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Post by Krista on Sept 7, 2009 13:06:31 GMT -3
Name: Driven By Dreams - "Cooter"
Breed: Appaloosa
Age: 4 Years
Colour/Markings: Varnish Roan
Height: 14.3
Owned Since: August 2009
Arrived On: September 3rd 2009
Since Cooter's arrival I haven't really done much "work" with him. I've given him time to settle in and get used to all his new surroundings. I have however been doing ground work with him. Such ground work includes: leading, backing up, giving to pressure from the halter, standing in cross ties, and picking up his feet. So far all of these things are coming along so well except for picking up his feet. Cooter leads well, will back up where ever you ask whenever you ask, moves away from pressure, responds to commands such as woah and easy. He's still a bit "edgy" when in cross ties being groomed or just to stand there. I learned he's not used to being in them, only tied with a lead, but he's learning quickly. His feet issue is my main object to overcome right now and i've set my first goal with him to pick up his feet. I'm also planning on doing some desensitizing with him to help calm down his nervousness, then plan on starting with lunging. But one goal at a time. I'm doing it right this time around. Any steps or advice anyone may have would be appreciated.
How would you go about breaking a four year old horse that is only halter broke ?
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Post by Krista on Sept 8, 2009 15:13:11 GMT -3
Cooter was an absolute superstar today ! I groomed him without him fidgeting and moving all about (he did move from side to side a little but nothing like he used to). He allowed me to brush his legs for the first time since his arrival wihtout jumping or pulling away. He's still nervous when i move his tail to the side to brush it out but he's getting better. He'll pick up his front feet for a couple seconds but his back feet are still staying on the ground :/. I backed him up the entire length of the barn and he didn't hesitate once. I brought him outside (after letting another horse out first because he is herd bound and won't go anywhere without another horse... yet) and led him around without a hitch. I turned him in tight circles, both left and right, and he did absolutely amazing ! I am so proud how quickly Cooter is gaining trust with me and learning/doing all the things i ask of him. He's still nervous but not as nervous as when he first arrived. Now I have two goals to work on before attempting lunging and saddling: 1) getting him used to leaving the barn alone and being comfortable/feeling safe while doing so. 2) picking up his feet
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Post by Krista on Sept 15, 2009 19:28:14 GMT -3
Once again Cooter was an absolute gentlemen today! I successfully picked out all four of his hooves while he quietly stood in the cross ties without any fuss at all. This in itself is a HUGE accomplishment in my mind as he's never been good with his back feet (he couldn't even have them trimmed while in NS and here I am now picking them up without fuss) and he was never in cross ties until I got him (he was only ever tied with a lead). All it took was time (and not as much of it as I had thought) for him to learn to stand in the cross ties like he does while tied with a lead and that picking up his back feet won't kill him. He's not near so nervous as what he was. There was a game of paintball the weekend past at the barn I board and he was out on the pasture as if there was nothing going on. Another HUGE accomplishment tackled! I can now get him out of the barn alone much faster than before, still a work in progress but it's coming along very quickly just like everything else. I've lunged him at a walk/crazy sideways pace he made up, again a work in progress. lol. All in all Cooter is advancing so so fast and I'm so proud of him. My biggest feet though (his hooves) has been successfully beaten so goal one is done : ) On to goal number two !
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Post by Krista on Sept 19, 2009 20:36:51 GMT -3
Cooter did much better with his lunging today. I lunged him at a walk in both directions. Previously he was having LOTS of trouble going to the right but he is starting to come around and is taking everything with stride. I lunged him at a jog going to the left only and I only had him going at a jog for about three rotations as I want him to be comfortable with his walk first. He broke into a jog so I just kept him going with it for a bit. I also started putting the lead rope over his back, around his neck, down over his bum, between his legs, etc and he was a little nervous but once he figured out the lead rope wasn't going to kill him he let me do whatever with him. I also managed to pick up and clean all four of his hooves again today. His hinds are still a little problematic but managable and are improving greatly. Hopefully soon enough I'll have him well enough that I can get a trim done (I don't want his first full trim EVER, yeah EVER  , to be a bad experience) so I'm holding off as long as possible so he can be comfortable, his feet aren't bad just in need of a little trim. He's had his front feet trimmed before but never his hinds (hence he's never had a "full" trim). Overall today was a HUGE success and I hope tomorrow goes as smoothly  |
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Post by Krista on Sept 24, 2009 16:19:28 GMT -3
Cooter is doing so well. Today I groomed him without him even budging and I picked up all his feet and he only moved when I tried his hind left but he still allowed me to pick it up  I'm so happy ! Small steps I know, but they're steps I wanted to achieve and I have ! Cooter also doesn't move around now when I throw a lead rope over him from the left side but still isn't sure at first when I try from his right side. He lets me throw it all over him, wrap it around his neck, wrap it around and move it up and down his legs. So he's doing really well. HOWEVER... After I was finished working with him for the day I brought him outside the fence to have some nice grass and while he was grazing (I still had him on the lead) I went to pet his side. I moved slowly and made sure he saw me and he still tried to run away. He turned and tried to kick at me. After he calmed down I tried again and he did the same thing. My guess is he's not used to being handled while grazing. So I decided to stay with him for longer than I should have due to other commitments until i could pet him on both sides while he continued to graze without freaking out. Took a little time but I was able to brush my hand on his sides while he grazed and I plan on doing this everyday now after I finish his lunging work. Also, without a round pen it's hard for me to teach him to lunge. It's not hard to teach a horse without a round pen, it's hard for me to teach Cooter, a nervous, very green horse, without a round pen. But even though I don't have the resources I'd like to work with Cooter his walk and woah are coming along so so well. He is going to need a lot more time spent with him to the right then left. His right is definately his weak side in all aspects. |
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Post by kylie on Oct 3, 2009 19:15:16 GMT -3
it sounds like you and him are doing really doog so far
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Post by Krista on Oct 4, 2009 6:18:44 GMT -3
Things are going more smoothly than I thought they were going to be that's for sure !
Yesterday after work I drove down to bring Cooter his new water bucket, his Likit, and a bucket of apples (lol) and didn't really plan on doing anything as it was late when i got off and the drive down is an hour not to mention an hour back. But I chose I'd at least groom him and do some work with his feet. Good thing I did. He WOULD NOT let me touch his hind right leg for the first time since he's been here. I've never had to fight with him to get his legs up, yes he'd pull away once they were up or move side ways in the cross ties but that was it. Last night when I tried to pick up his hind right he kicked out at me, lunged forward, darted side to side... a totally different Cooter than what I was used to ! First time he ever did that with me. So I ended up staying until he settled down and I managed to touch his hind right leg from top to bottom without him freaking out. I didn't try to pick up that leg after cause I just wanted him to be comfortable with me touching it. It's funny cause I can wrap a lead rope around all his legs and move it up and down, all over and he doesn't budge but last night he wouldn't let me near that leg. So when I go down monday I'm going to work on building his trust in me. That's my new focus right now. It's hard when I can't get down to see him everyday and remain consistent. I'm hoping to have him up here shortly so that will all change. Other than that little incident Cooter was his usually gentlemen self
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Post by Krista on Oct 15, 2009 11:02:31 GMT -3
Since my last update I've moved Cooter to Cormack which is a lot closer to home so I can see him every single day and work with him. I haven't really done much with him since he's moved because I want to make sure he's well settled in as this is his first time ever being alone. So far he is doing quite well. However, today he had quite the 'freak out' for no real reason. I had him tied in the barn, as I always do, to the same tie-pole I call it grooming away then he decides to be absolutely terrified of something that isn't there and bolts. He takes the pole and all with him along with part of the fence gate. Before I knew it he was half way across the 24 acre field at a full out gallop, pole and all still in tow:/ Needless to say he's a work in progress and we haven't really been making any actual progress since he's been in Cormack other than we finally have that special bond and he's beginning to trust me more and more. I've started to make arrangements to have Cooter brought to St.John's for training because he needs the knowledgable hand and I am personally unable to give him that, so for his own benefit that's what I've decided to do.
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Post by ktmuise on Oct 15, 2009 13:50:16 GMT -3
Isn't that how sky formed her fear of ropes when she was with you, except she took a board and not a pole ? :/
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Post by Krista on Oct 15, 2009 15:33:17 GMT -3
that was before i got her when she was with the lady i bought her off of, but yeah pretty much... she never liked ropes after for a long time (i think you said you still have problems with it) and i was never able to get her to tie (i think sammy was able to)... you'd be surprised at how alike cooter and sky are... well the sky i had was a lot like cooter is now, i know she's not like she was when i had her therefore probably isn't like cooter now either... lol... but cooter ties fine, i tie him out in the pasture everyday to graze... he just spooked at something and bolted... sky didn't know how to tie when her incident happened... so they are similar... thankfully cooter doesn't mind being tied after his little freak out (i just got back from up with him and had in to attempt grooming him again and he was fine)... and like i said, i am sending him for professional training to ensure he gets all the help he needs...
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Post by Krista on Oct 15, 2009 15:36:59 GMT -3
during my second visit with him today (after he had his bolting incident) i tied cooter out in the pasture to graze, went over petted his neck and side, clipped on the lead and brought him back into his pen then into the barn where i groomed him without incident... so whatever got into him this morning i have no idea... i'm just glad it didn't affect him at all... he could've just wanted to run for all i know or heard other horses in the distance... he was a gentlemen once again this afternoon unlike this morning... i'm going to work on gaining his full trust for the time being
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Post by ktmuise on Oct 15, 2009 16:28:53 GMT -3
Sky ties fine to a post and we've had her tied out on a rope, I have some picture, she's just not sure what to think of it first, she starts walking around about 10 minutes after she's on the rope. Its more of when the rope touches her ears and lower legs now, she's fine with it anywhere else,
But sounds like cooters doing well with you !
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Post by Krista on Oct 15, 2009 16:33:44 GMT -3
she was the same when i had her, except the ears, she never minded it around her ears, legs were her problem... thats great that she's getting better !
cooter seems to be getting better with time... the man who gave him to me said he was going to be a handful and he wasn't joking... lol... but it'll all be worth it : )
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, to be a bad experience) so I'm holding off as long as possible so he can be comfortable, his feet aren't bad just in need of a little trim. He's had his front feet trimmed before but never his hinds (hence he's never had a "full" trim). Overall today was a HUGE success and I hope tomorrow goes as smoothly 
I'm so happy ! Small steps I know, but they're steps I wanted to achieve and I have ! Cooter also doesn't move around now when I throw a lead rope over him from the left side but still isn't sure at first when I try from his right side. He lets me throw it all over him, wrap it around his neck, wrap it around and move it up and down his legs. So he's doing really well. 
