How can I explain this to my mom without sounding rude?
 

When I go to ride, my mom will be down in Sonny's pasture cleaning it out as I ride. But when she's done she'll go up to the arena and clean the stalls and everything else. Each time she passes the arena door, she'll stop and say "Where's my pretty boy".
That takes Sonny's attention off of me and onto her, and it's hard to get his attention back to work, when he thinks he's going to get loves. He really does love to work, but if the choice is out of love or work, he'd choose love.

I really need to explain to my mom that I don't want her talking to Sonny anymore while I'm riding him, but I don't want to sound rude or anything. I have a hard enough time at the moment with all the other distractions for Sonny (birds, the scary jumping poles :roll: , and other stuff).

Just straight out say "Mom, please dont talk to my horse while Im working him, it distracts him"

Lol well there isnt really a nice way to put it, so just be straight with her.. Give her a nice tone of voice, and just say "hey mom, would you mind not callin sonny out when i am workin him, becuase it distracts him and it could put me in danger if he aint focusin."

Bring up this thread on your computer and ask her to read it!

You are right -- if it is distracting you / your horse, she should be more considerate. She may not realize the affect it has. She basically has him trained to respond to that particular phrase/tone.

OTOH, you could use it as a training aid. Instead of using that phrase / tone, she could be singing a song or chatting off-handedly (is that a word?) but not directed at Sonny while you teach Sonny to stay on task. Just a thought if your mom feels put out by you asking her not to say anything.

I'm throwing this thread for a loop:

I think the best training aids are things that disctract your horse - it makes you have to work through them :)

Plus... your mom is cleaning up after Sonny.. I would have killed for a mom like that!

I'm just saying!

If it really bugs you, bring it up with her, but be nice about it :)

Yeah, I'd be honest, but in a positive manner. ;)
Just be like, "Sonny gets distracted easily..."

i totally agree. if he is shielded from this kind of stuff now he is still going to be distracted by it later. maybe by being ready for it you can have him doing something he really has to think about so that he doesnt have the time to be distracted by her.

i think you should use it as a tool in training him. i understand your frustration about it though but i would try and work on having his attention so fixed on you that he really wont care what your mum is doing :D

I am with the people who say it's good to have a distraction. if you ever want to show or anything your horse needs to be able to listen to you even if crazy things are going on outside the ring. If he really gets that distracted by someone saying something outside the ring you need to work with him to get him to ignore it, not just make the problem go away

Hey, let's not forget that she already posted she is dealing with Sonny's problems with distractions already:
So if there is one distraction that she can reduce for the moment, I think it's wise to do so. Once she gets the other stuff under control, she can progress.
I vote for talking to mom nicely about it.

This would be super hard for me! I'm a momma's girl all the way. I could never do anything that would potentially hurt my mommy! :(

I would love if my mom would come to the barn when I'm riding! She hasn't seen my ride in about 5 years.

What does Sonny do when your mom talks to him? Does he just try to go to her or does he get dangerous? If he is not dangerous I would just let it be!

But like I said I'm a big time momma's girl! :D