Training Horses - 30 Day Fast Track - Day 6

 Training Horses -

 

30 Day Fast Track - Day 6

Day 6 - How to Set Fair Boundaries

This is can be a difficult topic and I think it might be one that I struggle with when she is smaller and younger. But I HAVE to remember that soon she will be taller than me and much much heavier than me so I have to establish safe boundaries for both our benefit. 

My homework today is actually one of the things I can do even without her being her. I will read what everyone else's rules are and if I agree with them I will add them to my rules. Gabi said that we are supposed to go with what feels right to us and everyone's rules will be different. So I am going to focus on what feels right for me. As I am around her more I will discover if there are other behaviors that I need to make rules about. 

Four important facts about making boundaries are: 

1. quiet & self-assured presence
2. firm & friendly attitude
3. warn verbally before correcting physically
4. get point across 100%.

Here is my list of Rules

My Boundaries

1. no biting
2. no kicking
3. don't push on me
4. don't horseplay with me
5. don't pull on me
6. be polite when feeding

My Rules for Myself for Lilly

1. I will respect your personal space
2. I will not take my feelings out on you
3. I will be focused and present when I am with you
4. I will be the leader you need me to be so you feel safe
5. I will ask for consent with whatever we do
6. I will take your emotions into account
7. I will listen to you and watch your body language
8. I will say thank you when you respect my boundaries
9. I will always look for the golden nuggets
10. I will let you be a horse
11. I will do everything I can to make sure you are safe, happy, and healthy
12. I will watch out for dangerous and scary situations so we can both be safe
13. I will continue to educate myself so that I am always learning and growing in my knowledge of how to do the other things

I think my "no-clue" word will be "hey" it is what I say to my dogs when they are doing something I don't want them to do. I also say "watch it" when I want them to move over when we are on our "bike-run" 

It is also important to say "thank you" and reward your horse after the correction. 

Training Horses - 30 Day Fast Track Day 5

 Training Horses -

 

30 Day Fast Track Day 5

Finding gold nuggets. Be present. Find all the good things when with your horse. Be positive. Tell Lilly - yes and thank you

How to say goodbye:

1. Keep focus on Lilly
2. bring Lilly BACK to herd
3. find her favorite itchy spots
4. really be present with Lilly
5. make last moments count
6. when you want to take the halter off
1. ask Lilly to put head down
2. unclip halter
3. turn nose
4. position self at her shoulder
5. wait for her to relaxs
6. than slowly take halter off
7. still have ear piece around her neck
8. wait for her to relax again
• it is nice to be with you
• enjoy a little more moment to hang out
• not lose connection right away
9. then when she nice and calm let ear piece go
10. stay with her
11. rub her
12. scratch her itchy spot
13. I leave first NOT Lilly
14. can also give a treat - to say goodbye

Training Horses - 30 Day Fast Track Day 4

 Training Horses - 

30 Day Fast Track Day 4

Today is about haltering a horse with consent. I really like the idea of asking for your horse's consent in everything that you do. This fits with how I want to build my relationship with Lilly. I do not want her doing something because I told her to. I want her doing it because she wants to. So this haltering exercise really gives her the chance to consent. 

Steps to teach your horse to self - halter with confidence: 

1. Show the halter 
2. wait for till Lilly gets curious and touches it.
• reward
3. Rub Lilly's body with the halter. 
• Start with the neck/withers area and progress towards the ears and the hind quarters. 
• Reward whenever your horse wants to check it out and looks at it.
4. Teach Lilly to touch the halter like a target. 
1. Hold it low in front of her
2. draw her curiosity
3. reward with voice and scratches when she touches
5. Slip her nose into the halter - just a second and take it off again
• Reward
• repeat multiple times
6. Teach him to lower the head
• reward
• repeat multiple times
7. Be confident leaving the head low
• reward
• repeat multiple times
8. Put rope over Lilly's back
• reward
• repeat multiple times

When Lilly is confident about all those steps but them all together and use voice and scratches reward after each step. Position self next to Lilly's shoulder

1. Show Lilly the halter (reward)
2. rub her with the halter (reward)
3. ask her to touch the halter (reward)
4. ask her to lower her head (reward)
5. ask her to leave her head down (reward)
6. put the rope on her back (reward)
7. Grab ear piece halter over the Lilly's neck making a big circle with your arms (reward)
8. Ask Lilly to put her nose in halter
• wait (horses run out of patience in 2 min humans 30 seconds)
• reward a LOT

Haltering Lilly is very easy. She doesn't give me any problems. 

Training Horses - 30 Day Fast Track - Day 3

 Training Horses - 

30 Day Fast Track - Day 3

Finding your bubble and the horse's bubble

It is very important to always get Lilly's consent to come into her bubble. 

FIRST TOUCH IS ALWAYS UP TO THE HORSE

Steps

1. lower energy
2. turn front (face, shoulders, belly-button) away from horse
3. look to the ground
4. wander in serpentines slowly closer to the horse
5. scratch other horses
6. walk towards shoulder slower
7. softly call Lilly's name
8. stop when Lilly raises head, puts ears back, points nose away
• this is the limit of her bubble
9. wait for permission and the horse to step closer with a horseman-handshake
10. When Lilly steps towards me - I step back to draw the horse

Trying it

Day 3 Respect each other's space

I am able to easily come to Lilly. I always use a horseman handshake before I engage her. She almost always comes to greet me at the fence as I am walking up. She even neighs when she sees me parking my bike. When I hang out with her in the paddock she will often come up to me to sniff me and engage with me. When she is eating I can walk up to her and engage with her. So I feel I am always respectful when I approach my horse.

I pay attention to Lilly's bubble everytime I approach her. So far, it has been easy to catch her and be engaged.

Lilly always seems to be very respectful when she approaches me EXCEPT when there is supplements involved.

Claiming the spot. I can do this with her hay. She moves away.

I CAN NOT do this with her supplements. She protests VERY loudly and seems to be very angry. She is very protective of her grain. She turns and tries to kick. Should I keep trying? How do I stay safe? Do I only focus on the taking her spot with hay or with supplements.

I am going to try to make a video today.

Training Horses - 30 Day Fast Track - Day 2

 Training Horses -

 

30 Day Fast Track - 

Day 2 Evaluation Day

Facts not Emotions

Lilly's Actions
Area 1 Lilly's Basic Opinion of me	Area 2 Lilly's Confidence When Leaving the Herd	Area 3 Lilly's behavior in scary/unknown places	Area 4 Lilly's attitude towards workplace and her confidence as a learner	Area 5 Lilly's acceptance of boundaries and her  behavior when I say no
I am the food bringer. I also give nice scratches. She seems to not mind me in her space.	she does not have a herd yet	she is curious and confident	she doesn't have a work space yet	she struggles with no but accepts it
In Lilly's Mind
Lilly's General Behavior
😟😀😕	😟😀😕	😟😀😕	😟😀😕	😟😀😕
My Goals for Lilly
Ears forward, answers my call and comes - Well respected and trusted friend, confident, cuddly, loves to interact with me and respectful	Lilly is very happy to quit friends and come with me no problem	Lilly comes to me for safety and guidance and she trusts me and stays easy to handle, she is curious in new places, alert but connected with me, a little more good energy	Lilly loves being in the area and and is confident in the areas and follows me willingly. Lilly loves walks and is curious and happy to leave the property, Lilly is interested, motivated and eager to please	Lilly responds nicely when I ask her to step back out of my space and she is very polite around food

Training Horses - 30 Day Fast Track - Day 1

 Training Horses - 

30 Day Fast Track - Day 1

30 Day Relationship Fast Track. The first day is today! Here are the key things I have learned from today's lesson. 

Lesson 1: Building a Positive Association in Your Horse's Mind - The Relationship Bank Account

1. I want Lilly to think, "Hi, mama! So happy to see you! What are we gonna do today?"
2. I want to spend time everyday with Lilly that is undemanding time. Just sitting together and being together. 
3. I am the creator of the relationship between me and Lilly
4. Need to develop a relationship bank account 
• always keep it in the plus (NEVER go into minus)
• Things that take points out
• Vet visit (injections - random punishment)
• Ferrier (scary person touching them)
• Deworming (yucky worm paste - random punishment)
• Competitions 
• Stressful experiences
• Things we don't think about
• inability to set fair consistent limits
• pushing horse past physical, mental, emotional abilities
• ignorant towards your horse's fear and when it is really trying
• letting horse walk all over you
• some will make you pay more than others 
• how much does Lilly make me pay for different events
• Things that adds points
• be horse's provider
• bring hay, pasture, water, daily concentrate food
• brought horse something really nice to eat after the session
• be your horse's protector
• protect horse from bullies in the herd
• protect horse from purple man in the bush
• rub neck, walk in front, between horse and purple man, help horse discover that it is not going to hurt her
• be your horse's entertainer
• mares not as playful overall
• be interesting
• be the comforter
• that when you come and spend time - find itchy spots, where to be rubbed and patted
• go grazing
• be really present with horse
• feel your horse be completely present
• hang out with horse
• eat with horse
• be with each other
• be part of the herd
• normal part of everyday life
• have nice sessions with your horse

First assignment 

1. start filling the bank
2. spend undemanding time with Lilly
3. expect nothing of Lilly
4. when/if Lilly wants to be close to me
1. Learn to feel your personal boundaries
• listen to my inner voice
• be UNMOVEABLE
• helicopter rope
• thank horse when listens
2. find her itchy spots
3. give lots of scratches and be Lilly's grooming buddy
5. do the things she loves to do
6. Post in Facebook group
• What's Lilly's favorite itchy spot?
• What kind of interaction does Lilly like?
• What kind of type am I?
• playful/peaceful
• How do I feel about the aspect of personal boundaries? Was it easy? Did I feel uncomfortable? How did Lilly react and accept?

Today I start my relationship journey with Lilly. I am so excited. 

Day 1!!!!!!! Lilly arrived today! We had an amazing few hours together!

what's your horses favourite itchy spot?

So far she LOVES her butt scratched and she likes nice firm scratches! I also helped her helped her scratch her itchy parts and she would nibble me with her lips (mutual grooming?) it was so sweet and wonderful

What kind of interaction does your horse like?

Right now she is settling in and I gave her her supplements in a slow feeder and groomed her while she ate. She seemed to like it.

What kind of type are you: Playful inviting or peaceful?

I’m peaceful

Are you inviting your horse to bite? No! I don’t think so. She only put her mouth on me gently for mutable grooming

Are you too quiet and your horse actually pushes you around or do you have too much energy and your horse is sceptical to approach you?

She was a pushy but I pushed back and she accepted it peacefully!

How did you feel about the aspect of personal boundaries?

It was a little hard at first - she is not small - but I also knew not to let her move me so o stood my ground and pushed her away. When I tried to push her back from the grain she really really didn’t understand! I’m gonna try to get a video so you can see what I’m doing. I’m gonna try it a little different tonight.

Was it easy for you?

It was not easy. I was worried I was going to damage our very new relationship - but I also knew she needed boundaries so I stuck with it

Did you feel uncomfortable?

Yes when I was leading her for the first time I was definitely uncomfortable and didn’t know what I was doing it’s been a very long time since I lead a horse - it was not good! I decently need to work on this. How do I get teach her to lead? She knows but she definitely does not walk nicely next to me.

How did you horse react and accept?

She was resistive because I could tell she didn’t understand - but did accept it eventually when I was giving her her supplements.

She accepted me moving her out of my space all other times. She didn’t understand the rope technique at all. I’m gonna have to bring the stick. Or work on my rope skills.

So many golden nuggets!!!! And she had a good roll!!!!!

Videos and Pictures from our first day together

Training Horses - Learning How to Train Lilly - It Begins!

 Training Horses 

Learning How to Train Lilly 

It Begins

So to help me train Lilly I am taking a special online class. It is called 30 Day Relationship Fast Track. Since Lilly is not here yet, Gabi Neurohr (the women who does the training) very graciously has offered to extend the classes for me an additional 2 weeks so that I can still have the 30 days of support. I want to document all that I am learning so I can revisit it as well as show our progress as a team. I can not share any resources from the training - but I can talk about what I am learning and I can show videos of what I am doing with Lilly. So that is my plan. There is a private facebook group, weekly zoom meetings, and daily assignments. EEK! I am so excited. 

I found Gabi when I read her book "Understanding is the Key" Then I bought her course Road-Map Foal to Dream Horse which gives flow charts to help you know what you should be teaching your horse at different stages and in what order. 

So now I will be taking the 30 Day Relationship Fast Track. The first day is today!