Post by ShainaTN on Aug 23, 2006 19:47:50 GMT -5
Yesterday evening, I took a ride out on the trails... just me and Mystery. I tried to ride for a good solid hour. After I was done riding in the field and woods, a brought her home and done some work in the round pen. I got her starting on backing... she seemed to pick up on it well, but lots of room for improvement! After that I untacked her and told Dad that it was time to get her broke to the water hose.
Before now, I had been sponging off Mystery after a ride. At first she was scared of the sponge, and then it got to the point wear I could ringe out all of the water on her back. Yesterday, I told dad that she seemed to be gaining confidence and we should give it a try. Before I took her to the round pen, I got the hose and flopped it around her, making a bunch of noise with it without water. Then I turned on the water and sprayed it out away from her while dad was holding her. I told dad to go ahead and put her in the round pen and we will go from there. I didn't want to terrorize her this time around. I started off slow spraying it in front of her, letting her see and hear it. Next, I sprayed her nose, and she seemed to like that. What got her letting me do it was, she wanted a drink, so I'd spray it in her mouth, then on her front legs and chest. I then went up and sprayed her head and she surprisingly liked this a lot, and from there on she let me spray her whole body off!
After having her for over two years (and at the age of 4), she got her first hosing down! I told dad that it takes patience and understanding. During this, he took the hose from me once and tried to force her to be sprayed, and she didn't like that and got scared and went in circles until I told dad "STOP". He did and gave it back to me. So after all was said and done, he realized that I was doing it right.
But for now, I'm glad that my horse can be hosed off.
REMEMBER, you can only train a horse with patience and understanding... so many people forget that, like my dad.
Before now, I had been sponging off Mystery after a ride. At first she was scared of the sponge, and then it got to the point wear I could ringe out all of the water on her back. Yesterday, I told dad that she seemed to be gaining confidence and we should give it a try. Before I took her to the round pen, I got the hose and flopped it around her, making a bunch of noise with it without water. Then I turned on the water and sprayed it out away from her while dad was holding her. I told dad to go ahead and put her in the round pen and we will go from there. I didn't want to terrorize her this time around. I started off slow spraying it in front of her, letting her see and hear it. Next, I sprayed her nose, and she seemed to like that. What got her letting me do it was, she wanted a drink, so I'd spray it in her mouth, then on her front legs and chest. I then went up and sprayed her head and she surprisingly liked this a lot, and from there on she let me spray her whole body off!
After having her for over two years (and at the age of 4), she got her first hosing down! I told dad that it takes patience and understanding. During this, he took the hose from me once and tried to force her to be sprayed, and she didn't like that and got scared and went in circles until I told dad "STOP". He did and gave it back to me. So after all was said and done, he realized that I was doing it right.
But for now, I'm glad that my horse can be hosed off.
REMEMBER, you can only train a horse with patience and understanding... so many people forget that, like my dad.
