Novice needs advices on naughty horse (We have a baby!)

[AnnaCrew]

Thank You for pictures - it gave me some ideas already. The barn wher Puika already lives and where he will live in future is a stone building, and walls are about 3 ft so I presume it is strong enough for any horse. My problem now is how to design the inside of the stall area. To make a box for him inside or let him roam in the whole area. The whole area free would give him chance to look outside and it would be a good entretaiment for him, but then I’m concerned how we shall be able to control him inside if he is in a bad mode? (We were warned that he is in the bad mode every time before the thundersorm, that really low pressure bit, and it happens very often here).

If we are making box inside, which direction from the window - to make him face window or window must be on the side? (window is facing West). Door will be facing North.

And the main question now: can you recommend me useful pages for reading on BASIC GROUNDWORK.

I have read 7 games of Parelli, of course (it is popular here) but after reading the thread about 7 games on Dressage section… I understood that we must find our own way with Puika.

He is not a young untrained boy, he has his own past. He is more difficult thing like second marriage

He had at least 2 different owners before, had different and unknown training before, and he can not tell much so now we must step back and start from square one. I presume, he will have some another 15 years of life, and we together must to make these years as pleasant as we we can.

I can not afford let him pay for MY OWN MISTAKES and try to re-train him again after I have messed him up.

Our goal is to get him into basic hobby riding (if it will be possible) as it would be great thing for him - light excercises, a lot of interesting things to see around, and less problems for us as for using him on a cart only (we have a lot of nice paths around here where he would be taken for a ride instead of using main roads for cart).

I was at nearest stable here, but not much help awailable there - they will start season only at the end of May, and only riding lessons will be awailable, so far I had not find a professional trainer around here who would agree to teach me basic groundwork in practice, so it seems that reading and making my own mistakes will be the only possible thing. Uhh…

Probably they do not want get involved with me (I’m 46, and it is not an easy age for complete beginner) but they do not know that I was handfeeding an injured stork last summer (and nobody trained me to do that as well) and turned him into a nice, friendly pet bird. And had done this also with wildborn adult snakes…

So maybe it is possible. I always had found my way to rescue dogs, and turn them into beautiful animals, so maybe if I will be brave enough, I will be able to learn this as well, just by reading and learning from the horse?

So far Puika is training us… He wants to communicate, and is able to show it in a way that we can understand (his pawing is a call for us, I’m sure about it) and when we leave, he hee-haws in dissapointment.

[3dazey]

Anna, I just want to say how much I am enjoying your posts. They are leading me to consider the whole wide world of horses, rather than just my little corner of it.

I think you and your husband are doing an amazing job with this horse. I can tell by your descriptions that he is happier already. I know that if I spent three hours grooming either of my horse’s tails, they would have become really annoyed with me…the fact that your horse enjoyed it so much leads me to believe that he is basically a sweet and tractable creature who likes humans. He is lucky to have “found” you! :yes:

[system]

Check this website, this trainer is really a remarkable person, I incorporate many of his techniques in my daily training:

http://www.brannaman.com/

ALthough your horse has already much learned in his life, you can still use many techniques of training that you would use with a young horse. Be firm, persistent and lots of repetition.

[AnnaCrew]

I’m 100% sure that he likes humans and enjoy the human company. He is showing with all his body language, even I can read it.

The only thing - he wants humans as a company to play. And that must be changed or at least he must learn to play in a different way - I’m not ready to let him chew my sleeve all day long (seems that it is his idea about best time together).

But anyway - thank you for compliments and cheering me up!

[AnnaCrew]

shawneeAcres, thank you!!!

[system]

Is it possible to get him a companion? Obviously another horse or pony would be best, but even a goat or sheep might give him a “playmate” of sorts and something to keep him company when you are not there. When we had a foal orphaned at one day of age last year, we got a young goat that stayed in the stall with him until we “weaned” him from the goat and turned him out with other weanlings and gave the goat to someone who ahd other goats. It worked well

ALso the mroe you can do with him, in terms of exercises and things to stimulate his mind will channel that energy into a productive way that will still occupy him

[AnnaCrew]

I do not know about a companion pony for him, really… My hands are full already and head spinning around. (but yeah, farrier mentioned it too, but more jokingly, like hay, you have one now, you have space, get him a friend!)

As far as we kown, he likes cows. When he sees them in pastures, he is somehow happier. He also likes to look at the deer around here (We can see many of them even close to the house here, and poor young trees in my orchard all suffer from deers).

I’m not sure if Puika even remembers how other horses do look as he had not seen any for at least past 5 years, that I know for sure.

At his current stall next to his box is a friendly one year old cow standing, so he has some company if not to touch, but at least to sniff through the box boards. Boards are horizontal, not close to each other, they are more like a fencing in field, I’m usually standing on them when I do brush his back or main (otherwise I can not reach).

Standing higher allows me also to lean on his back - so far not with all my body weight, but at least some, and each day I am leaning on his back heavier, I have an idea that it will help him getting used to the feeling of the rider on his back one day. So far he is not trying to kick me of at all, he just looks back at me like saying : “Common, just do it!” (but I might read his expression wrong)

What is your idea about a goat? We can get him a baby goat or a lamb, there is no problems. Would you reccomend to keep them together in the same box? I presume, he will not step on a baby, even by the accident - is it right?

[AnnaCrew]

PS. I know, I’m asking very different questions in this one thread, but I presume it is better to keep all my novice silly things together and not confuse others with my silly interruptions on the other threads.
Is it ok to keep all my questions together?
It least it will keep me away from posting in other threads

[asterix]

Anna, I also wanted to tell you how much I am enjoying reading your stories. He is so beautiful, and it is very clear that he is loving your attention and time with him.
You have very good instincts about how to work with him and I hope that you will continue to get good answers to your questions here.

He is very smart, so you will need to be careful that you don’t teach him the “wrong” thing – in other words, that he sees that certain bad behavior brings a good result. But I think you are very aware of this.

Without another equine companion he will become very bonded to you and your husband. This will make it easier for you to ride him, and I suspect that if he has been ridden in the past it will not be difficult to reintroduce that with him.

I am sorry I don’t have more experience to offer in terms of building barns and doing groundwork, but it sounds like you are on the right track with him.

You can continue to teach him also to respond to verbal commands. Smart people-focussed horses do very well with these. Anything you do on a daily basis with him can have a verbal cue associated with it, whether it is to pick up his feet, stand still, walk with you, move aside in his stall, etc. The more commands he knows the easier your work will be with him, including riding, and he will enjoy learning them.

[asterix]

In terms of posting together or on other threads, either is fine. You are a very welcome member of our community!

If you have a specific question about something like building a barn, and you do not get a good answer on this thread, you could certainly try starting another one – it may be that the people who know that subject best are not reading this thread and will not see your question here!

[AnnaCrew]

He already knows some verbal commands, like “move” when you want to pass him in his box. People do talk a lot with their horses here, and I do it as well - when I’m grooming him, I talk all the time with him, all sorts of things, just to let him hear my voice and get used to it, and teaching him what NO and GOOD BOY means. And when we go outside, we do the same thing.
I also talk with him from a distance, so he can hear me and know that I’m approaching. I do not want to scare him.

[freshman]

I do not have anything to add to the coversation, really, except that I look forward to your internet posts every day. I enjoy them.

I think that you and your husband are already ahead of most horse owners and other people; you are sensitive and thoughtful, and I think you will enjoy your horse for many years. I also appreciate how much respect you have for the “old farmer” owner that has farmed and kept the horse for so many years! There is so much to learn from that generation that knowledge will become extinct as they die. He has made your horse into a kind animal, despite any bad habits, and he deserves much respect for that, just as you are giving him.

It seems like your approach has been working very well, so please continue to gain confidence! Your instincts are very, very sound; dogs and horses are two very different animals, but you are able to sythesize the experiences into much wisdom.

Much luck to you and your new boy, and please post on this site anywhere that you would like or have a thought to share. Often, the “outside” perspective is the most valuable, and we have much to learn from you, your husband, and your new horse!

Best,

Kristin

[system]

Question for Anna

Anna,

Would like to ask (just because I am curious about how people do things in other countries) what type of feed you feed horses in your country? Just curious as I said, it is always interesting to hear about how others manage their horses, so hopefully not only are you learning from us, but we can learn from you!

[AnnaCrew]

![]('m not a feeding expert so far…

But I do not think that there are big difference on horse feeding in the world. Our feed stores are full of fancy bags, but in countryside the idea is the same as 100 and 200 years ago. Hay and grass (hay inside, grass outseide) and some treats like carrot, beetrot, apple… here in country side people often offer bread as a treat - brown bread (rye-bread) mostrly. And grain, mostly oats when horse is working. (This boy had too much oats already, so we cut them off completely at present, now he gets just a handful during the day to be happy).

Pastures around our house is absolutely natural, and we shall keep them that way.
See this lawn
[IMG]http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m138/BBCedrik/a4PICT3731.jpg)

We have about 12 acres of such lawn now and it is absolutely natural (no seeds added from bags at all). Worse bits were ploughed up, leveled, raked and then mower goes on until weeds dissapear and nice soft grass is growing - takes 2 years, but then it is perfect and strong.

At the beginning people were thinking that we are nuts mowing with fancy lawnmower (for small areas) pastures, but now they stop when they drive past and just look at these lawns (lawns are pride of Peter).

In summer usually horse gets out in the morning, gets some grass, then during the hot weather goes home where hay is waiting at noon and again out at afternoon on grass. If the day is not hot, he stays out all day.

As we have crazy February now (last year it was just right, -20 C the whole month) horse already has started to eat new grass now and he enjoys it so much.

Grass here is rich, and we have a lot of white clover growing around so grass must be watched out so he will not get too much, but it is an other thread, I had not get into it at all yet.

Horse gets basically as much hay as he wants in three portions during the day. He picks up the bits what he likes and eats them, others go down and get into bedding straw. He has never empty food box, actually.

As hay is not a problem here at all, and it is good quality, he is happy. His nails is in good condition (farrier said so, we called in him last weekend as the first job, horse really needed his nails to be cut, Latvian breed nails grow very fast, and his owner hadn’t cut his nails for past 6 months), fur is shiny and all in all he is great condition.

Oh, and I forget salt. Owners gave him to lick the salt block every second day or like that. We reduced the amount of salt now (as well as grain) but when he will get more fresh grass, salt will be back as he will need more minerals.

All what Puika is eating here, have grown here around and can be qualified as organic.

[AnnaCrew]

Hi again! Just wanted to tell that today he was out all daylight - from 9 am to 5 pm… And had one morning walk, and then an afternoon time with Peter - he made him canter today! Just a bit (Peter is not young man to keep up with horse) but they both enjoyed it!

Puika is just so annoyng playful! Today it was quick and easy in the stall, as he just wanted out ASAP, but at the afternoon… OMG! He was not even biting, just used his lips, but as far as bite goes in his mouth, head is up, bite out, and the whole game starts again. It took as bout 40 minutes top put it on, but we found the way - rains on first, then bite, Peter grabs rains so he can not spit bite out and then I just put bridle on his ears. We are learning!
But other than that he is an angel - he steps back when you ask, do not kick or rear, he is just a naughty baby who enjoys games with humans… good job that we have patience for him. We shall win, I’m sure!

[AnnaCrew]

Has he ![](mproved or what?

For me it seems that Puika already looks better - more in shape. What do you think? His beheivior is getting better every day, and Peter is very keen to try out how he will be about riding idea… He trots very nicely now, so happy and seems that he tries really hard to do the right thing to please.

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v732/barryz15/Horse/PICT2413.jpg)
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v732/barryz15/Horse/PICT2410.jpg)
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v732/barryz15/Horse/PICT2400.jpg)
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v732/barryz15/Horse/PICT2387.jpg)
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v732/barryz15/Horse/PICT2379.jpg)

Here he is 3 weeks ago when we got him
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v732/barryz15/PICT2178.jpg)

And in similar position today
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v732/barryz15/Horse/PICT2377.jpg)

I do not know anything about horses but he looks better for me.

[sublimequine]

He has such a kind face.

As for the goat idea, I think that would be a good companion for him. I don’t know about it living in his stall with him though, I’ve never worked with goats. I’d just be worried about the goat getting accidentally stepped on or something. Maybe someone who knows about goats can chime in here.

[Tiempo]

I love the updated picture Anna, he looks fantastic!

I’m looking forward to his spring pictures with his winter coat all shed out all sleek and shiny :yes:

Goats can be very good buddies for horses, but make sure you get a larger breed if you get him one.

The horse of a client of mine always had a good sized goat as a friend, they were very happy together, but when the goat died (of old age) She got him a young pygmy goat and the horse accidentally killed him playing a bit rough

[pharmgirl]

Love the pictures! He looks great.

Just checking in to see how you guys are doing.
I love to read how you all are progressing :).

[texang73]

Just found this thread, and it is very interesting! :yes:

He IS a handsome boy! It sounds like you have started off correctly with him. How are things going with Puika?