Some Thoughts on Naughty Horses

Wed Jun 8, 2005

I think Quzqo will be a brat forever, always testing, always seeing what he can get away with. . Tez would pull crap up to the day he died (seriously! I had a helluva time giving him his bute that very morning! Old fart, *snf*). I think it's a sign of intelligence. And I have to remember Quzqo had 6 years to build up all this 'tude, and I've only had him a year, so...6 to 1...

I had a barn friend a few years ago who had bought a lovely Appy gelding named "Larry", we went on a few trail rides together. But every time out, at one point or another, Larry would decide that we'd gone far enough, put on the brakes, and pretty much do The Quzqo ...he'd rear, he'd spin, he'd head-toss...but my friend was a timid person, and rather than take any advice on how to deal with that nonsense (ie carry a whip, etc), she ended up selling him without even trying to correct his issues. I bet that's what Quzqo 's former people ended up doing.

Hopefully he'll be intelligent enough to recognize when to stop the hi-jinx. THANKFULLY his antics (though I love to make them sound dramatic) are pretty wimpy and he IS a pusswuss at heart, so...we shall see.

In Praise of Clicker Training

Wed Jun 8, 2005

I REALLY am impressed with the clicker training for the horse...just subbed to an Equine clicker training Yahoogroup, get even more info. But last night I went out to the pasture to catch Himself, he walked right up to me all cute and adorable...got a click and a carrot piece, some scritches, I started walking away, he tagged right along at my elbow without rope or halter! We got around 20 feet when he got distracted by a very attractive pile of poop he just HAD to sniff...turned away from me...I started to walk off, calling him...he casts me this sideways sexy through-the-forelock look (think "Prince")...and the little shit swishes his tail and starts to rapidly hike off back to the open pasture!!

But...I clicked the clicker! He stopped in his tracks, turned around, and came right back to me!! Oh, you bet he got a carrot piece (or two!), allowed me to put his halter on, and to the barn we went!

(There's a nice unmarried gentleman boarder who has an awful time catching his horse...next time I see him, I might recommend clicker training, heh heh)

Usual brush-up (we did some target training with a white water bottle and the clicker, he's got that down pat as well!), tack up, out to the round pen, free-lunge the horse until he acts tired and cries "Uncle" (little knowing he had his fingers crossed behind his back when he said it!). Rode him in the horribly dusty outdoor arena...there were three other adults and one toddler riding (or rather, sitting around on horses, blabbing), but we managed to avoid them. Quzqo did PRETTY well, once he settled in and concentrated on being a balanced horse (if he's out of sync or distracted, we're all over the place...once he gets his mind on business, he's very nice). Lot of trotting, lot of NICE cantering (now we have to work on refining that to something a bit slower...he's still slow as dirt compared to Tezlu, LOL). After a while, one of the other ladies asked if we'd like to go on a trail ride around the fences with them...sure! Quzqo was soaking wet by then (well, it was in the 80's out with high humidity), and it'd take a while to cool him down.

Well, the tiny child (the barn owner's granddaughter) was on this adorable ANCIENT black horse (he looked like the Yummi resin, I kid you not!), and the kid wanted to GO GO GO! So the old fella gamely trotted (his name was "Henry") on ahead. Quzqo then stowed his brain in a corner of his stall and started to act like a MORON...jiggyjoggy I wanna trot I wanna run I wanna be by Henry!! Happily I WAS able to keep Himself at a walk, considering I had his fat useless snaffle (w/no noseband or martingale), and the fact he payed attention to me was noteworthy.

That was pretty much the whole ride...the kid and her Aunt would get waaay ahead, Quzqo would go apeshit, they'd wait for everyone to catch up, then the kid would take off again on Henry, Quzqo would go apeshit, etc etc etc. Yeah, I know I could have let Quzqo trot along with Henry, but I figure *I* am driving, not him, thank you, and he's bad enough on group rides without encouraging that behavior.

We were on the last leg heading back to the barn, the kid was cantering up ahead of us...Quzqo was out of his gourd, never mind we were riding right beside the Aunt (for the record, Quzqo isn't even in the same pasture as Henry, he doesn't know Henry from Adam!)...Henry goes off, Quzqo throws his head up and starts to run! Oh Noooooooooo you don't! Watching all those Clinton Anderson shows on RFD-TV paid off, I grabbed one rein and HAULED his face around to the left...the bit slid through his open mouth, I lost hold of the right rein, AND he tripped all at the same time!! Somehow I got ahold of the right rein again (split reins, crossed over the withers though), and we went roundy roundy round round round in the hayfield 'til he stopped. A GOOD kick to the sides and back on the straight and narrow...and the last few yards to the barn parking lot were full of spooks and high-wired Arabian Antics for NO good reason other than Henry got him all worked up!

The others went into the barn...Quzqo got to go back to the outdoor arena, where he put up another amazing display of Drama Queen Defiance at even going through the gate...Spinning, rearing, head-tossing...but a little gentle encouragement from Mr. Whip on his behind got him
through the gate, and I tried riding him in there...but he kept veering towards the gate, veering towards the gate...so I cantered him across the arena to...THE ROUND PEN OF DOOM!

BWAHAHA! He would NOT go in...he balked, he tossed his head, he would NOT go in that gate to Hell! I did get him in, he DID get a click and a carrot piece for the effort, unhooked the reins from the bit, and then with the carrot stick & rag, CHASED HIS ASS FOR HALF AN HOUR! HooHOOOO! He knew he was in trouble too, LOL...I SMACKED the stick on the ground, I beat the shit out of that dirt...and a tidy by-product was the horse galloping circles around me! Oh, he needed it, you better believe it! I'd then just stand, leaning on the stick, and Quzqo just kept galloping and galloping and galloping...not wanting (or daring?) to slow down...round and round and round...he was dark grey from poll to croup with sweat, LOL! If he did slow down to a trot, out came the stick and the dirt got another beating, and awaaaay he went again!

Finally we got to the point where I said "Trot" he immediately slowed to a trot...when I said "Wallllk" he jammed on the brakes and walked...when I said "Ho" he stood still, lowered his head and puffed for breath...it's an achievement to get that boy out of breath!!

Dragged him back out of the round pen, got on his back, and we did one of each gait in the arena...little shit tried to bolt for the gate, which earned him some tight circles outside the gate, then back INto the arena, a rest period IN the arena, then we walked quietly out of the gate...and off on ANOTHER trail ride! LOL...I did feel sorry for him, but by God, I can't let him get away with that junk (it's obvious his previous owners DID!!). We just went maybe a mile, if that...enough that his breathing returned to normal and the sweat started to dry...he acted a lot more pleasant that time (because we were alone I'm sure). Back to the barn, and BATH TIME! That poor horse, I bet he won't have anything to do with me tonight!

But I've been using the clicker training in the wash rack as well, and he's really improved...if he gets tense or a little high-headed, I wait 'til he lowers his head and relaxes (for whatever reason), then a click/carrot...which also distracts him, so he didn't care WHAT I was spraying with cold water, he stayed calm and low-headed, ready to enjoy any clicks/carrots that came his way!

When I left him around 9:30 last night, he was stuffing hay in his face in his nice, cool stall...(Oh, and he now backs through the indoor arena gates like a pro!)...we'll see what kind of reception I
get tonight (no riding tonight, that'll be his reward!)

What a Little BUGGER!

Sun Jun 5, 2005

They left Quzqo out in the pasture all night (instead of bringing him inside), so he was pretty slow and sloggy, so I didn't bother to lunge him before riding. Plus I figured the upper-80 degree temps and humidity would also keep him slowed down. Well, that was right, up to a point. It seems that 20 mph wind gusts have a very energizing effect on a horse! So much that the exact same route we rode yesterday in a blase' manner, today became The Gauntlet of Horror! The Museum of Equine Predators!!! "Death From The Unknown!!!" Things he walked by yesterday, today he had to jam on the brakes, arch his neck and SNORT, then try to wheel around and disappear!

Fortunately between my two assistant trainers, Mr. Whip and Mr. Martingale, we were able to keep a certain little horse on the straight and narrow (it was narrow too...thick woods/forest on the left, electric fence on the right...no room for hi-jinks!!!)

Got out to the big hayfield and started across to the dirt road. Now, I swear, *I* didn't see a thing, but Quzqo was apparently wearing his Day Vision Goggles, because HE saw the five-headed horse-eating demon jump out of the tall grass...he SLAMMED on the brakes, did a gorgeous 180 degree spin, and started off back towards the barn! But thanks to the afore-mentioned assistant trainers, he didn't get far, and with a good kick to the ribs, we worked our way across the field, stopping every 15-20 feet or so to SPOOK and SPIN and BALK and SNORT! LOL! I tell ya, I WAS laughing my ass off...I had to remind him that I owned TEZLU for 15 years, he has to do better than THAT! It was VERY obvious he was deliberately trying to get out of work (he put up a Drama Queen performance just getting the bit in his mouth!), and after the 5th or 6th attempt to turn back, he gave up, and I swear, that horse was POUTING! Yep, I have a good idea why they neglected him and sent him to auction, LOL!

We turned down the mile-long driveway of a friend (nice lady, boards at the barn, has horses and a MULE at her house, literally next door to the barn), that was filled with half-hearted spookables, once we got into the woods, Quzqo calmed down and seemed okay (probably because there was no wind in the woods). We got to the house, he had to spook at the paddock with the mule in it (lovely red dun saddle mule!), they had a swimming pool set up in the front yard, so that was worrisome! The woman and her daughter were by the pool, I hollered "Hello!", and stood there a minute...hard to believe they didn't see or hear us (I mean, a WHITE horse in their driveway? You'd think you'd notice), but neither one looked our direction, and apparently didn't hear me, so...we left (I've since come to the conclusion that I AM truly invisible, considering the number of people that almost ran me down at the auction yesterday). Cool...Invisa-girl!

Trip back to the barn was shorter, since I let Quzqo do some trotting. We wandered up and down the dirt road a bit too, he was nearly perfect, but worried about the wheeled dumpsters by the roadside. Back to the barn, for some more work in the outdoor arena!

He did VERY good, considering. I was a bit worried, taking him off-property by myself, but we did fine...I was pleased that his constant spooking and spinning and idjit-ness didn't frazzle me one bit. Poor guy was soaking wet when we got back, so he earned himself a quick bath. I've been working with clicker training, and I was so happy to see that using the clicker/treat technique worked in the wash rack as well...normally he'd be high-headed, hairy-eyed near-spazz, or else trying to bite me while I sprayed him...not this time...once he calmed and stood quiet, he got a click and a treat...really made an impression on him, and he did VERY good.

Brains as well as looks!

A Quzqo Mini-Me

Sun Jun 5, 2005

Finally finished painting this miniature resin horse, Mini Nahar sculpted by Sarah Rose! Not an exact portrait of Himself, but in the spirit of (and he looked like this yesterday when I was trying to get him back to the barn, I'm sure). Done with pastels and a couple of brown Prismacolor pencils, with acrylic paint for the hoofies, nose and eyes.

When I was riding Quzqo yesterday in the outdoor ring, a Mom with child were watching, and the Mom said "Look, he has freckles!" So, in honor of that, this model is now named "Freklz"!

No Mutton Busting Please

Sat Jun 4, 2005

What's more fun that riding an Arabian horse? Riding an Arabian Horse in 82 degree weather with 95% humidity and a probable broken finger! Wheee!!!

(I was hammering a nail this morning, hammer missed the nail, hit another kind of nail, smashed my fancy Vietnamese gel nail right off. Pain still excrutiating)

Haven't done too much with Master Quzqo lately, what with company coming up last weekend (Hey! They DID have the Poker Run trail ride, with nearly ***40*** people/horses! I think we had more fun buying perennials though!), and scaring Quzqo so bad that he stepped on his front shoe and tore it off, leaving him unrideable until Sunday when the farrier tapped it back on (he's now VERY leery of anybody standing outside the fence...goody!)

Been mostly working on our clicker training and backing up through gates (maybe someday, out of a trailer!), and going on nice trail rides around the acreage...the other evening we went across the neighboring hayfield (probably a good 1/2 mile across) and onto the dirt road, and up and down that a bit...without a fuss or a snort (he used to be terrified of that road, it's pretty dark and closed-in by thick hardwood forests). The Drama Queen performances at the corner that would take him into that field (and AWAY from the barn) have disappeared, now he thinks it's a pretty good idea...we've been working on that, making a point to head that direction EVERY time, even if it's for a few feet, or a hundred yards...no more automatically turning right back towards the barn.

Today it was so freakin' hot (well, for us thick-blooded Northerners), poor Quzqo was draggin', so I didn't need to lunge him. We even did some nice cantering (on the wrong lead!) in the outdoor arena (nice, deep, soft sand, sucking every ounce of energy from the horse, heh heh)...we were loping down the straightaway, I just SAID the word "ho", before tugging on the reins, and the little shit dug his heels into the ground and slid to a stop like a reiner!! LOL!! He was more than happy to STOP! (he was wearing his big fat useless snaffle too!)

We went for a trail ride around the fenceline to cool off (shady!), he was gooder than gold 3/4 of the way around. Now, today at the barn they had a big to-do, which included pony rides, "Mutton Busting" (i.e. kids trying to ride sheep!), Goat Tying, a tack auction, and a horse auction...so the indoor arena was pretty packed with folks, and they were having a good time,
considering we could hear the cheering and hollering on the farthest fenceline! As we got closer to the barn, the noise became louder...plus the parking areas were crammed with cars, trucks, horse trailers...add to that, the black and white tobiano draft crosses in the front pasture were
cantering back and forth, kicking up their heels, squealing and fighting...that's when Quzqo decided that they were holding Gladiatorial Games where cute little grey Arabians are forced to fight to the DEATH, and he wanted NONE of it...Oh, we spooked, we spun, we reared, we BUCKED, we spun, we balked, we reared, we jumped straight up, we pranced in place, we did everything we could to avoid approaching the barn area!! I got him to the edge of the parking area and dismounted...why tempt fate...but leading him through the outer aisle of the barn to the back, he was still jumping and spooking and bugging his eyes out, silly boy!

Simplified things by untacking him by the gate to his turnout, once I slipped the bridle off, he TORE off up the hill to rejoin his buddies on the far side of the pasture...tail ramrod straight up, cantering the whole way until he was a white dot on the horizon! What a maroon!!

Didn't hang around for the auction, it was the same bulk tack dealer they had in April, and they had the exact same stuff (which I'd already bought in April, LOL)...need to save my pennies anyway.

Even though it's supposed to rain tomorrow, I might just take him out onto a halfway "real" trail ride...I guess as long as no Mutton Busting is going on, he'll be all right!