tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010353728052033100.post3474002857989050707..comments2023-08-03T04:01:42.288-04:00Comments on Dream Big: RearingCodex Dressagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04736021620789376995noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010353728052033100.post-78753876796196361332015-09-29T10:01:40.839-04:002015-09-29T10:01:40.839-04:00Definitely not a fun problem to have, but I really...Definitely not a fun problem to have, but I really like the ground work suggestion as well. My own choice is a clinician style rope halter/12 foot lead combination (natural horsemanship/cowboy training style) for the ground work. Both of my boys will rear when pressured, although Speedy has quit doing that now that he's truly an adult. Izzy can and will. I also like the back up forever strategy. I also like to do tons of yield the hind quarters and the forequarters. I really love the yield the hindquarters into a back up! Anything you do to control his feet is controlling his mind. I like to get mine moving and thinking so that they're focused on me. I think if you school on the ground for a while, you can come back to the clipper lesson with a more solid foundation in place. While he might resist it probably won't be a full on panic attack as he'll have his brain in place! :0)Bakersfield Dressagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05571487914424695283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010353728052033100.post-75324107938102983372015-09-28T21:13:00.741-04:002015-09-28T21:13:00.741-04:00I'm already breaking it down to clippers off, ...I'm already breaking it down to clippers off, clippers on! I'm not expecting to actually be able to clip him, but I'd like him to not run and rear when he hears them haha. We did have a good night tonight that I'll detail in the next post! Codex Dressagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04736021620789376995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010353728052033100.post-25133146456729620962015-09-28T15:39:04.094-04:002015-09-28T15:39:04.094-04:00That is rough. Courage has a rear in him, but he d...That is rough. Courage has a rear in him, but he doesn't bust it out that often and usually only under duress. <br /><br />And he's old and smart and not going to fall down. <br /><br />Lots of good ideas here. Might also consider tackling things in smaller chunks so he doesn't feel as overwhelmed. It's not that you can't push him--just that he has to trust you more before you do. <br /><br />But I'm more lackadaisical than most. Whatever works for you.SprinklerBandithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02948487857418394022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010353728052033100.post-50080959506269790392015-09-28T15:12:45.008-04:002015-09-28T15:12:45.008-04:00Maybe just try having someone hold the clippers wh...Maybe just try having someone hold the clippers while you walk by them in the aisle?Austenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13004088333430762406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010353728052033100.post-83321729862408760272015-09-28T14:27:12.524-04:002015-09-28T14:27:12.524-04:00Alright, next thing is to buy or borrow is cordles...Alright, next thing is to buy or borrow is cordless clippers. I like that idea, but the implementation needs to be carefully thought out... Our aisles are wide, but only tractor/manure spreader wide, and we don't have a round pen (or any small fenced in area). I know we have to find an appropriate out- which is why I was happy when he ran forward in an attempt to leave the barn in the other direction. I didn't really stop him, just made him turn in the aisle. Kind of ignored it and set him back up. Maybe setting him in his stall wouldn't be so bad? Set his rump in a corner so he's free to move forward past me and around me, but not backwards? The stalls are 12x12 and he's a little guy haha. But I think that's too closed in still. Hmm, thank you!Codex Dressagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04736021620789376995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010353728052033100.post-3651361622655054342015-09-28T14:20:28.751-04:002015-09-28T14:20:28.751-04:00Penn tried rearing under saddle, but it was half h...Penn tried rearing under saddle, but it was half hearted and I may have gone cowboy on his ass while cranking his head to one direction to break the motion. He thinks twice about it now. I can catch it before it even gets to that point with seatbones that dig in in a driving seat. I'm fairly confident in him under saddle. Probably 90% of the time, if he's scared or spooks, he jumps but then holds all his feet on the ground and waits. He's actually been super confident under saddle about spooky things.<br /><br />It's just on the ground when and when he doesn't want to do something (trailer loading habit) or something scares him (clippers). We've worked with him on giving to pressure, and he does give to the chain. Perhaps I need to make the give to pressure a more immediate response? Or bigger response? Or something? Ack. I know forward is the answer though, but it's hard when he turns it on so quickly and then he's far behind me. That and when we're starting from halt. A forward thinking stand in the crossties, just like a forward thinking halt. I do think he cares about himself and doesn't want to fall down. I know he doesn't have the balance to catch himself. He's all crazy legs at this point.<br /><br />I've only dealt with two horses (both QH mares incidentally), one had a sporadic rearing problem (who was super balanced and super into self preservation) that very rarely manifested, and one with a rearing problem under saddle when she didn't want to go forward (hers would get to the point where you get off, whip on the butt and go forward around the rider until forward thinking again, then back on). With consistent training and handling, the second one got over it and figured forward was easier.Codex Dressagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04736021620789376995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010353728052033100.post-29797693671271066142015-09-28T14:04:39.929-04:002015-09-28T14:04:39.929-04:00Try putting him in a position where he can move in...Try putting him in a position where he can move in a circle around you. For example, hold the clippers and when he gets fearful, direct him in a small circle around you. The key is to just keep the feet moving. He is allowed to be afraid, he can snort, he can jump. But he cannot back up and cannot rear. But do give him an "out" at first so that he gains confidence that he will never be trapped with this scary beast-eating pair of clippers. :) He might run circle around you. Fine. Once he slows, or calms down - stop the clippers and reward.Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11609268980526224486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010353728052033100.post-520526074688127532015-09-28T13:56:25.686-04:002015-09-28T13:56:25.686-04:00I dug out Mikey's old trailer helmet because P...I dug out Mikey's old trailer helmet because Penn already hit his head on my trailer (thankfully nothing bad happened). He wears it to haul all the time now!<br /><br />I like your leading everywhere to build confidence work idea. And the driving whip. But I get a feeling he's so fucking squirrely that by the time I catch his going backwards, I'll be encouraging it. Of course the answer is to preemptively encourage him forward at that point. I think I'm good at reading horse body language, but he turns on the plant and fly backwards so damn quickly. It's once I correct him that backwards isn't the right answer that he rears. Hmm. Interesting thought- change the whip to a lunge whip (lash by the handle), lead rope to a lunge line, lead on. Let him fly backwards a little further so we don't entice rearing, then use the added reach of the lunge whip to correct him? I just worry that his balance is so shitful on footing that is not sand that his feet are simply going to slide out from under him!<br /><br />I've gone the backing up route when rearing. "Fine you want to rear/fly backwards? BACK UP!" He doesn't really get it. <br /><br />And no worries about not being helpful, commiserating with me is helpful too!Codex Dressagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04736021620789376995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010353728052033100.post-41257856875365152972015-09-28T13:43:23.535-04:002015-09-28T13:43:23.535-04:00Ugh no fun. Rearing is NOT okay. It's so frust...Ugh no fun. Rearing is NOT okay. It's so frustrating when something like this happens, so sorry you're having to go through it :( <br /><br />Unfortunately it seems to be a go-to move for some of the warmbloody horses since it just comes so easy for them being so uphill. Rico had a rearing problem, but was almost completely undersaddle. With that, pulling him off balance (to the side, not backwards omg), which basically was me threatening to cause him to fall over sometimes worked. He never actually flipped but he was also older and smart so knew his limits and cared whether he fell or not. Some of them either don't have the balance or don't care whether they fall. What I learned is that once the front feet are in the air, unless you're prepared to flip them, you've lost that battle. From my limited experience (like 2-3 horses, all with rearing problems undersaddle, none on the ground), it's best to try to prevent it as much as possible. I'm not really sure what that entails on the ground with a problem like yours, but undersaddle it just meant keeping Rico forward and making sure that he was never in a position where a rear would be easy- so lots of bending, never going on straight lines for very long where he could slam on the brakes. <br /><br />TC reared a bit when tied to the trailer at a horse show once because his friend was gone (cue lots of solo trailering). I would look for the signs that he was going to rear and then came after his shoulder on the side with a whip when he started to plant those hind legs. I'm all for the cowboy stuff, there are some responses that are NOT okay. The thing with TC though is that he is super submissive so once as he realized I wasn't okay with it, he was on board with not rearing. It may return, who knows. <br /><br />It's hard when it's a flight response to them because they sometimes just can't help it. That doesn't mean that it's right or that you shouldn't fix that behavior, it's dangerous. Best of luck! I'm curious to hear from people with more experience than I have. Meganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04255900012774193536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4010353728052033100.post-48144854803843019052015-09-28T13:37:49.337-04:002015-09-28T13:37:49.337-04:00Ugh. That's frustrating. I wouldn't worry ...Ugh. That's frustrating. I wouldn't worry about cowboy territory, I didn't hear anything here that made me cringe. <br /><br />Pig has a bad habit of rearing when he feels trapped, too. He'll fight head pressure by rearing every time, and will rear when pressured to get in the trailer (always has, trailer accident did not help or hinder this behavior). He wears a helmet, because I don't like dealing with head lacerations.<br /><br />What has helped me mitigate the rearing has been lots of leading confidence work. In other words, hours of leading him past/onto/around/between scary things and tight places. It's low stress and helps him figure out he's supposed to follow me at all times. Also a driving whip is super helpful to tickle the back feet while managing the lightness in the shoulders from the front. The big thing with rearing seems to be giving them a place to retreat. For Pig that often means giving him space for his head, even if it means letting go a little (slackening the line). He is NOT allowed to leave, though. Or run me over. That shit is punished soundly. Backing seems to work when all he wants to do is rear and halt the forward motion. So does trotting forward in hand. Basically lots of in-hand work.<br /><br />None of that sounds actually helpful. Sorry. :(Austenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13004088333430762406noreply@blogger.com