Rug and Girth for standardbred in poor condition

[Regandal]

You may already do this, but if not, I have found clicker training an amazing way to build my wee boy's confidence. He's a sensitive flower, and I suspect was bullied a fair bit by a previous trainer. (I've seen the videos)
I use it for all his stretches, tummy lifts, picking up the back feet (not keen due to previous hind leg surgery), and we've started using it for in-hand stuff. He lights up when he realises we're doing a session, and the effort he puts in is phenomenal.
He seems so much happier in himself. Wish I'd discovered it years ago!

 

[Cobbytype]

You may already do this, but if not, I have found clicker training an amazing way to build my wee boy's confidence. He's a sensitive flower, and I suspect was bullied a fair bit by a previous trainer. (I've seen the videos)
I use it for all his stretches, tummy lifts, picking up the back feet (not keen due to previous hind leg surgery), and we've started using it for in-hand stuff. He lights up when he realises we're doing a session, and the effort he puts in is phenomenal.
He seems so much happier in himself. Wish I'd discovered it years ago!

I'll have to give it a try when he's had his time off - might be a good way to get him gently back into work mode.

 

[Cobbytype]

Well, this little rescue Standardbred just keeps on giving... and forgiving.

A small progression in my riding today; probably not in style, but in confidence. Although I've ridden many different horses, it was donkeys years ago and I have very little memory of how they actually felt. And I've only ever been an average kind of rider.

My horse of a lifetime, Jasper, was retired in 2010 and in the 6 and a bit year gap I've probably ridden less than 30 times and quite a few of those times was on a mechanical dressage horse. So riding Job just didn't ring any bells and there was no familiarity in the way he goes and the way I remembered what it was like to ride a horse. There's quite a big difference between a 16+hh maxi cob (Jasper) and a 14.2hh nippy standardbred!

Poor Job has had to endure me getting left behind in trot - I put my leg on, he duly obeys and goes forward energetically and willingly - I get left behind and thus pull backwards on the reins because my body doesn't keep up with his (oh the joys of having a toy boy). I also found out what makes Job 'jump' forwards. I click. I hate people who click, click, click at their horses, so feel dismayed that I do it. Maybe I've always done it? I'm a closet clicker who has just outed herself on social media.

On the advice of Job's trainer I tried to do some exercises to encourage him to move away from my leg - we got the hang of it in a fashion once Job interpreted the fuzzy aids my stiff legs were trying to apply. He did all this without objection, without silliness, without stuffiness and without any hard feelings for my inept skills. I'm really starting to enjoy discovering him.

Mints were duly administered by way of an apology. I think I'm forgiven. Humble pie for my pudding tonight I think.

Thanks Jobbers, you're a very good boy. I'm secretly planning our first public debut. A nice little dressage test I think, maybe later this year... much later this year, as this old mare has got to get her act together.

No pics today, but will post some next week.

 

[LD&S]

That is lovely, so glad the two of you are getting to know each other even better,never heard of a closet clicker lol.
Good Job.

I had a go at clicker training with Lady, I think there are two very different approaches, if I remember correctly some people choose to wait for the desired movement response etc then click others try and encourage what is wanted, I tried the latter with Lady and found it worked really well though to my shame I didn't keep it up but for a couple of months at least it was a massive ask just to get near her. She is so food driven though that when I did restart it was quicker and easier just to give the treat than worry about the clicker and at one pony nut at a time I wasn't worried about weight gain.

On the energetic forwards move, I read recently some tips on H&H though I can't remember what there were, doh! but I expect someone else will.

 

[Cobbytype]

That is lovely, so glad the two of you are getting to know each other even better,never heard of a closet clicker lol.
Good Job.

I had a go at clicker training with Lady, I think there are two very different approaches, if I remember correctly some people choose to wait for the desired movement response etc then click others try and encourage what is wanted, I tried the latter with Lady and found it worked really well though to my shame I didn't keep it up but for a couple of months at least it was a massive ask just to get near her. She is so food driven though that when I did restart it was quicker and easier just to give the treat than worry about the clicker and at one pony nut at a time I wasn't worried about weight gain.

On the energetic forwards move, I read recently some tips on H&H though I can't remember what there were, doh! but I expect someone else will.

Think I just need lots more hours in the saddle LD&S. I've forgotten so much and find myself getting muddled up when I try to do things other than the basics. Really enjoying riding again though and today's weather was a blessing, especially when 2 days ago I was riding in icy cold rain.

How did you get on this week?

 

[Cobbytype]

I'm disappointed in myself this week and a little ashamed at the standard of my riding. Poor Job didn't go well with me on board yesterday and resorted to hopping into transitions because I kept getting it wrong. My husband took pics of me riding and when I looked at them it was glaringly obvious where I was going wrong, but as they say, hindsight is a wonderful thing!

When my shoulders are relaxed and my hands are forward, Job goes nicely:



And when I scrunch my shoulders and do some knitting he doesn't because I'm holding him back:



I could have ridden today but was too stiff and p'd off. Apparently he went very nicely for his trainer though!!! Thanks Job, message received loud and clear - this tub of lard has got to up her game

Job's skin isn't great at the moment and the crusty lesions on his poll have flared up, so he had a bath today. Now he smells of lavender and isn't impressed. To make matters worse he had his bum thoroughly washed, which quite frankly is taking things far too far and he had to spend the remainder of bathtime with his tail clamped to his bottom for fear of further intrusions on his privacy.

I asked Job's trainer today about the droppings on top of the big cross country bank in Job's paddock and apparently he takes himself up there to scoff the grass and jumps down the steep side onto the middle tier then onto the ground when he's had enough. Remind me when Hickstead is please?

 

[Cobbytype]

Job has come home for a well earned holiday. I've ridden him quite a few times over the past few weeks and although there's room for improvement, I'm starting to get the hang of him. The Y/O has given me a couple of mini lessons which have been hard work but very useful in helping me maintain balance.

He's behaving differently in my paddock from when he left in December. He's more confident and much more active, so I guess he's feeling well. The first pic shows how he's changed shape and is developing muscle:



Victor quite likes having a bodyguard when he's having a dustbath:




Poor Job has been the victim of his mum's dodgy hairdressing skills and is now sporting an embarrassing basin cut:



All being well we will be going to a low key dressage competition when he's back in work late summer, but I'll worry about that later, for the moment it's nice to have him home.

So proud of this little trooper and how far he's come since October:

 

[JJS]

It seems like you're doing a great job, Cobbytype. What a lucky boy he is to have found his way to you

 

[Cobbytype]

It seems like you're doing a great job, Cobbytype. What a lucky boy he is to have found his way to you

Well, tbh I think he rescued me - I was in a dark place after losing my horse of a lifetime and it's been great having a little project and seeing him flourish.

However, he is in the doghouse this afternoon, having done airs above the ground next to me whilst I was poo-picking and then he chased the donks and was doing flying bucks/kicks in the sheer delight of terrifying the living daylights out of them. It's the first time I've seen a really cheeky side to him - a mixture of cold weather and rich spring grass has gone to his head I think!

 

[Widgeon]

He is gorgeous - and the older photos remind me very much of a young ex-trotter that I used to ride. He was such a sweetie and always gave 100% even though with hindsight I realise he can't have had a clue what I was asking for half the time. He's definitely the one that got away (he wasn't mine) and I wish I knew where he was now. It's lovely seeing how much you've done for your horse, he is very lucky

 

[Widgeon]

Well, tbh I think he rescued me - I was in a dark place after losing my horse of a lifetime and it's been great having a little project and seeing him flourish.

However, he is in the doghouse this afternoon, having done airs above the ground next to me whilst I was poo-picking and then he chased the donks and was doing flying bucks/kicks in the sheer delight of terrifying the living daylights out of them. It's the first time I've seen a really cheeky side to him - a mixture of cold weather and rich spring grass has gone to his head I think!

Ours used to canter around the paddock bucking with a stick in his mouth - apparently no one had told him he was a horse and not a puppy. I have lots of photos of him doing it but I've never seen another horse try it!

 

[debsflo]

He looks like a different horse now. Well done you x

 

[Cobbytype]

He looks like a different horse now. Well done you x

Thanks Debsflo. It's marvelous what some decent food and a bit of work can do isn't it. He's quite a good doer really so hasn't needed tons of hard feed and the steady work has given him a nice shape.

Going by today's antics, he might well be back in work sooner than expected ;-)

 

[Cobbytype]

He is gorgeous - and the older photos remind me very much of a young ex-trotter that I used to ride. He was such a sweetie and always gave 100% even though with hindsight I realise he can't have had a clue what I was asking for half the time. He's definitely the one that got away (he wasn't mine) and I wish I knew where he was now. It's lovely seeing how much you've done for your horse, he is very lucky

Trotters are lovely aren't they. Well yes, he is a lucky boy, but he's incredibly sweet and I feel like the lucky one. Would love for you to post a pic of yours.

 

[Widgeon]

Edited to re-post in the right place.

 

[Widgeon]

Trotters are lovely aren't they. Well yes, he is a lucky boy, but he's incredibly sweet and I feel like the lucky one. Would love for you to post a pic of yours.

Better late than never...after lots of "unexpected error" messages from PhotoBucket I've uploaded some photos to my profile. Excuse the blurry quality, this was ten years ago when teenagers didn't have fancy camera phones! The similarities between people's ex-trotters on this thread have really surprised me - arriving in hat rack shape, terrified of men, "funny lumps" but general lovely sweet, eager to please nature. I thought the little horse below was a one off, but it sounds like that's not the case. I love your recent before and after photos - Job is looking fantastic. And now summer is on the way, it will be much easier to to up your riding and ditch any extra weight! (that's what I always find anyway...)

 

[Cobbytype]

Sorry Widgeon - I can't see any photos in your profile.

Job is looking loads better. He's on holiday at mine for a few weeks and is presently wired and cheeky, bombing around the paddock and being very silly - a complete change in character from his usual timid self. I'm hoping he doesn't injure himself as the ground is very hard and uneven in parts.