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Cloud Racer

17K views 165 replies 17 participants last post by  tinyliny 
#1 ·
Week 1
I picked up Cloud on Veterans day. He is 6 months old with minimal handling. He is a Heritage Ranch raised foundation bred quarter horse. Because he's a weanling and hadn't been halter trained, we rmoved the dividers and loaded him onto the trailer with no halter. I have a video camera so that I can watch the horses going down the road. He hauled beautifully with no issues for the 5 hour drive.

When we got home it was dark so we backed the trailer up to the paddock, opened the gate and allowed him to mosey out of the trailer. He calmly met Riley over the fence and was only a little spooky.

The next day I haltered him with a rope halter and while he didn't freak, I was unhappy with the way it went because I felt like he was being manhandled into submission so the next day I put a nylon halter on him and left him for an hour dragging a lead rope. For two days after that I did the same thing for the entire day. He learned to give to preasure by stepping on the lead. He now seems to be leading quietly enough. He also will back.

He is picking up all four feet although I have not taken a hoof pick to him yet. He is also allowing me to groom every inch of his body and is no longer headshy. We sacked him out a little bit by placing an english girth on his back and worked with a jacket.

I think we might be ready for our first tie session.
 

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#3 ·
They registered him Dun but he has an odd Taupe color to his eyes so it's possible that he could shed out grulla. His sire and grandsire are both grullas. In fact, his granddam is also a grulla (on his fathers side) I'm hoping he's a buckskin color...?

I'm going to register him FQHA and ABRA as well but I geuss he'll be temporary until he sheds out and I can prove he is a buckskin or a dun although, grulla would be eligible as well.
 
#4 ·
I played with him for a little while today but it got dark really quick. I sacked him out a little with my jacket and then spun it around either side of him. He wasn't happy about it but he dealt with it. I also picked up all four feet and leaned a little on him. He got some heavy hugs around the neck and then I stood in front of him and did a little jig. I jumped and flapped and kicked and irritated him but not enough to make him stop grazing while I held his lead rope.

I shook his little tail and patted his bottom. I knew he was a little cow hocked when I got him but he looked a little more so then I originally thought so I'll have to have the farrier out sooner then later. His feet are a little long but since he's 70 years old I really want him to hold his feet up really well. He's definitely getting there.

I have an appointment with the vet to have him gelded next week so I thought I'd check under there to see if he has dropped... I can't tell. I felt down there but he doesn't feel any different then a gelding to me so I'm worried we might not be able to geld him... He'll have to get his shots anyway.
 

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#6 ·
I probably won't do daily updates as time go's on but today we tied. And it went well. I only tied him for a few minutes. Ten maybe but he just sort of stood there, maybe a little irritated... We also walked the ring a few times, cross the ground poles a couple times, grazed a little... picked up the feet and desensitized...

I keep waiting for him to bust a move or throw a tantrum but so far he's just a slow moving thinker....
 

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#7 ·
Well....

Today was a dream to start. We headed down the driveway and back and then around the ring a few times. We stopped and backed and learned to move away from pressure...

I leaned on his left side, put my arm all the way over his back and just hung with him. Then went over to the right side. He wanted to move away but I kept moving with him. He got made and kicked towards me so I snatched his halter and said eh-eh. He pinned his little ears and charged me so I stepped forward and pushed him away. He jerked hard and rope burned my fingers. I forced him across the ring and then stood still while her ran to the right and the left of me but he never charged me again. I let him be while he had his little fit. The entire thing took about 5 minutes but my whole body was shaking when it ended because I'm a wuss on the ground.

Once he settled I stood with him a few minutes until I felt calm enough to begin again. I laid my hand on his right side. He stood. I scratched his back on the right side and then laid my hand again. He stood. I leaned a little pressure and he stood. I scratched his back and patted him then moved on to another exercise. I came back and laid my hand on the right side several times with very little reaction.

I hit his back legs with the lead line and he kind of kicked at it. Not at me but at the lead line so I got my Clinton Anderson stick and wrapped it around his front and back legs until he quit reacting to it.

Then I tied him for about 10 minutes while I cleaned his pen and then I clipped his little nose, picked his front feet and then tapped at his back feet with the hoof pick while I held them. He only lets me hold the back ones for about a minute so we are still working that.

I sprayed his mane w/ conditioner and groomed him really well before feeding him dinner and putting him to bed. I need to order him a blanket. I wonder how well that's going to go over????
 
#8 ·
I was supposed to have him gelded today but the weather was poopie so the vet cancelled on me. We are now scheduled for next week.

He was a little goofy today because of the weather and since I had him in a stall all day but I worked him a little anyway. He was a little mouthy because I think I've been over treating so... backing off on the treats.

I wiped him down with a towel and groomed him and then turned and backed. I took a leadrope and started swatting his legs with it because when I walked passed him I saw a little cowkick, like going for a fly not actually aiming but it was enough to piss me off. He got all attitude so whenever he tried to intimidate me I backed him up but I'm not sure I was doing the rope wiggle thing right so I need to go watch some videos to see how people are doing it. I did get him to back and he licked his lips so I made my point.

We did some tie work and he was a brat. Pawing and pulling back. I don't actually tie him yet since he is only 6 months and I don't want him to hurt himself. Instead I weave the rope in between the stall bars. Regular pulling doesn't loosen them but if he sits back the rope will give. I stood in the stall and pulled the rope back if it got too lose. After about five minutes he was licking his lips and standing so I ended the session. I through him out for a minute while I prepared feed and then brought him back in. I took my handy stick and whipped at his back feet while he ate. after a few minutes he stopped cow kicking.

I don't know what I'm doing... I try to keep his sessions short and sweet but I also try to end on a win. He seems so sweet... I hate feeling like I'm being mean to him but I know I have to do these things... It's funny, I lost so much sleep over Riley because he scared the crap out of me with his intimidation factors... This one doesn't seem to try to intimidate. He gets upset and begs me to stop but only tries to be scary once in a while and as long as I have the right reaction he backs down quick.

I did notice today when my husband got home and was being silly with the camero in the driveway that he got a little nervous and was trying to get into my lap so I had to do a little my space session but he figured it out quick enough...

I went ahead and set up a time frame to drop him off at a trainer in July/August for his yearling boot camp. I'm getting so much more brave and confident with the ground skills but only in a controlled environment. I do small things so that I know I can handle the reaction. I'm not sure I can do the round pen work on my own so I will seek help for that. It sucks because the trainer is 2 hours away but after trusting the wrong people with Riley, I need someone I can trust and this is my sister in laws trainer. She trusts her and has had her horses with her for maybe 6 years now. She is doing boot camp on her yearling now so... I feel good about it.

So... I never have a great happy happy feeling about my training sessions because of my confidence issues but... I see little improvements with this dude daily so I think I'm doing things right. I've had him about 3 weeks now....
 
#10 ·
Jen, it sounds to me like you are doing great so far. He looks like a little darling (in spite of the bratty weanling antics LOL).

As for his color, he is definitely a skin, either buckskin or brownskin. I can't see his dorsal stripe well enough to decide if he is also a dun or whether it's just countershading. I'd lay odds he's going to be a stunning deep gold color in the summer when he's slicked off.
 
#12 ·
I put some feed bags out with him the other day and he ran over and pounced on them and played with them so I gave him a tarp. It's shredded... at least we know he isn't one to spook over nonsense! He is interesting, he doesn't like me to throw the hay over the fence or into the stall. The first time I did it he really jumped. Ever since he would see me coming and just slowly walk away until I tossed the hay and then he'd come back. Now he takes about three steps from wherever I'm throwing the hay and then comes back. I don't think he's afraid of it anymore, now I think it's more that he just doesn't like it being thrown at him.

I've worked so hard at making him face me and not turn his but to him that when I went behind him to scratch his butt he kept turning to face me. Oh well... I prefer that anyway!
 
#13 ·
I feel ya on the growing and teaching...I have a coming 7 month old. Just don't be afraid to treat him like a horse. I think people "baby" the babies too much and they learn bad habits.

He will grow and develop and think up new stuff EVERY WEEK to try to be the top dog. You have to just remind him that you are his leader...and the more you guide him the stronger your bond will be.

Mine is always coming up with something new ... and some days I just walk away huffing. When he was 4 months...his mom shoved hay out of a bucket onto the ground so I was scooping it up, and he pinned his ears and bared his teeth. The best response I could have was to crack him a good one...and I held him (chased him out and held him off) out in his paddock until he faced me and licked his lips politely with ears forward. He never did it again. I won't tell you that disciplining my foal didn't break my heart...I was super down on myself about it. I knew it had to happen tho.

My boys more recent "thing" was to turn away from me when I went into the barn to visit him...bend his head away and then eventually turn away (but not actually go anywhere, just look over his shoulder)...well I tell ya...if I don't get a soft face and ears we're going to work! If I so much as see a hip pointed in my direction he's going to be moving out. That guarantees me two eyes and a happy face always.

Stay strong and good luck :)
 
#14 ·
When he is in his stall do I snap his butt until he faces me? He faces me in the paddock always but in the stall he'll put his head out the dutch door and ignore me. She I snap his but until he faces me?

Today I was backing him, just backing two or three steps and making him stand there, brought him forward and backed him. A couple times he ignored me when he realized I had a carrot in my pocket (no mare carrots!). I snatched on the halter a little and then swung the lead as I said back back. He licked his lips but I'm not sure if that was submission or if he just happened to lick them. I'm hoping it was submission because I felt like I won.

I have been using my nylon halter but I think he has the pressure release down enough that I can put the rope halter on him. I have a feeling my back will be a lot better with that halter...
 
#16 ·
cool. That was my thought. He will turn with me clucking or shaking the halter but it takes a few minutes. It's not immediate. In the paddock it's pretty fast. He's definitely more comfortable in the paddock.
 
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#17 ·
Just keep in mind...always start super small and grow from there. Noise first, cluck etc...clap your hands etc and the second you get a positive response back off and release that pressure :) I usually start with a cluck...and if I need to, move to a clap...he now turns like "Oops! Hey Hi there!" :)
 
#18 ·
I started off by thinking I was way behind because my guy wasn't halter broke until I got him but after all the things I've read I'm not feeling as behind. It's interesting how people think they should be handled, such as from day one etc.

I'm ok with slow as long as it sticks. A few people told me they had their horses trained to tie by this age but the more I read, the more I think I'm just fine doing it the way I'm doing it. He's only 6 months so my tying with the rope weaved into the bars so that it will give and only doing it for five to ten minutes I think is just fine. I even read that you aren't supposed to hard tie them until they are of riding age...

anyway. I am just glad there are people on this forum that can help!!!
 
#19 ·
I tie mine here and there...started in his pasture with bike tubes around a tree...let him feel that when he moved around but he stood there like "so"? I brought him into the barn and did some soft tying with no issue and now I can cross tie him for grooming. I think it's all by feel (vs by the book).... and mine was handled from birth by two small children ( I got him and his mom at 1.5 months). I have a leg up in being handled....but in some cases it works against me in politeness, so I have MORE work there.
 
#20 ·
I think as he gets more comfortable with me he'll start giving me more issues. Last night he kept crowding me when I was grooming so I would push him back but he was almost ignoring me so I took a crop and used the handle to push him back. I would push him back and make him stand then pull him forward with a kiss and pet his face. Then I'd say back-back and push him back. I had to use the crop each time because he was really kind of ignoring me and not giving me his full attention. It was feeding time so that was part of it.

He would also try to kind of walk away from me so I would pull him towards me (to face me) and then ask him to back-back. He didn't want to stand back and kept trying to come forward or walk away but after about 5 minutes he was licking his lips and standing until I called him forwards so I quit.

I hope I don't quit too soon because I've been quitting as soon as he shows me submission. Wonder if I should keep going a few minutes after?
 
#21 ·
They have a short attention span...so don't put too much pressure on him or yourself for that matter! What I think is...we have to come up with reasonable lessons for these little guys that don't wreck the curiosity, but also teach them something new. Mine is fussy in the barn too...doesn't stand super still. Is busy trying to sniff me or my clothes...and looking around. Kids are kids.

Backing is a good lesson tho! We do a bunch of it...including a little chicken wing action if I'm leading and he pushes up too close. I lead out...make sure he's paying attention, stop and back up toward him quickly (using a flapping motion of my arms if he doesn't move backward) We practice that within reason...I don't want him afraid to lead, but I also want some space. It keeps him paying attention to me instead of off in never never land.

I also have taught him circling (10 min tops)...not lunging per say as it's only a walk...but I'm teaching him to depend on a cue rather than on pressure. I can get him to yield his back end on a motion and move off in the direction I point. We switch directions a few times...and then do some backing. (yo yo game if you follow Parelli)

I use tarps on the ground...which he stomps the dust out of....balls, cones etc....feed bags in his stall since he was a kid too. All kinds of things to teach them to grow with confidence :)
 
#22 ·
It was another cold and rainy day. It's dark by the time I get home now and I don't have lights in my ring although I think my brother is going to put some out. He's been having issues with his agility dogs not wanting to train at his house so he brings them to my house and he wants lights. He may run some.

I was going to leave Cloud out tonight because he is getting gelded in the morning but it started raining so I brought him in. I stuck him in his stall w/out a halter and we did a little come and back routine. He is definitely getting it. I wiggle my finger and say back and he backs. I say whoa and he waits until I cluck then he comes forward... I rub his head and then send him back. I will slip a treat in on occasion as well but I'm really worried I'll get him nibbly.

I am starting to get confident...
 
#24 ·
No gelding today, it was raining? Again. My place is a swamp! He did get his shots though and the vet said she was really impressed with his behavior so i was feeling REALLY good but whn I fed him tonight he was all baby not wanting to behave at all. Tomorrow I am turning him out with pistol. Let's hope I can catch him whn I want!
 
#25 ·
I've come to realize that the fifteen minutes a day that you spend with a weanling isn't necessarily fifteen minutes in a halter and lead rope but more, fifteen minutes of daily things. For instance, today was the first time I cleaned his stall with him in it. Now, I have been cleaning his pen with him in it but he has room to walk away so he never feels crowded. I decided to change things up a bit today. I fed him in his stall so that I could turn him out with Pistol. I had to put Riley in the other paddock with his mother and the Blue and Sierra. They are busy re teaching him all the manners he lost being king of the herd in the other paddock.

Cleaning the stall with Cloud in it wasn't too bad. I picked all around him but did not pick under his belly because he did so well I didn't want to turn it into a bad experience. I could tell he was nervous because of the way his ears followed me but there was no pinning and no threatening.

Once he finished his dinner I pulled him out of his stall and groomed him real quick. Then I put him out in the paddock. He wasn't sure what to think being in that paddock all alone. He was very nervous so I went out and kept him company for a few minutes. That is when I realized that he keeps his proper distance from me. He walks up to me then takes a step or two back and that's where he stands. I also realized that when I walk towards him he backs. When I walk towards his butt, he moves it away from me. When I walk towards his shoulder, he moves away. If I walk towards his belly he steps sideways, away. If I walk away from me, he follows. When did that happen?!!! Does that mean I've been doing something right?! I was completely shocked!

I picked up his feet and hugged him....

He's still under the over hang. I think he got scared when I put Pistol out with him. Pistol doesn't want anything to do with a whippersnapper. He walked right past that baby to the pile of hay in the center of the paddock. Cloud is still under the overhang... he's still not real sure what to think about this change of events....
 
#26 ·
LOL, sounds like a smart little ******...just needed to be taught his place in your hierarchy. Don't get discouraged though if you go out tomorrow and all of that has been replaced by crowding and obnoxiousness, he's still a kid and will probably "forget" his manners periodically.

Keep up the great work, Jen :D.
 
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