Cob Needs Help - Identity Crisis !!

Shysmum

Shysmum

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It all started with our last lab Stanley, who taught Shy how to pick up sticks, and they used to chase each other with them (not sure how it happened). Anyway, new Percy Pup has taken on the role of playmate - and now it's got to the stage where Shy finds a stick he wants, and refuses to budge, pawing the ground for it. If he is indulged (by hubs), he carries it for the rest of the ride.

Can anyone help him ? He does like carrots, and he does like sticks, but I feel this would be an irresponsible approach, as i do not want to turn him against playing forever.

The evidence :

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Thanks for listening x
 
Does it matter? He looks really cute. Unless there is a safety issue I'd be tempted to let him carry his stick!
 
I know, it's just that he might well do it when we're on a fun ride, and I'll have to get off mid canter to give him a stick, or if we're "trying to jump" and he has to take a comfort stick in with him... I blame hubs. This should never have started :o

Oh blimey, now I'm expecting a knock on the door from the coppers, as I'm wearing "THAT TABARD". i also look drunk on a horse, which I can assure you I am not. Oh dear.
 
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Shysmum said:
I know, it's just that he might well do it when we're on a fun ride, and I'll have to get off mid canter to give him a stick, or if we're "trying to jump" and he has to take a comfort stick in with him... I blame hubs. This should never have started :o
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Could you give him a stick to carry at the start of the ride, to distract him from other tempting sticks? Or perhaps a soft dog rope-toy, for safety reasons :p
 
I keep meaning to film him when we go up to get him in from the field. If you sneak up really quietly to the gate, and then call him, he does this "WHAT - WHO ME ??? OH MY !!!" and then gallops down the field bucking and farting like a mad thing, mane flying out of his neck cover.

He really is very special. When/if we get land,we'll be taking in more of these guys.

And yes, I think that's a really good suggestion - but it would have to be a stick, he just doesn't do rubber or cotton. At first I thought he must need something vitamin wise, but he chows down on Topspec Lite and fab hay, so i don't think that's the issue ( I hope!)
 
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I love him!!!!!! If you ever want to send him down to me, then he will have a home ready and waiting. Always wanted a hairy piebald cob and he is adorable (I do have a black hairy version though).

I would let him carry on with it, he obviously thinks its great to do it, and why deprive him of his pleasure.
 
haha, no I absolutely love it that he does it. We lost Stanley lab to cancer in June, and it means so much to both of us that Shy still plays with sticks - almost like Stanny is still here. (he had bone cancer and we lost him at 4 years old).

Percy Pup just seems to have picked up from Stanny, and it really does mean the world to me.

This is the culprit who started it - my beloved Stanley.

stan.jpg
 
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from what you guys are saying, there's not a lot of hope ;)

i need some new tricks to teach him..... any suggestions and NOT jumping though a fire hoop as a) we don't have jumping down to pat every time, mostly but sometimes not , and b) HIS THREE FOOT MANE MIGHT CATCH FIRE !!!!!
 
I have a video of little pony at the yard charging round the arena with a stick that he found :D
And there is a dog who shares dinner with one of the horses.. :D
 
This is quite fascinating! And what an adorable looking horse you have! From a behaviour perspective, I was wondering:
Does he only do this when being ridden, or does he do it at any time?

I was just wondering whether there is perhaps more of a reason for it than you have realised, if it just when he is ridden? For example, does it help to make the bit more comfortable in his mouth, by having something that helps to keep his teeth slightly apart perhaps? Would be really intrigued to know if it is just when ridden.

If so, it would be really interesting to try riding him bitless to see whether he still does it!
 
Haha, yes we often ride bitless, and I'm ashamed to say he is just as bad. All he wants is to copy the dog, from what I can tell - he literally sees the stick he wants and paws the ground for it, or will reach down and grab it. Or chase the dog for his ! I'll try and get a photo of them tussling for the same stick.

i thought, as first, maybe it was some sort of mineral or vitamin deficiency ? But now I really do believe he's playing.

Funnily enough, Percy pup grazes right by Shy's feet if he can get a chance. Is there really a dog/horse thing going on here (and elsewhere) ??
 
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And I thought my lot were confused with the 14 hand cob (mini warmblood thanku) thinking she's a 16.3 racehorse and the 16.3 ex racer thinking he's a 14hand coblet! My staffie thinks he's a handbag dog, the lab thinks she's a kangaroo and the 32 year old pony thinks she's 4.
 
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