Zans Smart Jamaica “Avery” came to us at about 18 months of age in September 2009. Since she arrived at the ranch we really haven’t made time to work with her. She already had some halter experience but was rather shy. We spent 3 days last fall just messing with her, grooming, allowing us to put the halter on, picking up her feet etc…
Today was her first official day in training! I am excited, to have a new project, until she is sold anyway!
I didn’t shoot any video or take pictures for this session. But I will post as much information as I can, question are always welcome!!
Grooming- “Avery” stood tied to the trailer for about 30 minutes this morning while I brush, combed and sprayed fly repellent on her.
Desensitizing- today’s lesson began with me desensitizing her to the whip and lunge line I would be using. To do this I stood back and throw the end of my line at her feet. The first time it touch her she jumped sideways so I backed off and just threw the rope at the ground next to her. After 3 or 4 times she relaxed and I moved back to her legs. I moved from her front legs to her rear legs, over the hip, across her back and up the neck. I stayed in each area of her body until she relaxed and became comfortable with what I was doing.
Move the hips- One of the first things I like to teach my youngsters is to move their hips. I do this because I feel like it keeps me from getting kicked, dragged or stomped! If I can get my horse to move their hips over every time I ask then they can’t easily kick at me, run away or rear up. If I think my horses is going to do one of these things I simply ask them to move the hips. This is a very simple exercise in which I stand next to the shoulder and look at the hip with “energy”. What is “energy”… Like I want it to move. Of course in the beginning my horse has no idea that I am even looking at her hip but we will teach her. So I am standing at her shoulder, head tipped slightly towards me (in the beginning) and I look with “energy” at her hip. Next, I will kiss once, nothing happens, I will use my whip or the end of lead line to tap on the hip, harder and harder until that hip moves. Repeat 100 times until I can just look at the hip and it moves!! My experience is that horses learn this VERY quickly. I worked with Avery this morning for about 10 minutes and by the end of the lesson she was moving both ways when I asked her to with eyes.
Desensitize again- After a lesson where I had to use my whip to move my horse I want to desensitize her again. I don’t want my horse afraid of my tools. They are just tool, my body is what tells her what to do, not the tool. I need my horse to understand this so I desensitize often!
More to come…
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