SKY Update 2

Goldenstar

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I picked up Sky a week ago today .
I have been working him twice most days and he’s beginning to knuckle down and get on with life the way I want him too .
The hacking has improved a lot as has the behaviour in traffic although I would not go out alone atm
In the school I have been lunging working to getting him to stretch down this has come on well and will help him to develop the strength in his back and core that he lacks atm .
His lateral bend has also improved so all going in the right direction there .
On Saturday we hacked out them I took him in the school with H alongside obviously he was a little miffed as he thought he was heading to his stable for a snack and sleep so he treated us to some of the naughty spooking that his previous owner disliked so much , I just gave him want for he was shocked but took it well and behaved the moment he settled I took him out .
Today he’s been away to jump with Craig who helps me with my jumping on board apart from landing disunited twice it would have been hard for him to go better . Settled immediately jumped beautifully no spooking good result .
Next week we have a dressage clinic and a pole clinic and I will try to get him to Craig for a jump then the next step is the big one Hunting .
He’s a lovely horse to care for very sweet , my heart is still with Harvey but I am warming to him .
 
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Goldenstar

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That’s very good progress, I’m glad that you are enjoying him.

How did you deal with the spooking?

By getting the hold of the rein and unceremoniously pulling his head away from what he objects to backed up with some growling he not yielding through the ribs so the leg does not help much atm .
Basically I rough house him he’s does not like it and acts surprised .
He’s learning though not to try to drag me about .
I have ditched the grackle but added a martingale which helps because he will put his head up and run forward .I prefer if he opens his mouth that he pays the price for doing it .
I move his neck a lot .
I am kind about the big traffic though he genuinely concerned about that but his spooking is naughty he’s not in the least a scary cat .
He’s going to be a big strong horse he needs perfect manners .
He’s seven time to leave childish things behind .
 

ycbm

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I didn't realise that he was sold as a spooky beastie. You are very brave after a recent hip operation to take that on. I'm glad it's all going well. Looking forward to following his progress, he's an impressive looking horse.

.
 

Pearlsasinger

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I'm glad he's making progress and you are enjoying him. It can take time to build a strong relationship with them, especially when you have just lost one that you had that feeling with, I'm sure you'll both get there.
 

Goldenstar

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I'm glad he's making progress and you are enjoying him. It can take time to build a strong relationship with them, especially when you have just lost one that you had that feeling with, I'm sure you'll both get there.

Thank you that’s exactly what it’s like
I loved Harvey so much from the first moment I saw him ,it’s been hard I thought he would be my last horse and held nothing back .
Sky is a very very smart ID my plan was the first non psychotic sound looking horse I found I would buy no matter what because I needed something to ride .
 

View

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Ah GS - I know how I felt when we made the call with Paddy.

But it’s all moving in the right direction and you have so much experience that i’m sure you will get there with him.

He is a lovely stamp of a horse - just my type.
 

Tarragon

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I am jealous of you being able to ride him twice a day! I would love the time to be able to do that but I will need to retire first.
Two short lessons are supposed to be so much better than a single long one.
Everything sounds like a perfect set up.
 

Goldenstar

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Just had a fantastic road hack saw lorry’s motorbikes vans no farm traffic though he was so good flinching a little and we are of course using the other horse as a block .
He also had a canter in the woods he was behind and quite strong I don’t think we will be able to hunt just in a snaffle shame but you have to do what you have to do .

I am jealous of you being able to ride him twice a day! I would love the time to be able to do that but I will need to retire first.
Two short lessons are supposed to be so much better than a single long one.
Everything sounds like a perfect set up.

Twice a day works so well I hope to get out again tonight as long as fit young friend gets away from work in time or I will lunge him .
Twice a day sorts hacking issues in easily and quickly and we still have a little of autumn left where it works soon it will be too dark and there will be too much yard work to do twice .
 

Goldenstar

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I wonder why you would want to ride a horse twice a day? is this to get him fit enough for hunting? I think eventers mainly ride once a day. Just curious tbh!

My event horses did work either dressage jumping or fast work and a session of hhacking everyday usually two pieces of work .
I ride this horse twice a day because I need him to study fast the lessons I want him to learn he’s seven ready to be working and being useful .
Two pieces of work is better for the muscles as they get recovery time .
Busy tired horses behave well .
 

hihosilver

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My event horses did work either dressage jumping or fast work and a session of hhacking everyday usually two pieces of work .
I ride this horse twice a day because I need him to study fast the lessons I want him to learn he’s seven ready to be working and being useful .
Two pieces of work is better for the muscles as they get recovery time .
Busy tired horses behave well .

Thanks I have an eventer out at BE 105 just never considered riding him twice, would be worried about the extra pressure on joints but its an interesting and different way of training- thanks
 

Goldenstar

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I can’t understand what possible problem there might be with riding horses twice a day .
When I first worked all eventers on the yard worked twice one hack one piece of work .
Whats the problem with riding for two hours in a day for example and doing it in two bits .
It has to be better for the horse and no one would think a horse can’t work two hours a day .
If you want to lunge a horse it’s not enough work in a day for a healthy horse so if you lunge you also need to hack otherwise the horse is not going to be doing enough .
 
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Its so refreshing to see someone take a no sh*t attitude, kick on and not worry about being a bit rough when needs be! So many people pussy foot around their horses and end up with bolshy, spoilt brats. Horses arent daft and learn quickly.

They say the same for humans studying fo exams - break it up into small chunks, knuckle down do the section then go for a walk or a shower or something to let what you have just learned sink in. The more you try to cram the less responsive the brain is by the end. Same with pretty much all animals.

Good Luck with him OP! He sounds like h is going to turn into a cracking horse under your guidance.
 

Red-1

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How do you train a Police Horse?

Usually get a big, bolshy 17.2 who has got the better of a previous owner. Put into work for 4 hours a day (progressively). Only walk work as a rule, with plenty of standing around. Accept no sh!t, be firm but fair, get them working off the leg, let them know that "the day may be long."

Be progressive, use a schoolmaster as a companion. Start ever more increasing demands, such as working away from said schoolmaster/busier conditions.

Looks like Goldenstar is doing it all correctly, don't really understand why it seems so strange. IMO, most horses are under stimulated in body and soul.

I remember a quote given by some 'horseman' or other. If you have an issue with horse, ask yourself when the last time you spent 8 hours with that horse. I don't mean 8 hours turnout, I mean in your company. Not necessarily ridden. We had to teach them to stand quietly whilst you ate your packed lunch. That teaches boundaries, I can tell you!
 

splashgirl45

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when i got my first horse i rode him and took the hour long rides at the riding school, so he did a couple of hour rides in the evenings and on sundays i rode him for 3 hours to take the rides. he always had mondays off completely and i used that to give him a really good groom and lots of fuss... . saturdays we went out for about 3 hours on our own which was nice. so many horses these days are lucky if they get an hours exercise a day which isnt too bad if they are turned out but this can happen to some when they are stabled 24/7...
 

Goldenstar

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Yesterday we hacked out using Tatts our 19yo care in the community horse as the companion. Tatts who is to put it mildly was in fine form looking at things in his inimitable way it’s not so much spooking as intent glaring teamed with a bit of dancing . He is and has always been a delightfully batty horse who would if the chips where down walk through a fire if you asked him but he’s not a good companion horse .
Sky excelled himself passing a man strimming his verge while Tatts practised lying down as we headed home we heard something large behind it was a huge tractor and trailer with a massive wooden hen house on the back .
We got into a gate way and got Tatts in between the road and Sky the tractor passed and all SKY did was tense slightly and watch .
I could not have been more thrilled if I had won a prize he’s coming on so well .
Today we got fit young friend on him had a hack ( excellent) then went in the school I had left the defender attached to the leveller in one corner .
First time past he went to spook FYF turned head away next time past he went to spook FYF gave him one hard whollop with jumping whip .
He then never looked at anything and worked well gave him twenty minutes and then put him away .
Really chuffed with him huntings not far off if things keep going like this .
 

AdorableAlice

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I think you can teach young horses far more in two short sessions than you ever can in one long one. The mind is occupied and the body is getting tired not quite aching or sore. Plus the fitness improves gradually. I suppose in the modern world we all live in very few of us actually have the time to work them twice.

My bonkers carthorse was 'worked' several times a day when he went away to be started. He had severe anxiety issues and could not cope with lengthy work sessions but lots of little sessions helped him no end to get confident and more settled. Even now at 8 years of age we use the same method with him. He is learning simple changes at the moment and gets so eager to please he doesn't wait for the aids in the upward transition and just explodes into a huge canter which he can't control and he gets anxious. We just put him away and rode him later in the day. Second try was soft, easy and lasted 15 minutes. All about knowing the horse I suppose.

Really looking forward to seeing Sky, just my type of horse.
 

Goldenstar

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Thanks AA , I must crack how to make my photos small enough .
When I started out it was on a yard that did a lot of starting horses and we worked them twice a day .
The boss said if you working them longer than it takes you to tack them up it’s too long
I am not doing Sky twice every day now and he had two days off and behaved well on the back to work day.
He’s changing shape already .
He’s not bothered about changes of riders either
 

SEL

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Sky is sounding great - get those photos sorted!!

An old friend used to take on tricky horses for her trekking centre. Most went out twice a day and many 3 x day in her busy season (so that could be 5 hours a day). Nothing like work to make a naughty horse sane or get a fat horse fit. No worries over restricted grazing for her natives.

Mine responds better to 2 x short session but unfortunately work and dark nights / mornings are getting in the way.
 
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