral (that is connected to the fencer's ground terminal), more often you'd run an actual separate wire or wires. They don't have to be on insulators.

Go to www.premier1supplies.com (hopefully I have the url right there) and hunt around their site if you want more detail or an actual schematic.

Pat

 

[michickenwrangler]

Quote:
Do you have schematic or a link to a system like this? Because when I set up my portable, I usually have a heckuva time getting my ground rod in.

instead of the fence charger's ground terminal being connected to ground rods, you connect the fencer's ground terminal to a wire on the fence that runs close enough to the hotwire that an animal may plausibly touch both at once but not *so* close you have problems with shorting or inductive loss. In some cases a wire mesh fence can be used as the neutral (that is connected to the fencer's ground terminal), more often you'd run an actual separate wire or wires. They don't have to be on insulators.

Go to www.premier1supplies.com (hopefully I have the url right there) and hunt around their site if you want more detail or an actual schematic.

Pat

Thanks!

 

[arabianequine]

Thank you to those being kind and encouraging it is much appreciated, as well as your advice and polite way of saying it.

Skittlez I know you did post before and wanted more info like you originally posted it is very helpful. Most of this basic info the last trainer offered. I did see him work with my filly and other horses prior to leaving her. A lot of horse people out there all the time.

I did find a couple mentors off the AHA so I hope one of them will work out. I will get in touch with them soon.

@ patandchickens thank you for that link I will take a look at that too.

 

[arabianequine]

Over the last couple day I have started giving a flake between meals and my filly seems more willing to let me touch her now at feeding times not so desperate for the food. She actually wants me too she was eating last night and follow me with a mouth full of food and then go back and get more. Before she would lean over the shelter where I and the feed is for a quick second and when I went to touch her face neck to pet her she would jerk her head away throw it up in the air so I could not touch her. She is getting about 5 flakes a day now.....best I can tell is about 20 pounds to 25 pounds of hay (used a personal inside scale with me on it and the hay in a plastic bag then I subtracted my weight). I think before she was getting about 10 to 20 pounds. In the am she is still a bit nasty cause it is a longer stretch with out food. I think this is helping her though. I still worry it is too much food for her. I don't want her to get too fat. Arabs are small. She eats everything I put out when I put it out. It is gone within 1-2 hours. She does not leave till she eats it all. My bales of grass hay are 100 pound bales and each flake (what I call a flake) is 4 inches about 4-5 pounds each. I was giving her 3 flakes before the last couple days since gotten chilly out. All spring and summer typically just the 2 flakes. Her belly seems huge. I will be giving her wormer this week my calendar says she is due.