Starlight’s Training Adventure!

[Skye'sDucks]

I couldn't quite figure out how to do that braid in her mane, but I looked up some interesting braids and decided to try the diamond braid. View attachment 1689229View attachment 1689230
It took me about 30 minutes and Star was so patient with me.

How beautiful! Yeah, that one does look pretty hard to do. I've never tried braiding anything else but a normal braid so I certainly couldn't do it. Didn't know about you though. I like the diamond braid though!

I was gonna say make sure to desensitize that scary bag if you hadn't done it already, ha! There's a lesson horse (my favorite one actually) who is TERRIFIED of plastic bags at my stables. Apparently when they first got him, a bag rustled by him, and he tore out the cross ties and ran off!

 

[Cadence A Waller]

How beautiful! Yeah, that one does look pretty hard to do. I've never tried braiding anything else but a normal braid so I certainly couldn't do it. Didn't know about you though. I like the diamond braid though!

I was gonna say make sure to desensitize that scary bag if you hadn't done it already, ha! There's a lesson horse (my favorite one actually) who is TERRIFIED of plastic bags at my stables. Apparently when they first got him, a bag rustled by him, and he tore out the cross ties and ran off!

Wow! Definitely will desensitize to the bag!

 

[Cadence A Waller]

There's a lesson horse (my favorite one actually) who is TERRIFIED of plastic bags at my stables. Apparently when they first got him, a bag rustled by him, and he tore out the cross ties and ran off!

Everyone knows that plastic bags eat horses!

 

[OneTwoMany]

If you are looking for good things to teach your young horse, leading at the walk/trot/halt/back is a good prerequisite for lunging. Be VERY careful lunging a baby; it can be quite hard of tendons and those growing bones.

That being said, all of my youngsters need to know basic young horse manners; stand tied, load and unload into a trailer (always have trailer hooked to a vehicle when loading or even trying to it), stand quietly for vet and farrier, basic showmanship or in hand ("walk on", "whoa", "trot", "back"), yielding shoulders and haunches, etc.

I never let the youngsters into my personal space or get mouthy. What is cute now is much less cute when the horse is 1200#. Remember that any 'cute tricks' you teach will show up at inopportune times.

Foal to 5 Years is a good book
Foal To Five Years https://www.amazon.com/dp/0706371208/?tag=backy-20

And if you are ready for more advanced concepts Ingrid Klimke has a good young horse book.

 

[chickens really]

With my Horses I walk them over tarps. I make a mess on the ground with pop cans and plastic bags that they have to walk through too. Sure helps. I ties plastic bags on my fence to blow in the wind even when not training.
Star is absolutely adorable...

 

[Cadence A Waller]

With my Horses I walk them over tarps. I make a mess on the ground with pop cans and plastic bags that they have to walk through too. Sure helps. I ties plastic bags on my fence to blow in the wind even when not training.
Star is absolutely adorable...

Wow! Your horses must be so well trained! I am going to go find some plastic bags to tie on to my fences!

 

[Cadence A Waller]

This evening's training session with Star just showed me that she is getting better!

I was leading her around and she was walking every calmly, then unexpectedly a car drove up the driveway. She trotted in a circle around me and snorted. We did this quite a few times but eventually she was able to turn her back to the drive way and walk on! (Yes, I will be desensitizing her to cars, bikes, etc.)

I know that this reaction would not usually be something to be proud of, but if that car would have done that a month ago she would have reared, bucked, and taken off... with or without me. So the fact that all she did was trot a little circle around me feels like a great accomplishment!

 

[Skye'sDucks]

That's great to hear! So glad Star is doing better with desensitization!

Thinking about it, it sometimes is easy to forget we have to train these horses not to be scared of a lot of things, especially when we have already-trained horses who are desensitized and used to things like cars or other normal day stuff.

It's fun to hear about Star's progress!

 

[Cadence A Waller]

That's great to hear! So glad Star is doing better with desensitization!

Thinking about it, it sometimes is easy to forget we have to train these horses not to be scared of a lot of things, especially when we have already-trained horses who are desensitized and used to things like cars or other normal day stuff.

It's fun to hear about Star's progress!

Thanks! Sometimes people don't understand how much work go into the basics. It is an amazing thing to watch her grow in her training!

 

[Skye'sDucks]

I know!

Talking about basics, my trainer has a foal coming from one of our lesson horses this summer...I think in April? I'm so excited! I only go once a week for a lesson...but maybe I'll have to go out there a weekend or two to see the cutie when its born...