Teddy Log #9 - a lesson in patience - for me!

I have to admit that this bit gives me the shits. I go to see Teddy without a halter or bridle and he is fine. Go near him with one and he's evasive but as soon as you get it on him he's fine again! So annoying!

I took the bridle out and spent around an hour with him in the paddock and it took him that long just to trust me to pat him with a bridle in my hand. I used my own freindly strategy of walking in a triangle around him stopping at each point and slowly getting closer until he was calm about having me there with a bridle on my shoulder.

I think what annoys me most is that he doesn't just shoot through he just steps slightly out of reach over and over and over. I refuse to halter him in the paddock without good reason, I would prefer that he trusted me enough at all times without it being an issue. I know I just have to perserver knowing that its only with a halter or bridle that it's ever an issue, otherwise he just tags along behind me.

After working with him in the paddock he followed me back to the house and wandered off into the front paddock while i caught 3 stray chooks.

I also notice his domance coming through when he is uncomfortable and it shows in threats to nip. He doesn't connect but it's there. HMMMMmmmm

I think today Im having an "its all too much" day. But i do love the big fella! We'll be right tomorrow.

Teddy Log #8 - Lungeing

Teddy was cantering around the back paddock last night and its not the first time he's done this. He's not neighing out or stressed in any way so I though he just might need to expel some pent up energy, so we did some lungeing today.

He did a great job and is getting more and more affectionate so i put that done to him trusting me.

I need to get him a new rug quickly and this one is rubbing on him. I will try to get a weatherbeeter in the next few days.

Teddy Log #7 Friendly, porcupine, driving

Teddy was being his normal self today. Dodged the halter until he realised that I wasn't going anywhere then he was fine. It is still annoying that he does this as once it is on him he is right as rain. Stop it Teddy!

Anyway, once it was on I took him to the front paddock and he was perfect at the first three games. I will still need to work on them so I can do the porcupine from his chest as he is much easier to back up from the nose. I will also concentrate on combing the lead rope to drive him back. He will do a step or two now and that is great by me so it will be a matter of progression. Then I will work on expanding porcupine and driving and add a bit of the next level as well.

Go Teddy!

Teddy Log #6 - desensitizing to the dogs

The desensitizing is going really well on both the dogs and the horses side. We walk around the whole property and the dogs and Teddy are loose and they get along fine. I have to remind the dogs every now and then to pay attention and that's about it.

Steve is also improving with Teddy coming along with us on our walks and is not being so jumpy every time a dog goes near the horse. He was really panicking for a little while there but now he is getting used to Teddy at his own pace.

I have opened the front paddock up to Teddy to go in and out as he pleases and he was very nervous about it at first, like he usually is with all things new. He was running around which had Murray excited but I just sent everyone away and let him calm down without any pressure. It only took about 3 minutes and he was happily walking out the gate again and back to other paddock. The second time around, this morning, he was good as gold and the only thing that seemed to have made him ultra alert was a truck driving passed. It was a brief second thing though.

I am really pleased with his progress and its great to walk around the property like a big happy family, all the dogs, the horse, Steve and I. - Perfect.

Teddy Log #5 - desensitising to the dogs

I have 4 dogs and I want the dogs and Teddy to get along. They do well but I want to be sure as I don't trust the dogs judgement. I have a Jack Russell named Murray who thinks its great fun to chase Teddy and the cows, luckily for me they all just run from him. Teddy is more curious about them then anything and has not shown any signs of wanting to kick or bite them. On the other hand my Rottweiler, the problem child as he just wants to be with me, freaked when Teddy put his nose down to sniff him and reacted with a air nip! Lucky it didn't connect because I think Teddy's nip would have been a lot harder! The Lab named Willy and Kelpie named Rat really don't pay him much attention.

Teddy was great with putting on the halter, and then I lead him through the back paddock snaking back and forth about 7 times the whole length with the dogs running loose around him. I used the carrot stick to indicated every time I wanted Teddy to stop by simply crossing it in front of his chest. Three times and he had it down pat. All the rest of the time I would tap it on his chest and he would stop so I would give him a soothing rub on the forehead and let him have a think about it. Then about half way through I didn't even have to touch him with it before he would stop every time.

It really came in handy as Murray decided in mid stride that he would stop and sit right in Teddy's path. Teddy just stopped in time and looked down at him while Murray thought he was as clever as a stupid dog playing chicken with a horse can be!

It was a very good lesson for us all. I felt like we had achieved a lot and Teddy was certainly relaxed. He got into my space on two occasions but just a tap and he was fine. He also quickly understood that he wasn't to go ahead of me - as long as I was at his shoulder he was fine. And he was!

Told you he was a genius!

Teddy Log #4 - haltering

Teddy did really well today. As usual he started off evasive but I tried pressure and retreat and noticed its totally the halter he is aprehensive about. I use the hand without the halter and he is totally fine. I use the hand with the halter and he steps away. He was ok after a while so I just rubbed him with it and rested the lead rope around his neck and left him to eat.

Steve and I then walked the dogs in the back paddock and Teddy came up and followed us all the way back. He was happy then to be patted and the dogs he would just sniff then move on after Steve, which freaked Steve out a bit LOL! He kept his head over the fence and wanted Steve to pat him but he wouldn't. Love getting pats from me though. He just loved a rub between the eyes.

We later went back to the paddock to repair the fence and Teddy met us half way and followed us back to the garden gate.

Teddy Log #3 - undemanding

Teddy has had a bit of time to just enjoy the patting and carrots and stuff while I have the halter and lead rope in my hand so he doesn't get the feeling that every time I am with him he is expected to do something.

Saturday was time to put the halter on him again and he would get within cm of me then back away. But once the halter was on he was totally fine - its bizarre! I ended up doing the pressure retreat about 5 times before he gave me his head. Then after that every time he was fine. It looks like we have a fair bit of work to go.

Sunday was pouring when I was home so he had a break day but was at the gate for Steve so he was definitely wondering where I was! That's a good sign that he wants to be with me. We will see how he goes tonight.

Teddy Log #2 - Catching

I'm working back late tonight so Teddy will get some undemanding time. I have been studying the catching game today during my lunch break (if you can call it that) and as this is a new issue, I think its because when I bring out the halter its always to "do" something. Last time and for the next few sessions it will just be about haltering and that's it.

I am also moving his feed bucket to the gate but slowly because he still has some trust issues. I've only had him for 6 weeks so dont know what this steams from but they are minor. It's probably a matter of him getting to know me better. He's an extremely quick learner but very smart which has its pluses and minuses.

I'd love to hear from other natural horsemanship readers so feel free to drop me a line.

Smiddy

Teddy Log #1 Catching

I have decided to start from the very beginning with Teddy, so today was all about him letting me put his halter on. He's evasive and seems concerned about the halter itself more than me. Food is a good lure but I dont want to rely on that so i spent about 40 minutes with him today trying to ease him into my approach. I rubbed the halter and lead all over him but he was quite evasive still. I put the halter on and off three times, with plenty of rubs during and after. We finished on a good note.

I hope this bloody blog works!

Finally we have out blog up and running. This wasn't easy and its not ideal but at least something is up now. I dont know how interesting it will be as I only want to put Teddy's progress in at the moment, but maybe I will get right into it. And who knows about Steve!

Time will tell.