Well it has been an eventful few weeks for Faithy-poo.
As Tilly had to be on box rest because of her lami attack, Faith had to get used to going out in the field on her own. Fortunately we have been able to leave the yard gates open, so that Faith could potter in and out of the yard and field as she likes, and Tilly still got a bit of company now and again.
So Faith has started to become a little more independent, and was quite happy to graze alone in the field as long as she knew she could pop back into the yard to see Tilly when she wanted.
We have also been doing some training with a spray bottle and some water, and she will now happily be sprayed all over, which makes things like applying conditioner/fly spray/ wound spray so much easier.
Our next little project is to work on being able to hose her down. Wish me luck!
Monday 4 July 2011
Wednesday 27 April 2011
Faith has a Guardian Angel
This bank holiday weekend, we finally got around to setting up the Paddock Paradise track again. I was so pleased to do this, as I think it is a wonderful system, and the horses are never more healthy and happy than when they are on it.
So yesterday morning I turned the girls out, and showed them that the track into the ‘firing range’ field was now open.
Unfortunately, i had completely forgotten about the small herd of goats that my neighbout is now grazing in her dog paddocks next to the track that goes into the firing range field. As Faith cantered past the fence, she spotted the goats and took fright, and ran straight into the internal electric fence of the PP system. The fence was on at the time, and as she came in contact with it, she tried to leap it, didn’t quite make it, and got tangled up. I was about 100 yards away at this point, and all I could see was Faith leaping three times in the air like a stag, to the accompanying sound of wooden fence posts snapping. On the third leap, she ran out of slack, and got pulled to the ground. I felt so sick.
By the time I got to the entrance of the field, she had somehow untangled herself, and was standing up looking for Tilly. I spent the next hour dismantling the track, and getting the girls back into their original field. I briefly got the chance to examine Faith, and there didn’t seem to be a mark on her, but she was too worked up to stand still enough to let me get a proper look.
So the girls spent the day in their original paddock, and Ipopped out every hour or so just to check that all was generally well. However, it wasn’t until Mum came across to sit with the boys in the evening, that I got the chance to get the girls in and give Faith a thorough examination. Miraculously, apart from a few small rope burns, she was fine.
I don’t doubt that Faith had an angel looking after her yesterday. The sight of her running into that fence and getting tangled was just one of the most sickening things I have ever seen. Needless to say, I shall be waiting until the herd of goats return home before I think about opening up the PP track again.
So yesterday morning I turned the girls out, and showed them that the track into the ‘firing range’ field was now open.
Unfortunately, i had completely forgotten about the small herd of goats that my neighbout is now grazing in her dog paddocks next to the track that goes into the firing range field. As Faith cantered past the fence, she spotted the goats and took fright, and ran straight into the internal electric fence of the PP system. The fence was on at the time, and as she came in contact with it, she tried to leap it, didn’t quite make it, and got tangled up. I was about 100 yards away at this point, and all I could see was Faith leaping three times in the air like a stag, to the accompanying sound of wooden fence posts snapping. On the third leap, she ran out of slack, and got pulled to the ground. I felt so sick.
By the time I got to the entrance of the field, she had somehow untangled herself, and was standing up looking for Tilly. I spent the next hour dismantling the track, and getting the girls back into their original field. I briefly got the chance to examine Faith, and there didn’t seem to be a mark on her, but she was too worked up to stand still enough to let me get a proper look.
So the girls spent the day in their original paddock, and Ipopped out every hour or so just to check that all was generally well. However, it wasn’t until Mum came across to sit with the boys in the evening, that I got the chance to get the girls in and give Faith a thorough examination. Miraculously, apart from a few small rope burns, she was fine.
I don’t doubt that Faith had an angel looking after her yesterday. The sight of her running into that fence and getting tangled was just one of the most sickening things I have ever seen. Needless to say, I shall be waiting until the herd of goats return home before I think about opening up the PP track again.
Tuesday 19 April 2011
A different context....
We started off last night’s session by working on Faith’s separation anxiety. I walked Tilly in and out of the yard, and each time we left, spent a few minutes doing some in- hand work out of sight in the field, before returning to the yard again. Even though we haven’t been working on this for very long, Faith is already showing signs of being much more settled. Last night’s session was the longest we have done yet, and Faith was not box walking, and despite the warm evening, for the first time showed absolutely no signs of sweating up at all. There were a few neighs, and she seems to have a telescopic neck that helps to improve her view from the stable, but other than that, she was pretty calm.
A few months ago, I was dallying with the idea of starting ‘matwork’ with Faith. However, fairly soon after the purchase of a small rubber doormat, I decided for various reasons that matwork wasn’t really for us, and said item has sat in the tack room, gathering dust ever since.
However, I have recently decided that it would be helpful to work on building Faith’s confidence with putting her feet on different things. So to that end, the mat has been dragged from obscurity, and we have been having a play with it on the yard.
In the first instance, in a fit of having completely unrealistic expectations, I put the mat on the floor, and asked Faith to target it. To be fair, she did get within about half an inch of it with her nose, and scooted past it a couple of times. Clearly though, it looked to her like a gaping chasm had just opened up in the yard, and given the fact that she will still baulk at the thought of stepping over a very shallow drainage ditch, I don’t quite know what I was thinking in trying to get her to step on a doormat. Cue much slapping of forehead!
So I picked it up, and held it, and we did some targetting with it. No problem, Faith likes this game. In fact the targetting reached an absolute frenzy when Tilly got involved over the stable door, and the two girls got quite competitive over targetting the mat!
So then I decided to get Faith to target it nearer and nearer the ground. This worked really well, until I let go of the mat, and that was just a step too far for her. So we went back a few steps, and targetted it with me holding it while it was on the floor, and left it at that. It just goes to show though, that it is not the object itself that is the problem, it is the context that the object is in that can often raise difficulties. Faith doesn’t have a problem with mats per se, she just doesn’t like “mats lying on the ground looking like a horse eating hole” which is perfectly understandable!
I think the fact that it is black doesn’t help, so I might invest in a hessian, or raffia one as well. Hmmmm.
A few months ago, I was dallying with the idea of starting ‘matwork’ with Faith. However, fairly soon after the purchase of a small rubber doormat, I decided for various reasons that matwork wasn’t really for us, and said item has sat in the tack room, gathering dust ever since.
However, I have recently decided that it would be helpful to work on building Faith’s confidence with putting her feet on different things. So to that end, the mat has been dragged from obscurity, and we have been having a play with it on the yard.
In the first instance, in a fit of having completely unrealistic expectations, I put the mat on the floor, and asked Faith to target it. To be fair, she did get within about half an inch of it with her nose, and scooted past it a couple of times. Clearly though, it looked to her like a gaping chasm had just opened up in the yard, and given the fact that she will still baulk at the thought of stepping over a very shallow drainage ditch, I don’t quite know what I was thinking in trying to get her to step on a doormat. Cue much slapping of forehead!
So I picked it up, and held it, and we did some targetting with it. No problem, Faith likes this game. In fact the targetting reached an absolute frenzy when Tilly got involved over the stable door, and the two girls got quite competitive over targetting the mat!
So then I decided to get Faith to target it nearer and nearer the ground. This worked really well, until I let go of the mat, and that was just a step too far for her. So we went back a few steps, and targetted it with me holding it while it was on the floor, and left it at that. It just goes to show though, that it is not the object itself that is the problem, it is the context that the object is in that can often raise difficulties. Faith doesn’t have a problem with mats per se, she just doesn’t like “mats lying on the ground looking like a horse eating hole” which is perfectly understandable!
I think the fact that it is black doesn’t help, so I might invest in a hessian, or raffia one as well. Hmmmm.
Friday 25 March 2011
Back to work....
Not Faith, obviously, nor me (God forbid!), but poor old Tilly. After having the best part of a year off work due to my pregnancy, the poor old girl is facing being conscripted once again into the world of honest labour, hauling my fat butt around the place.
Now obviously this will mean that Faith will have to face being in either the field or the stable on her own, now that Tommy is no longer with us. Now I’m quite sure that Faith would be absolutely fine in the field on her own if I was working with Tilly in the school, because the school adjoins both paddocks, so there would only be a fence between us.
However, if I wanted to take Tilly out on a hack, or if I wanted to keep Faith in the stable while Tilly and I were in the school, then obviously we would be out of sight, and I need to know that Faith would be OK with that. I could of course keep her out in the field on her own while Tilly and I were out and about. This would mean that she would still be able to see my neighbours horses who are two fields away. In theory this should help lessen her anxiety, but having said that, it didn’t seem very soothing to Tommy who injured himself badly in that same situation. So badly in fact that he was never sound again. Now it should go without saying that if Faith injured herself tomorrow and could never be ridden, she would still have a home with me for life, and be loved every bit as much as ever. But still, I’d rather she didn’t hurt herself. Also I think it is important that she should be able to stay in the stable by herself and not worry about it, as who knows what scenarios may arise in the future.
So with all this in mind, as well as the fact that Tilly is not in any physical condition to begin proper ‘work’ right now, I thought I would combine Tilly’s gradual re-introduction to ridden exercise, with helping Faith overcome her seperation anxiety.
So this evening I tacked Tilly up, mounted and just stood next to Faith’s stable for a minute or so. I then rode Tilly through the barn and into the back field, keeping within Faith’s line of sight at all times. Before Faith could get too worried, we turned and came back in and stood next to her stable. We repeated this about six or seven times over the next fifteen minutes or so, staying withing Faith’s line of sight the whole time, but not going back into the yard until she was standing calmly in her stable. After the seventh time, we left it at that.
So the plan is to progress like this in tiny increments, always staying within Faith’s line of sight. When she is happy with us being out in the field for a reasonable amount of time within her sight, then we will start disappearing from her view a second at a time. Obviously if anyone has any other suggestions as to how we should progress, all ideas are gratefully received!
Now obviously this will mean that Faith will have to face being in either the field or the stable on her own, now that Tommy is no longer with us. Now I’m quite sure that Faith would be absolutely fine in the field on her own if I was working with Tilly in the school, because the school adjoins both paddocks, so there would only be a fence between us.
However, if I wanted to take Tilly out on a hack, or if I wanted to keep Faith in the stable while Tilly and I were in the school, then obviously we would be out of sight, and I need to know that Faith would be OK with that. I could of course keep her out in the field on her own while Tilly and I were out and about. This would mean that she would still be able to see my neighbours horses who are two fields away. In theory this should help lessen her anxiety, but having said that, it didn’t seem very soothing to Tommy who injured himself badly in that same situation. So badly in fact that he was never sound again. Now it should go without saying that if Faith injured herself tomorrow and could never be ridden, she would still have a home with me for life, and be loved every bit as much as ever. But still, I’d rather she didn’t hurt herself. Also I think it is important that she should be able to stay in the stable by herself and not worry about it, as who knows what scenarios may arise in the future.
So with all this in mind, as well as the fact that Tilly is not in any physical condition to begin proper ‘work’ right now, I thought I would combine Tilly’s gradual re-introduction to ridden exercise, with helping Faith overcome her seperation anxiety.
So this evening I tacked Tilly up, mounted and just stood next to Faith’s stable for a minute or so. I then rode Tilly through the barn and into the back field, keeping within Faith’s line of sight at all times. Before Faith could get too worried, we turned and came back in and stood next to her stable. We repeated this about six or seven times over the next fifteen minutes or so, staying withing Faith’s line of sight the whole time, but not going back into the yard until she was standing calmly in her stable. After the seventh time, we left it at that.
So the plan is to progress like this in tiny increments, always staying within Faith’s line of sight. When she is happy with us being out in the field for a reasonable amount of time within her sight, then we will start disappearing from her view a second at a time. Obviously if anyone has any other suggestions as to how we should progress, all ideas are gratefully received!
Thursday 24 March 2011
Getting back into the swing....
This was the third beautiful evening that I have been able to get Faith out on to the yard again, and this evening she was visibly more relaxed.
We had a lovely groom, and as I managed to get about half a gallon of conditioner into her mane yesterday, having that brushed through was a more pleasant experience for both of us, and took considerably less time than it normally does. She was also brilliant having all her feet picked up and handled.
Nobody got any electric shocks this evening, although I still can’t work out what the trigger is.
Up until this evening Faith has not crossed the ‘drain of doom’ , even though the yard has been perfectly dry. However, this evening I wondered across to the other side of the yard to get something, and lo and behold Faith followed me! When she decided to go it alone back in the opposite direction however, she felt it necessary to execute an enormous leap over the drain, and nearly crashed into the wall of the stable block on the other side!
My neighbour happened to be exercising her youngster in our hayfield, and her companion mare was going ballistic in her paddock, hooning around and neighing her head off. Faith suddenly became very alert at this point, and grew to about 18hh. I stepped back from her, expecting her to rush towards the yard gate, but she just stood like a very impressive statue staring at the little mare running around the field. I went over and stood by Faith’s shoulder and just started scratching her withers and neck, and within seconds she visibly relaxed, and I clicked and treated every time her head dropped and her muscles relaxed.
I was even more pleased when I asked her to walk away from the spectacle, and follow me into her stable, which she did without a moment’s hesitation. So I gave her her jackpot, and left it at that.
We had a lovely groom, and as I managed to get about half a gallon of conditioner into her mane yesterday, having that brushed through was a more pleasant experience for both of us, and took considerably less time than it normally does. She was also brilliant having all her feet picked up and handled.
Nobody got any electric shocks this evening, although I still can’t work out what the trigger is.
Up until this evening Faith has not crossed the ‘drain of doom’ , even though the yard has been perfectly dry. However, this evening I wondered across to the other side of the yard to get something, and lo and behold Faith followed me! When she decided to go it alone back in the opposite direction however, she felt it necessary to execute an enormous leap over the drain, and nearly crashed into the wall of the stable block on the other side!
My neighbour happened to be exercising her youngster in our hayfield, and her companion mare was going ballistic in her paddock, hooning around and neighing her head off. Faith suddenly became very alert at this point, and grew to about 18hh. I stepped back from her, expecting her to rush towards the yard gate, but she just stood like a very impressive statue staring at the little mare running around the field. I went over and stood by Faith’s shoulder and just started scratching her withers and neck, and within seconds she visibly relaxed, and I clicked and treated every time her head dropped and her muscles relaxed.
I was even more pleased when I asked her to walk away from the spectacle, and follow me into her stable, which she did without a moment’s hesitation. So I gave her her jackpot, and left it at that.
Friday 18 March 2011
A Shocking Experience!
Just a quick update from me, as Faith and I haven't really been doing anything very exciting.
We have however, encountered a bit of a hitch with our clicker training. Faith and I keep giving each other electric shocks!
This has never happened to me with any other horse, nor does it seem to correspond to what I happen to be wearing, and Faith is always naked anyway. My brushes are made of natural bristles, so it can't be them.
So every once in a while I click and go to give Faith a treat, but instead end up giving her a massive static shock. The poor girl is becoming very suspicious of me indeed, and I am slightly worried that this is going to have an adverse effect on our training. Some people have suggested to me that I wipe her all over with a tumble dryer sheet first. It may not work, but at least she will smell nice!
If anyone else has encountered this problem and found a solution, both Faith and I would be extremely grateful!
We have however, encountered a bit of a hitch with our clicker training. Faith and I keep giving each other electric shocks!
This has never happened to me with any other horse, nor does it seem to correspond to what I happen to be wearing, and Faith is always naked anyway. My brushes are made of natural bristles, so it can't be them.
So every once in a while I click and go to give Faith a treat, but instead end up giving her a massive static shock. The poor girl is becoming very suspicious of me indeed, and I am slightly worried that this is going to have an adverse effect on our training. Some people have suggested to me that I wipe her all over with a tumble dryer sheet first. It may not work, but at least she will smell nice!
If anyone else has encountered this problem and found a solution, both Faith and I would be extremely grateful!
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