Groundwork desensitising ideas

[Michen]

Any suggestions please? Just turned 4 year old is backed and under saddle but now doing loads of groundwork. Following Richard Maxwell methods (including the halter and rope) and he’s absolutely nailed the circle work, will stop with the lightest pressure etc and change direction from smallest signal.

Not bothered by tarps, air horns, aggressive dogs barking over speakers etc, walking through small gaps...

suggestions on further things to add please ?

ps in addition to the in hand work we are still doing (baby shoulder in, lateral steps etc)... just looking for spooky/situation type things to desensitise him. He’s generally very sensible with objects but can go into “flight mode” at situations and needs to remember to stop and assess before scooting.

 

[wildandwoolly]

I've tied some long strips of red and white barrier tape to some of the fence posts around the school which flutter gently or madly according to wind speed! My very spooky pony now just keeps his eye on them rather than spinning at speed but I've found I do need to keep moving them around to keep that element of surprise or else he becomes a bit blasé about them. Very interested in hearing other suggestions too so thank you Michen for starting this thread

 

[TPO]

If you've got prime then there are some series on the H&C channel like TRT and Principles of Training

This book is good for inhand schooling
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/3861279649/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1586439485&sr=8-1

 

[Michen]

If you've got prime then there are some series on the H&C channel like TRT and Principles of Training

This book is good for inhand schooling
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/3861279649/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1586439485&sr=8-1

That is more to do with the “schooling” side of it, no? As mentioned I am working on that, my post is more around how to set up situations to educate from a reactivity point of view. I want to be sure his reactions are as solid as they should be when faced with something scarey/worrying.

 

[TPO]

That is more to do with the “schooling” side of it, no? As mentioned I am working on that, my post is more around how to set up situations to educate from a reactivity point of view. I want to be sure his reactions are as solid as they should be when faced with something scarey/worrying.

Sorry I read it as two separate questions; reactivity and schooling suggestions

I've just watched season 3 of Principles of Training on H&C, that deals with those issues. If that training method clicks with you theres a whole online subscription video library.

 

[Ambers Echo]

Umbrellas. Pebbles in a bottle that when shaken sound like clapping. Black flappy plastic to simulate haylage bales.

 

[Alibear]

Dragging a rope? You start with you holding it and dragging it behind as you walk with them and progress from there.

 

[dogatemysalad]

Along with desensitizing, use problem solving to train the horse to think before reacting.
We've used a gym ball when there's a gentle breeze. The ball moves by itself and the horse reacts with suspicion. Once it's become familiar with the ball, encourage it to move the ball with its nose or leg. Horse then discovers it can control the ball and make it move away.
It's a way of teaching a horse not to run from scary things, but to pause and think. Some horses are afraid to hack through a field of sheep, but it's the same principle. If the horse keeps quietly walking forward, the sheep will move away and the horse increases in confidence, knowing he can influence a scary obstacle. Similarly, try it with bikes and tractors. A young horse may be scared to pass a group of cyclists or a tractor coming towards them, but will happily follow them when they're moving away.

 

[Myloubylou]

If you hack then people crouching down with dog is apparently very scary as are people popping up suddenly over a wall. Crop spraying vehicle driving narrowly past totally fine tho ?. My welsh d didn’t like the curtain obstacle in trec like session. Napped then barged through asap. Soon twigged actually wasn’t going to kill her. You can buy them quite cheaply I think. Umm big bag pack to simulate child being carried on back. My other one fled at walkers with poles.

 

[paddy555]

I tie a 5 gallon oil drum onto a long rope and then throw it over his back so it hits the ground loudly on the other side, I do it over the neck, withers, saddle area and bum. Once thrown over I drag it back over him. Really sling it over, no faffing around.
Then we take the oil drum for a walk on a lead as you would a dog. We go off for road walks dragging it with us and then as we go along we stop and I chuck it back over his back and it hits the tarmac again. I also drag it loudly around him on the road as we are walking along, drag it between his legs, under his belly. Also tie the rope around his neck so he is dragging the oil drum.

We also play football with the horse in an enclosed space. Kicking the ball deliberately at him, through his legs etc. We also use his side as a wall and throw the ball at him.
We hang a clothes line up with washing on it and lead him under it step by step so he hits the washing and can work out what to do or you can use a sheet of plastic as the clothes.

Wizzing a longing whip around over his head and bum. Cracking it over his body.

We use 6 forty five gallon oil drums in 2 lines of 3 walking through them and gradually reducing the width until it is too narrow at one end. He then hits one and has to learn to stop, look round and take the correct action rather than panicking. We also put raised poles or crossed poles (jumps) between the rows of drums so he has to step over them very slowly. The idea being he stops at the pole, looks down, and then picks his foot up. Very slowly so the aim is to work it out not to be able to go clear without knocking the poles.

We lunge with wellies tied on long strings to the roller so they hit his sides, and we lunge with a dummy over his back (mens overalls stuffed) with the aim that he trots and the dummy falls off. He then learns to stop (on his own) and carefully avoid treading on the fallen dummy. Most useful for when I fall off him
We also teach them to lower their head on command firstly on the ground and then when sat on them. So in a scary situation horse realises the sequence of events is lower head and engage brain. ie stop the flight mode.

 

[thefarsideofthefield]

We had a Fell pony that was totally bombproof in every way except for when it came to motor bikes . she was oblivious to every other vehicle from massive groups of cyclists to noisy sports cars to combine harvesters - all could whizz/roar/rattle past her on the narrowest of country lanes and she wouldn't bat an eyelid . Spot a motorbike however and she would turn into a quivering wreck and we had a couple of scary incidents when she tried to make a swift getaway .
As Mr Farside was , handily , the proud owner of a large and very loud Harley Davidson V-rod we decided to take matters in hand and over the course of one long summer we spent many hours de sensitising her . We started by parking the bike in the paddock next to hers , then in her paddock , then with Mr Farside sitting on it , then leading her up to the bike to receive a polo . All ' terrifying' , all took months until she was calm . Then he started the bike up and MELTDOWN - we had to start all over again !
It took FOREVER - but eventually , with great patience and persistence and many , many polos I could ride her around the fields whilst Mr Farside rode noisily around her on his motorbike .
Happy Result ? You would think so wouldn't you ? But what transpired when we eventually returned to the road was that she remained terrified of all other motor bikes except for Mr Farside on his V-rod , who she could recognise from a mile off .
This post is of absolutely no help to you whatsoever ! Except maybe , that whilst you can certainly do things to help , reactive horses are always reactive horses ?

 

[thefarsideofthefield]

Oh this lockdown business is giving me brain freeze - I've just remembered where I was going with the motorbike thing !
A lot of horses seem to find people on bicycles particularly terrifying We used to get the kids to ride their bikes round the yard/field ( at a safe distance of course !) until the ponies were oblivious to them . Having someone ride a bike nearby whilst you work him in hand/long rein could add a certain degree of excitement to your day !

 

[DirectorFury]

Poles being dragged around in the sand and moved lengthways by a foot - both things that mine found utterly terrifying for a long time!

 

[planete]

I tied empty plastic milk bottles at various heights from the beams in the stable so that the horse would come into contact with them unexpectedly to reduce a tendency to startle and kick. The reaction was quite funny, after initially bucking and finding the hanging nuisances did not go away he would try and bite them! When they still did not go away he finally ignored them.

 

[splashgirl45]

i clicked on this thread with anticipation of lots of pics of bear, nothing hope this will improve in the future

 

[IngramsRoughDiamond]

Umbrella's, Cow's if you can, Motorbikes, Sirens if possible

 

[Michen]

Ok so dragging poles etc he really couldn’t care less about. Nor noise in bottle. However someone stood in field on other side of fence that’s not usually there provoked a huge reaction. So once he was over that we did loads of flapping bags at the fence from person etc, her running up and down creating a racket.

He’s so quick to react and his instinct is to run, but then he’s very quick to get over it and put up with whatever said catalyst then does!

Umbrellas for him tomorrow but I’d put money on him just standing and looking surprised if I opened one right in his face. It’ll be if someone does it on the other side of a fence that will he testing!!

 

[fredflop]

Football rattle, hand clapper (if you look on the trt website that gives you an idea of what I mean).

 

[Flicker]

Anyone you know got a drone? There’s a kid near our yard who got one for Christmas a few years ago and sometimes flies it in his family’s fields. He’s very good to land it if he sees the horses out hacking but some have really taken exception to it. It is probably something we will encounter more of as they become more popular.

 

[Michen]

i clicked on this thread with anticipation of lots of pics of bear, nothing hope this will improve in the future

i clicked on this thread with anticipation of lots of pics of bear, nothing hope this will improve in the future

Sorrryyyyy!!! Not riding so figure it’s a bit dull but I’ll take some of his snozzle

 

[splashgirl45]

i will let you off as long as we get some soon, i thought he belonged to all of us as well....

 

[Michen]

i will let you off as long as we get some soon, i thought he belonged to all of us as well....

I will I will!!! Xx

 

[Michen]

I tie a 5 gallon oil drum onto a long rope and then throw it over his back so it hits the ground loudly on the other side, I do it over the neck, withers, saddle area and bum. Once thrown over I drag it back over him. Really sling it over, no faffing around.
Then we take the oil drum for a walk on a lead as you would a dog. We go off for road walks dragging it with us and then as we go along we stop and I chuck it back over his back and it hits the tarmac again. I also drag it loudly around him on the road as we are walking along, drag it between his legs, under his belly. Also tie the rope around his neck so he is dragging the oil drum.

We also play football with the horse in an enclosed space. Kicking the ball deliberately at him, through his legs etc. We also use his side as a wall and throw the ball at him.
We hang a clothes line up with washing on it and lead him under it step by step so he hits the washing and can work out what to do or you can use a sheet of plastic as the clothes.

Wizzing a longing whip around over his head and bum. Cracking it over his body.

We use 6 forty five gallon oil drums in 2 lines of 3 walking through them and gradually reducing the width until it is too narrow at one end. He then hits one and has to learn to stop, look round and take the correct action rather than panicking. We also put raised poles or crossed poles (jumps) between the rows of drums so he has to step over them very slowly. The idea being he stops at the pole, looks down, and then picks his foot up. Very slowly so the aim is to work it out not to be able to go clear without knocking the poles.

We lunge with wellies tied on long strings to the roller so they hit his sides, and we lunge with a dummy over his back (mens overalls stuffed) with the aim that he trots and the dummy falls off. He then learns to stop (on his own) and carefully avoid treading on the fallen dummy. Most useful for when I fall off him
We also teach them to lower their head on command firstly on the ground and then when sat on them. So in a scary situation horse realises the sequence of events is lower head and engage brain. ie stop the flight mode.

Great post! What command do you use for the head lowering? I can have Bears nose on the floor now with the slightest head collar pressure, but not sure how that would translate with a bit!!

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

Balloons
Tarps can be worn as tents too
When lockdown has ended I'll lend you my boys, they quickly de-sensitize anything that comes to us! ?

 

[Michen]

i will let you off as long as we get some soon, i thought he belonged to all of us as well....

Morning to you from the boys!!

The outcome was Bear does not like banana skins and needs to think before he wraps his greedy chops around things!

 

[paddy555]

Great post! What command do you use for the head lowering? I can have Bears nose on the floor now with the slightest head collar pressure, but not sure how that would translate with a bit!!

stand at left side of head. Right hand of top of neck about 8 inches behind poll, left hand on middle of nose. (headcollar on) and give instruction "down" . Wiggle head slightly alternatively with hands and as he starts to lower head praise him. Repeat until you can do it with just your R. hand on his neck. Expand that to doing it with your right hand moving backwards towards withers. Then when you are mounted practice doing it with one hand on his neck and giving the "down" command.

 

[Leo Walker]

I have about 30 road closed and road work signs that I was given. If you can find or make something like that they are brilliant for settling up obstacle courses and similar.

 

[Leo Walker]

Are you working on the Richard Maxwell stuff from a book or online? It sounds really interesting.

 

[Michen]

Are you working on the Richard Maxwell stuff from a book or online? It sounds really interesting.

Both!

 

[splashgirl45]

thankyou michen, he is very handsome