hugs
Junior Member
Posts: 2,647 
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Post by hugs on Jan 24, 2015 2:56:34 GMT
Ramble on Shelly! Its tough to know what influences a horse's behavior, I know Peaches left two trainers scared of her :P One guy only lasted a week but you know, that's his fault, who on earth would expect to even get anywhere within a week?! Those are the people who think that they are going to do something with the horse by telling them what to do rather than first listening to who the horse is and how they take the cue and what they do with it and then go from there. You think horses don't know how to do this stuff? Of course they do, there isn't anything we're teaching them. What we're trying to do is to ask the horse to do what we want them to do when we ask. Would you want someone trying to get you to do something for them or would you want them to ask and if necessary show you what they want?
Well... you know
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Post by Shelly on Jan 24, 2015 3:07:52 GMT
I know with Stella and Chella the farm who had them before would whip the crap out of them. It was bad the first time I seen the guy ground drive them he had a lunge whip (without the rope part-- just all whip) and was whipping the crap out of their bums over and over again. They where both so scared and confused they just danced on the spot trying to figure out that that A**** HOLE wanted. It was rough. That was one of many moments.
Side note, I was 16, Called the SPCA and got that stupid man charged for animal abuse. I witnessed him abuse a lot of horses on that farm and the one day, he was dumb enough to leave a mark. I'll never forget that day. He took the team to do off property sleigh rides, started off with horrible horsemanship on his part, He made them trot and canter during all the sleigh rides for almost 7-8 hours straight. He loaded the exhausted horses into the horse trailer, calmly tied them up and started slashing them in the face with the metal end of a lead rope. I went home crying that night. I hated the people at that farm but my love for their horses made things even more difficult for me.
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Post by diamondgirl on Jan 24, 2015 5:14:32 GMT
I understand what you guys are saying about abuse. I suppose we all have to live with our own private hell, of the things we have seen. People who beat their horses make me sick. I understand you need to maintain respect, at all times, but respect between horse, and owner is earned, not beaten into them. To many good horses have been wasted, at the hands of cruel owners. I can only hope that over the rainbow bridge along side the fields of clear streams, and green grass, there is an arena, where once abused horses get to be in charge of a few training secessions, with their old abusive owners, teaching them how it feels to be beaten into compliance.  |
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Lipizzan
Junior Member
Europe, Croatia
Posts: 2,572
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Post by Lipizzan on Jan 24, 2015 7:36:11 GMT
Diamond I like what you wrote about horses over the rainbow being in charge. I wish it is like that also.
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hugs
Junior Member
Posts: 2,647
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Post by hugs on Jan 24, 2015 13:26:39 GMT
I totally get the supposed feeling of victory and vindication thinking of beating the crap out of cruel people. And I know the difference between them and us is that they beat when they feel like doing it and we don't. And I just wonder if there isn't another way to stop the abuse everywhere forever. We don't really have a good system for those sociopaths that can't be rehabilitated.
Gerald is all for capital punishment/putting them to death. I can't honestly be okay with that. He says its an economic issue, why pay out hundreds of thousands of dollars "storing" them. But I don't want to make a life or death decision on budgeting which is a lot different than the loving decisions we make not to make our animals go through surgery to try to sustain their life when putting them to sleep is the better choice.
No, I think we ought to make people more responsible for themselves and when we put them in rehabilitation or storage they ought to do the work to produce their food, recycle and process all of their "waste" products. They have no right to be supported by those of us who make good choices and don't end up in one of those programs. If they don't "pay" their way, they don't get. Period.
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Post by Shelly on Jan 24, 2015 14:30:18 GMT
I personally have peace with the outcome of this abuser. He was charged by the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and they made him attend clinics/ training on how to better himself and his training methods. From what I've heard, he's improved in his ways. I wasn't able to go back to the farm (frankly I don't want to, I got my horses out at least!) but some people who have volunteered there after me said he got batter and wasn't as rough. So really I'm happy with that but I know that not every case goes this way.
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Lipizzan
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Europe, Croatia
Posts: 2,572
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Post by Lipizzan on Jan 24, 2015 15:48:15 GMT
"Wolf will change his coat, but temper never"
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Post by Shelly on Jan 24, 2015 23:45:57 GMT
On an other note, I was able to upload one of the riding videos today from my ride with Sheldon in the indoor  We definitely still have a lot to work on! <3  |
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hugs
Junior Member
Posts: 2,647
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Post by hugs on Jan 25, 2015 0:43:38 GMT
My connection wasn't very good so the movie was all jerky and I KNOW that wasn't you two but I have no idea what you see that isn't good. I saw a woman who is a really good rider, balanced and sitting with her horse and at a pretty good speed too! Looked like you two were having fun.
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Post by Shelly on Jan 25, 2015 1:56:06 GMT
The thing I find that I really want to improve on (it will come with time, muscle and balance) is that Sheldon like to keep his head high and hollows his back and sorta balances himself on his front. I'm not too worried about it considering his age and the amount of time I've really spent training him but just something we need to work on I dunno I might be too hard on myself but because I'm a bigger rider I want to make sure my horse is using his back right to not hurt him  I felt bad when he jumped over the pole. I think next time I'll do a half seat to make sure I don't land on his back too hard. I'm always worried about that. |
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Post by diamondgirl on Jan 25, 2015 2:37:15 GMT
I liked the video. Pictures are great too, but the video was so much fun to watch. What a great place you have to ride in. Wow. You and Sheldon looked great.
I think Diamond likes to jump. I have put out some poles, maybe a foot off the ground and she seems to enjoy jumping over them. I don't think I have the guts to ride her over them though. I will just have to leave the jumping to you and Sheldon. |
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hugs
Junior Member
Posts: 2,647
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Post by hugs on Jan 25, 2015 13:54:35 GMT
Diamond, for what its worth, when I was a little girl and more sitting a horse than riding, Belita jumped over a little stick she could have just as well walked over. And it wasn't jarring or unbalancing and I suppose because she didn't have to jump to high the force coming down on her front legs wasn't a big deal either, at least not like those Rolex rides we all see. I worry about those horses more than what we do.
Shelly, what kind of exercises would you ask of a horse to show them to come up under themselves rather than hollow out? I read about different bits and the way they speak to the horse, flexing at the poll and all of that, mysterious, do you know about that?
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Post by Shelly on Jan 27, 2015 4:05:15 GMT
Right now I'm riding sheldon in a big fat rubber happy mouth, I had him in a rubber frenchlink but my coach suggested something he could play with or chew a bit more. She suggested the rubber happy mouth or a metal coper roller he could play with so I opted for the Rubber so it's nice and soft for him and I think he likes this one. As for exercises I was planning on just getting him to do more lateral work (leg yielding, circles, getting him to move on and off the leg). We really haven't worked on much lateral work at any great length yet. At home I'll practice making circles bigger and smaller using my legs and such but I'm just hoping it's something that will come with time. As he gets more muscle and balance I'm hoping everything else will just fall into place. Baby steps. I've also started lunging him with a surcingle and bridle but I haven't put side reins on him yet. I'm actually going to share an other video of that ride Just because now that I spotted it, I am super proud! OK so in this video we are cantering. I pick up my canter in the one corner and Sheldon was on the wrong lead (At this point I've been focusing on keeping him at the canter and not so much his leads). If you look closely when we are at the far end, right before we get to the man door Sheldon does a flying lead!!!! Definitely not something I expect him to be doing at this point that's for sure!! Ah my horse amazes me <3 www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FfXFpsX7ZY&feature=youtu.be  mini-graphics-valentine-302830 |
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Lipizzan
Junior Member
Europe, Croatia
Posts: 2,572
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Post by Lipizzan on Jan 27, 2015 8:44:51 GMT
You two look good Shally. I like his calm temper. He sure looks like he is listening to you, and you make a good team together :-)
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hugs
Junior Member
Posts: 2,647
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Post by hugs on Jan 27, 2015 12:27:45 GMT
a blue cutie on her spotted pony 8D
that was really nice wasn't it. Sheldon wants to be more comfortable and do what you ask and so he figured it out on his own. THAT is what is so absolutely wonderful about your horse, he wants to please you and that's what he's thinking about. That is stunning to me, that is amazing to me. I can see it sometimes with Peaches but I'm pretty sure I don't appreciate it as much as I can see it here and understand it with what you've said about your relationship with your horse. Thank you for the opening to maybe see that in my own horse relationships.
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Terry
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Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on Jan 28, 2015 1:41:45 GMT
Thanks for the videos, Shelly. I really enjoyed watching them. You and Sheldon are looking great together! 
Maybe it's just me, and maybe I'm just weird, but I got a little chuckle and thought it was so cute the way Sheldon flopped his tail completely up over his butt when he was pooping while you were riding. My horses just lift their tails, but he flopped his completely up onto his back.  Like I said, maybe I'm weird (ok, I know I'm a little weird  ), but it was cute.
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hugs
Junior Member
Posts: 2,647
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Post by hugs on Jan 28, 2015 2:06:14 GMT
A fastidious pooper, but he pretty much kept moving, which I thought was endearing
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Post by diamondgirl on Jan 28, 2015 3:09:28 GMT
I giggled a bit at the tail flip too. Such a cutie. |
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Post by Shelly on Jan 28, 2015 22:42:18 GMT
Ya it's really weird I've never seen him do that tail flip before I watched these videos and he does it a lot in them!!! It is kinda odd.. LOL what a weirdo my little Sheldon is haha  One thing I am thankful for though is that he doesn't stop to poop! I've never had to fight with him for that one and it makes me happy he can "go" on the go. LOL on an other note, today I had a lesson today finally getting back on track with my weekly lesson routine! Definitely felt a lot better jumping today, started to break in my new half chaps today too.. Definitely loving them! Zoe was a really good girl even though she was Miss Cranky pants to tack and almost got into a kicking/bucking war with an other one of the horses in the lesson while we were riding. She's so sensitive when it comes to riding by other horses. It was nice though today our course was about 2'3 with some oxers. Slowly getting my confidence back on her for jumping. Zoe has a very odd jump and tends to through me forward as we land really badly. Over the summer I was riding Nia (she's an amazing ex hunter/jumper horse). Nia was so amazing at what she did as specially with all the experience she had she really carried me through a lot and her jump was just incredible. So with Nia we where jumping 2'6-2'9 courses with ease but I'm now just getting my confidence back with Zoe. The one lesson we had the jumps up to 2'9 ish (maybe a bit small) and Zoe kept refusing with me (i didn't fall thank goodness) but the jumps had to be lowered and then we where successful in the gymnastic. I dunno, just so far since I started lessons I've fallen off Zoe twice and both times was during courses so I guess I'm a little insecure with that. After today though I feel like I have a lot more confidence on her and I could see us moving up soon -- but I'm in no rush! Hopefully I can start trailering Sheldon in more for lesson and get him going better. That's the real goal But in order for me to be confident with Sheldon I need to be confident with myself |
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hugs
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Post by hugs on Jan 29, 2015 1:42:00 GMT
May as well ask, what's an oxer? I could google it but this is more friendly ;)
No one is going to say a thing about you feeling under confident with a horse that you've fallen off of twice because she wasn't totally "into" the program. Seems pretty brave of you to jump over the tall ones at all but I guess because you know what you're doing, you trust your horse and the horse is into it and isn't a "cranky pants". Any reason you have to ride Miss Cranky Pants? Seems smart of you to not push her past her comfort zone, very smart!
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I felt bad when he jumped over the pole. I think next time I'll do a half seat to make sure I don't land on his back too hard. I'm always worried about that.
mini-graphics-valentine-302830
Like I said, maybe I'm weird (ok, I know I'm a little weird 
), but it was cute. 