So after working with my mare for the last few weeks to prepare her to be hobbled, I officially hobbled her for the first time today.
I was really pleased and surprised with her. She did really really well. She just stood there and didn't want to move (and she didn't want to graze) so I encouraged her to take a few very small steps and while she was uncomfortable with that idea, she was willing to try. There was only one near mishap when she put a hoof down on the hobble from the other side, then tried to move the then trapped hoof, but she righted herself before she could fall over. Even after that scary instance she was very calm about it and just stood totally still.
However, I have a few questions. When I asked her to take a few steps, she kept lifting her legs really high and confusing herself. Every once in a while she'd take a smaller step and have an easy time of it, but then she'd just go right back to tiny high steps. I figure that as she wears them more, she'll get used to moving a little in them...yes?
And also, by the time I took them off (I only had her wear them for about 10 minutes, I didn't want to overwhelm her, especially when she was reacting so well) she had apparently come to the conclusion that she could walk backwards like a champ in them, so she kept doing that... Is that normal and something she should work out of?
I'm planning on taking her to a place with more delectable grass tomorrow and hobbling her there to encourage her to learn how to move while grazing (since she didn't find today's grass attractive enough)...
Does she sound pretty normal with her reaction? Nothing to be worried about?
I was amazed at how calm she was. She's a rather unpredictably excitable mare so I was worried that she would freak out violently or something the first time she scared herself, but nope!
I was really pleased and surprised with her. She did really really well. She just stood there and didn't want to move (and she didn't want to graze) so I encouraged her to take a few very small steps and while she was uncomfortable with that idea, she was willing to try. There was only one near mishap when she put a hoof down on the hobble from the other side, then tried to move the then trapped hoof, but she righted herself before she could fall over. Even after that scary instance she was very calm about it and just stood totally still.
However, I have a few questions. When I asked her to take a few steps, she kept lifting her legs really high and confusing herself. Every once in a while she'd take a smaller step and have an easy time of it, but then she'd just go right back to tiny high steps. I figure that as she wears them more, she'll get used to moving a little in them...yes?
And also, by the time I took them off (I only had her wear them for about 10 minutes, I didn't want to overwhelm her, especially when she was reacting so well) she had apparently come to the conclusion that she could walk backwards like a champ in them, so she kept doing that... Is that normal and something she should work out of?
I'm planning on taking her to a place with more delectable grass tomorrow and hobbling her there to encourage her to learn how to move while grazing (since she didn't find today's grass attractive enough)...
Does she sound pretty normal with her reaction? Nothing to be worried about?
I was amazed at how calm she was. She's a rather unpredictably excitable mare so I was worried that she would freak out violently or something the first time she scared herself, but nope!