mingiz
Junior Member
Los Lunas, NM
Posts: 3,320 
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Post by mingiz on Mar 19, 2016 15:37:21 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.
Zena had a worried look to her in the last pic.  |
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on Apr 3, 2016 4:24:56 GMT
Hubby got a new obstacle built for me today. My pool noodle obstacle!
I need to get a few more pool noodles to fill them up, but you get the idea. I can't wait to try them out!
Next project... fixing my cowboy curtain. It fell apart when I took it out of storage the other day. :-( If it was going to fall apart, I'm glad it did it when I was taking it out of storage and not when one of the horses was under it! This time around hubby wants to use a different type of glue (one that he hopes will be stronger), plus we are going to add an angle brace across the corner to hopefully help make it stronger.
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Lipizzan
Junior Member
Europe, Croatia
Posts: 2,572
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Post by Lipizzan on Apr 3, 2016 16:34:10 GMT
Wow, what an amazing husband  |
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on Jun 16, 2016 15:12:46 GMT
I came up with another fun new inexpensive desensitizing/training/obstacle idea... pinwheels! When there is a breeze, these little things really get to spinning, and they make a little noise when they are spinning, too. Here's my latest creation. ;-)
I drilled a hole in one of my extra supplement scoops, with the hole just large enough to stick the handle of the pinwheel through (rubber bands on the handle on either side of the hole help keep it from sliding down), and then I stuck the scoop on top of one of my cones (it was a perfect, snug fit). 
Now with the pinwheels firmly in place on top of my cones I can set them up anywhere and they will stay upright. Here is Sis investigating the pinwheels. 
Riding between the cones with the pinwheels spinning on top. Sis did great - no hesitation whatsoever! She's such a good girl. <3 
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Jun 16, 2016 16:14:50 GMT
That's a great idea!
I introduced Beau to the big soccer ball last night, just from the ground. He really didn't care about it. I made him walk and bump it with his legs - no issues with that either but he doesn't seem to have any interest in initiating contact unless I make him. Maybe once I get on and we can play with it he will play more.
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Post by horselady on Jun 17, 2016 0:41:01 GMT
Pinwheels. what a great idea. there are some at shows and horses do spook from them. seems like you are covering all bases. or obstacles.  |
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Jun 17, 2016 0:48:31 GMT
Just thinking - instead of using fake flowers as ground lines for jumps, we should use pinwheels! That should cause some fun.  I think I will get some and see about doing that. Catherine is on a kick about introducing something "scary" to the horses every few weeks. |
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hugs
Junior Member
Posts: 2,647
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Post by hugs on Jun 19, 2016 18:05:26 GMT
I haven't been looking at this thread since I have horse distance issues but it sure is fun. I've don't a similar pool noodle setup but used small bales to hold them. But I like that wood and strap idea. I'm going to steal it in 5-1/2 years lol
Peaches had issues with sunbeams coming through holes in the metal indoor arena. I wonder if riding at night doing these same things wouldn't be interesting
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on Jul 9, 2016 17:18:26 GMT
On the 4th of July it finally cooled off enough for me to want to ride, so I decided to break out a bunch of my "toys" and set up a little obstacle course. I wish I had an indoor arena where I could set all this stuff up and just leave it set up, because it took me quite a while to haul it all out of the barn and get it set up, but it was worth it in the end, because I had fun. I didn't get out everything I have, but I got out a lot of it. Enjoy!
First up was the cowboy curtain (which hubby was good enough to fix for me). 
Sis and I rode through it no problem. 
Later in the day I even taught Pocket to walk through it. 
Next up was opening the gate and walking through it under the banners I had hung up. 
The next obstacle I had set up was a tarp on the ground with a ground pole at one end, cones on each corner, and pinwheels on top of the cones at one end. 
Sis hesitated for a second and needed to take a good look at this one first, but then she rode through it no problem. 
Next we moved on to the pool noodle obstacle 
At the next "station" I had an umbrella laying on top of a barrel. While on my horse I picked up the umbrella, popped it open, waved it all around Sis, and then rode with it up over my head to the next "station" 
At the last "station" I had a flag laying on top of a barrel. While on my horse I put the umbrella down on the barrel, picked up the flag, waved it all around Sis, and then rode out into the pasture carrying the flag. 
Next time I might have to bring out the bridge, the kiddie pool, and the mega jolly ball. 
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hugs
Junior Member
Posts: 2,647
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Post by hugs on Jul 9, 2016 20:24:28 GMT
Yay Sis and Terry! The Dynamic Duo LOL That looks like SO much fun. Peaches and I walked through the "Noodles of Death" and the instructor rode her when we were in The Cities last year and Peaches had no problem at all. As long as she doesn't have to lift up her feet too much she's good :-) Walking over noodles or poles is a challenge because she didn't care if she dragged the noodles or clipped the poles until I praised her all over the place when by chance she didn't. "Ah ha, well if that's what mom wants, I'll try, otherwise meh"lol I love the cowboy curtain. I have rolls of flagging I used for field work and we have the lumber and poles to make the frame. But I can't see hauling it around through, ugh, not to mention we don't have a place to store that stuff BUT it could be a combination of where a corral panel could go AND an openable gate. We had some railroad ties put in for an arena, didn't get too far with that but we could use 'em, that's some of 'em below  Another thing that challenges both of us is walking on a bridge. She's done it but it sure seems scary to ride her lol But if we practice walking on it and stuff I'm sure I'll be okay. I've seen teeter totters but that's way in the future :-) |
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Post by horselady on Jul 9, 2016 20:41:44 GMT
Looks like you had a great time all smiles. in one photo sis looks bored,, as if to say.". you can not get me upset or scared " nann annn annn a lol  |
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on Jul 17, 2016 15:53:24 GMT
 , that cowboy curtain is a bit of a pain to lug around, but it works for me. I previously had no good way to store it, but I had hubby put up a couple of brackets in the barn so I can now store it inside the barn standing up against a wall so it's out of the way, and the top bracket supports the weight of the top pole with the curtain on it so it doesn't sag while in storage. Before hubby made the frame for me, I used to just run a rope through the holes at the top of the shower curtain, and I tied the ends to 2 eye rings that I had installed at the end of the lean, that way all I had to store was the shower curtain and the rope. I asked him to build the frame for me so I could use it in the round pen. There's any number of ways that you can create your own, though. Just let your imagination run wild and have fun with it!
I haven't started working with the bridge with any of my girls yet, but I have laid down some plywood in the aisle of my barn so they have to walk on it. I figure that way they start getting used to the sound of walking on the wood. Baby steps!
Thanks, horselady, I did have a lot of fun with my little obstacle course. I agree, Sis looks bored with it most of the time. I've spent so much time exposing her to so many potentially scary objects that now she takes most everything in stride. She has become pretty unflappable. I'm so proud of her!
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I think I will get some and see about doing that. Catherine is on a kick about introducing something "scary" to the horses every few weeks. 
, that cowboy curtain is a bit of a pain to lug around, but it works for me. I previously had no good way to store it, but I had hubby put up a couple of brackets in the barn so I can now store it inside the barn standing up against a wall so it's out of the way, and the top bracket supports the weight of the top pole with the curtain on it so it doesn't sag while in storage. Before hubby made the frame for me, I used to just run a rope through the holes at the top of the shower curtain, and I tied the ends to 2 eye rings that I had installed at the end of the lean, that way all I had to store was the shower curtain and the rope. I asked him to build the frame for me so I could use it in the round pen. There's any number of ways that you can create your own, though. Just let your imagination run wild and have fun with it!