Monday, December 3, 2012

Ear Update and Halter Practice

Dickie's ear looks AMAZING!! I thought for sure he would rub the stitches out or his wound would get looking crusty. You won't even be able to tell he stitches once all is said and done. The vet comes out in a week and I am hoping that the evil little bugger will stay gone with one more treatment. If you have a horse with sarcoids you should seriously consider going the cisplatin route. I know there are a few creams out there but the horse usually ends up with a big wound while you are killing off the sarcoid. This was easy on Dickie and has better long term results.

After inspecting his ear we went over to the arena. We haven't been in the big arena for a couple of weeks. I have been focusing on manners in the stall, clippers, holding his feet up, and all the good citizenship stuff. We made it to the round pen a few times but the arena was crowded so we didn't go in and disturb the peace. I will be going to a show in just shy of two months. We have a long way to go if I expect survive the experience.

At this point he walks quite well on the lead rope. He knows "Hoa" and does his best to stop when I stop. Sometimes the devil takes a hold though and he wants to grab the rope then leap with his front legs. This used to be a constant battle but during most walks he only needs one or two well timed "Ahhahahaha" and he will make a better decision. Trotting is a different story. Me running next to him apparently turns me into a horse. This results in him leaping and jumping next to me with the occasional front leg thrown my way.

I steered clear of trotting in hand until I felt he was more aware of  my space and really understood  the difference between people and and horses. There was no use asking him to do something I knew he would fail at and putting my head in the striking range. I am happy to say that today went much better!! He still got really excited and did some leapkicking the first time we trotted. He is out of my personal space now so I am not in striking range when the wild mustang in his soul takes over. Even better he doesn't take much reminding that I am a human and we don't jump on the heads of humans. After that first lap he was very polite. I could tell he wanted to grab his lead rope and take charge but he didn't. It seems the teenage boy is learning some self control!! Next step is to start taking him in the arena with other horses.

8 comments:

  1. Although I know it is not a trait you want in a horse, I do think it is kind of cute (until someone gets hurt) that he gets excited when asked to trot! He is just being a baby. And good call on not asking him to do something you know he can't yet. It won't do his confidence any good to keep failing! Dickie is going to be such a great horse!

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  2. You should use your target!! I used my target to teach Chrome to line up with my shoulder and to trot in hand (started out at liberty). So now I can go out in the pasture at liberty and he will line himself up with my shoulder and match his pace to mine. It is SO cute!!!!! It also gives them something to focus on so they don't even think about kicking out or goofing off. :D

    In fact Chrome uses lining himself up with my shoulder to ask for clicker training. If we are just hanging out in the pasture he will trot over and stop right beside me and then he will follow me anywhere. Like I said, it's cute! I should get a video of it sometime. :D I have videos of when I used the target to teach him to trot.... let me see if I can find it.... here it is! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHpOA0Ubfwo

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    1. I love the video!! He is such a good looking horse. Very fancy. I need to get one of those target sticks. Where can I get one? Or can I just make it. Thanks so much for all the tips. I love it.

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    2. Aww thank you! I made my target stick. It's just a dowel rod (whatever length you are comfortable with) with a tennis ball on the end. I just cut a slit in the tennis ball and stuck the dowel rod into it LOL! It works great. Chrome loves it. :D

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  3. Oh and toward the end of that video it shows me asking him to lower his head from the crest squeeze that I mentioned in a previous comment. He's gotten much better at it. This was when he was younger and easily excited lol.

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  4. My mom did the same thing with the ear on her mare....just keeps looking better every month. I did the cream on my guys neck one...and it's completely gone now. Happy for your success!

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  5. I must say that Dickie's little "nip tuck surgery" looks amazing! Truly, the most visible thing to me is just the shaved area. He has done a great job leaving it alone even!

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  6. The vet comes tuesday for a follow up treatment. So far it looks great.

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