Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466 
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Post by Terry on May 23, 2015 3:01:56 GMT
I recently had another idea about something to work on desensitizing my horses to - a balloon! My granddaughter brought one out to the barn with her this past weekend, so they all got a brief introduction to balloons that day, but today I took it bit farther. I had hubby pick one up from the store for me and I took it out into the paddock. At first the girls were all a bit hesitant and nervous about it, but curiosity slowly got the best of them. 
Sis started playing with the balloon. 
Sis wearing the balloon. 
Zena wearing the balloon. 
Pocket was still pretty nervous about the balloon and was no where near ready to wear it, but by the time I stopped for the day she was at least sniffing it, lipping it, and even trying to lick it! 
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Lipizzan
Junior Member
Europe, Croatia
Posts: 2,572
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Post by Lipizzan on May 23, 2015 7:18:40 GMT
This is awsome. This is what a great horse owner do.
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Post by horselady on May 23, 2015 20:15:58 GMT
Great idea. and perhaps the next object is umbrellas. ?? i remember going to a horse show with my first horse and he freaked out with umbrellas. so i could not use him in the afternoon as that is when people had them up watching the show. WELLLL the next day he lived with umbrellas in his stall, tied on the fence and in the paddock and everytime i went into the field i would grab an umbrella and open it and wave it around. i knew he had enough when i found all the umbrellas broken and torn from the stall wall and fence. he never reacted to them again.
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on May 24, 2015 3:20:30 GMT
Although I haven't introduced Pocket to umbrellas yet, I did work with an umbrella with Sis and Zena (see pictures on page 2 of this thread ). I definitely believe in trying to get them to accept (and not freak out about) just about anything I can think of. 
Today Zena got introduced to a step ladder! I decided that I wanted to try riding her bareback today (for the first time ever!), but I'm just too short, so a ladder was the only way I could think of to get myself up on her! It was pretty comical, but hey, she handled the ladder very calmly!
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on May 26, 2015 12:40:14 GMT
I think it's great, all the things you are desensitizing them too. Of course we can't expose them to everything scary they will face in their life but you are teaching them great lessons about reacting to new things in general. I loved that Mister and Cowboy both would be more curious than scared of new things and that just comes with time and exposure.
How did your bareback ride go?
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on May 26, 2015 17:16:45 GMT
I agree, MM, it's impossible to introduce them to every scary object they might ever encounter, but by desensitizing them to so many different things I've found that their reactions to new things in general are much more laid back.
My bareback ride on Zena went really well! Thanks for asking. It was so exciting for me to get to ride her bareback for the first time. 
Here I am introducing Zena to the ladder.  
Thanks to the ladder, I'm up on Zena bareback for the first time EVER!!! 
She was such a good girl, and I had a great time! 
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on May 26, 2015 17:25:03 GMT
I loved riding Mister bareback around the property. Just as a little piece of advice - Zena looks sparkling in those photos but if you ever get on bareback and she isn't so shiny, use a towel to sit on - it will keep your jeans from getting that lovely pattern of dust. |
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on Aug 28, 2015 13:20:24 GMT
I decided it was time for me to update this thread, as Sis and I have now mastered a couple new desensitizing/training toys.
Carrying a flag. After I had gotten her used to having it flapping around her and rubbed all over her from the ground, I tied it to her saddle and had her walk around with it up above her before I got in the saddle (just in case ). 
She now carries the flag like a champ! 
Sis and I have also mastered walking through a pool noodle obstacle. She's gotten so good at calmly accepting all the new things I throw at her, that it didn't take much time at all to have her walking through the pool noodles with ease. 
I'm so proud of my girl. She's a superstar! 
After one of the times that we rode through the pool noodles, we accidentally knocked the barrel over. It fell behind us and made a big noise, but Sis didn't even flinch. Hubby was standing out there at the time and he said the barrel actually fell under Sis, and she just raised her hind leg up real high and stepped over it like it was no big deal. 
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Aug 28, 2015 13:46:20 GMT
You and Sis are looking great!!! You've done a great job with her (and Zena and Pocket too).
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on Aug 28, 2015 17:51:17 GMT
Thank you! I spend a lot of time working with all of them on all kinds of things. Even if it's just little things, I like to spend some time working on something with them each day. Besides, it's really good bonding time. 
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on Mar 12, 2016 16:29:31 GMT
I just wanted to add a couple more picture updates to this thread.
Zena with the mega jolly ball 
Barrels 
Riding Zena with the tarp draped across her butt 
I'd love to see pictures of any desensitizing/training obstacles you guys use.
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Lipizzan
Junior Member
Europe, Croatia
Posts: 2,572
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Post by Lipizzan on Mar 13, 2016 8:09:13 GMT
Great photos. Sadly if I do work I always work alone. If I get to take some pictures that's it. And + to that I don't have a camera just my phone, so pic are always blahh. Maybe one day I will have time and place to do such thigs. Until then I am collecting some great ideas. |
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Post by horselady on Mar 13, 2016 11:39:23 GMT
Thanks for sharing. and for our information who is taking the photos and what kind of camera are you using.??
and zena and the pony look wonderful .
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on Mar 13, 2016 15:49:05 GMT
Lip, I'm glad you're getting some ideas from this. That's one of the main reasons I started this thread - so we could all share ideas with each other that maybe we hadn't thought of doing ourselves yet.
Horselady, if I'm not in the picture, then I'm the one taking it. For the pictures that I'm in, I usually get my hubby to come out and take the pictures for me. My camera is a Nikon Coolpix L320. It's bigger and bulkier than a smart phone or a pocket-size camera, but it takes great pictures! I do lose some of the clarity when I shrink the pictures to post them on here, but they are still not bad.
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mingiz
Junior Member
Los Lunas, NM
Posts: 3,320
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Post by mingiz on Mar 15, 2016 2:51:37 GMT
You have come a long way with them!! 
Years ago I took Reno to a bomb proofing clinic that a retired mounted policeman did. I got him as a 3 yro and he never spooked at anything. So I thought I would do the clinic. I think he was 5 when we did it. As we walked around the ring. And it was a very windy day. They had the shinny balloons right on the ground. They had mattresses leaning on a fence and the wind blew them over so instead of walking around them I went over them. One of the girls that helped with the clinic told me not to that they were part of the 2nd session. 
So when the clinic started we did the normal things. He didn't flinch at anything. Then he lit off flares and had a double row of them that you had to walk through. Again all was good. Then we did the horse soccer. Reno loved that. The next thing was he picked 3 riders and horses to do a crowd control back. A line of people with 5 gallon buckets and plastic bats. We were to push the crowd back. Reno did it but it was funny because every time they raised the bats his head would go up. But he did the push. Then one of the last things he did was light a flare off mainly for the smoke and smell. I walked Reno up to it and he straddles the flare.
I was a very proud owner. I think it was the first time I ever wore a helmet too. They made me. Hated it too!!  After the clinic was over the officer came up to me and gave Reno a pat on the neck and told me that I had a good horse. 
To bad no one got pics of it. But Reno has a nice certificate for it. Every time I see one of those blow up men that flop around and do all kinds of wiggles. I always think wonder what Reno would do with that. So anything you can throw at them helps. Except boats laying on the side of a trail. That is the only time this horse freaked over anything. Not sure if it was the shape or the sun hitting it. But he was so tense that if you had a pin you could have popped him. So I asked him step by step to go towards it and I thought he's going to exit stage left. But he took each trembling step to it. He got close enough then put his nose on it and them went along like yea ok I did it.
Other that an occasional tree stump on a trail he is pretty much a steady Eddy. On those I think he is half asleep and it catches him of guard. He isn't buddy sour and goes where I ask. I was offered 5k for him once. But there wasn't enough money at the time and I was poor living in the LQ. I have had from 3 to 80yr olds ride him and one autistic girl that loves him. She even has a t-shirt that has his picture in a heart. And it says Reno my heart horse.
Rawhide is another one. That horse has never refused anything that I have asked of him on trails so far! But he still has flashbacks from his abuse. But he handles it ok. They get new shoes tomorrow so I'm going to start riding him around here. Billie Joe wants to ride so Reno will get some work too. She has gotten brave she asked me if she could ride JR. I haven't let her but he has the temperament that he would probably take care of her. It's only me he shows his ass with. But I usually win...
So the more things you expose them to the better they get. Now you need to work on the buddy sour part. To bad you didn't have a trailer. That way you could take one for a trail ride. The other at home will pitch a fit but will get over it after awhile. With having the pony she can keep the one left behind company.
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on Mar 17, 2016 3:02:02 GMT
Thanks, mingiz. I do feel like I've come a long way with them, and I plan to keep doing what I'm doing, and adding more things to expose them to whenever I can. I think it's good for them, and it's fun!
Reno sounds like a true champ, the way he handled everything at that bombproofing clinic! As good as my girls are doing with most of the things I throw at them, I think they might lose their minds with those flares! Way to go, Reno!!
I agree about needing to get my girls over the whole buddy sour thing. It is SO frustrating! I've tried and tried to get them over it, but so far no luck. I'm not giving up, though. I'll just keep plugging away at it. ;-)
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mingiz
Junior Member
Los Lunas, NM
Posts: 3,320
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Post by mingiz on Mar 17, 2016 19:52:40 GMT
You will get there!!! With the buddy sour thing. You will just have to be the boss mare. What do they do when you try to take them out of sight? Besides scream bloody murder. You might be surprised with the flares. You could always have a little camp fire started in their training area and see how they react to that. I was very lucky in finding Reno. He is worth his weight in gold. As soon as this weather warms up. I have a harness I got from HL. Going to see how good he is. Especially with a cart behind him. If he does well I'll be a happy camper.. Be easier to get in a cart than a foot in a stirrup and get up. My old knees are gone. I have miles of dirt roads to drive on. |
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on Mar 18, 2016 16:37:38 GMT
Oh, they KNOW I'm the boss mare! I've gotten pretty good at that over the past couple years. They don't even think about trying some things when I'm around, but they will all try to get away with murder if hubby is in with them. lol But when it comes to the buddy sour issue, me being the boss mare doesn't seem to faze them. Yes, they scream bloody murder (especially the one left behind), start prancing, head-tossing, and ultimately try to bolt back to the one left behind. I've tried working them hard near their buddy and then going slow and easy away from their buddy, but it hasn't been enough yet. They could care less if I take Pocket away, and vice versa, but any time I try to separate Sis and Zena, they both lose their minds! :-( Those 2 are so bonded, but like I said, I don't intend to give up, I'll just keep plugging away at it.
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mingiz
Junior Member
Los Lunas, NM
Posts: 3,320
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Post by mingiz on Mar 18, 2016 17:25:14 GMT
Oh, they KNOW I'm the boss mare! I've gotten pretty good at that over the past couple years. They don't even think about trying some things when I'm around, but they will all try to get away with murder if hubby is in with them. lol But when it comes to the buddy sour issue, me being the boss mare doesn't seem to faze them. Yes, they scream bloody murder (especially the one left behind), start prancing, head-tossing, and ultimately try to bolt back to the one left behind. I've tried working them hard near their buddy and then going slow and easy away from their buddy, but it hasn't been enough yet. They could care less if I take Pocket away, and vice versa, but any time I try to separate Sis and Zena, they both lose their minds! :-( Those 2 are so bonded, but like I said, I don't intend to give up, I'll just keep plugging away at it.
You go girl!!!  Next time you try taking one away. If all they are doing is prancing and head tossing. Do circles and then ask to move away again. Every time they have a hissy repeat. If you have a crop use that to ask her to move on. But keep circles going away from the other.. Then ask for a whoa and stand then try asking for forward motion again. You will be dizzy before it's all over.
Ha I know the hubby thing. Mine do the same. But all I have to do is say HEY and all 3 are at attention. Especially JR...
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Lipizzan
Junior Member
Europe, Croatia
Posts: 2,572
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Post by Lipizzan on Mar 19, 2016 9:02:12 GMT
Oh, they KNOW I'm the boss mare! I've gotten pretty good at that over the past couple years. They don't even think about trying some things when I'm around, but they will all try to get away with murder if hubby is in with them. lol But when it comes to the buddy sour issue, me being the boss mare doesn't seem to faze them. Yes, they scream bloody murder (especially the one left behind), start prancing, head-tossing, and ultimately try to bolt back to the one left behind. I've tried working them hard near their buddy and then going slow and easy away from their buddy, but it hasn't been enough yet. They could care less if I take Pocket away, and vice versa, but any time I try to separate Sis and Zena, they both lose their minds! :-( Those 2 are so bonded, but like I said, I don't intend to give up, I'll just keep plugging away at it.
Been there , done that. And still doing. Some of my horses do the same. I made some progress, but still long way to go. Only thing I can say, that you will have better and worse days, it is important not to give up! |
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After the clinic was over the officer came up to me and gave Reno a pat on the neck and told me that I had a good horse. 
Next time you try taking one away. If all they are doing is prancing and head tossing. Do circles and then ask to move away again. Every time they have a hissy repeat. If you have a crop use that to ask her to move on. But keep circles going away from the other.. Then ask for a whoa and stand then try asking for forward motion again. You will be dizzy before it's all over.