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Hi! I wasn't sure if I was supposed to update my previous thread or make a new one, so I opted for a new thread. If I'm violating forum etiquette or anything, please let me know! I don't want to annoy people.
Anyways, I posted a little while ago on the 22nd about my horse Ladybird, asking a few questions about her training. (You can find the thread here. It includes some background on Ladybird, along with my queries.)
I got some replies, and everyone was very nice! It's been 5 days since then, and a LOT has happened -- all of it good, though! I made progress on the lunging problem, and thank you to all of you that offered advice there. I also worked on her clinginess issue, and made headway there too! She's a smart gal, and she picks up on things very fast.
As mentioned in my previous post, I'm in the process of saddle-training. I had my concerns about it, and my mother was EXTREMELY anxious about the whole thing.
But it's been about a week and we're... baffled.
A while before I made my previous thread, I was just focusing on getting her used to the mounting block, the sensation of me putting my arms over her back. That went extremely well. I could lean over her and touch her sides, and she didn't mind me at all.
After a few days of that, I tried hopping to put my torso over her. From there, I'd let her hold my weight before slipping off. Practically no reaction. She walked away a few times, but never ran off or got upset. For the most part, she was curious.
One day, I put on my helmet and asked my neighbor to keep an eye on me. With no trouble at all, I hopped up on her back, swung a leg over, and sat up. Nothing. After a minute, I patted her neck and slipped off.
I heaped praise on her and gave her some alfalfa, and did the same thing the next day. No spooking, bucking, or rearing. I was amazed!
Three days ago, my neighbor lent me a saddle set, and I decided to try tacking her. I figured this would take a few days, so I just let her sniff it and put the saddle-pad on. As always, nothing! I've put towels on her before, and she didn't seem to mind that, and the pad was no different.
I ventured forth and tried the saddle, and walked her around without the girth. Cheerful as can be, she didn't mind. I decided to try the girth next, and she only nipped me once the first time I tightened it. I was all prepared for chaos, but there was nothing! She let me tack her up, and I walked her around with no problem.
Even letting down the stirrups and trotting her got no negative reaction. I've seen horses throw FITS over getting saddled for the first time, but she didn't even hop.
The next day, I enlisted my mother to watch my back while I got in the saddle. Like every other time before, nothing. She stood by the mounting block, waited for me to get on, and didn't bat an eye. I got off and on a few times, and every attempt went off without a hitch.
Convinced that the previous owner trained her without my knowledge, I called him back and asked a TON of questions. He seemed just as surprised as me. In all of her three years, little Ladybird hadn't seen a day of training.
Today, I asked my mom for help again, saddled her up, and tried to ride her -- instead of just mounting/dismounting. She walked just fine, spontaneously trotted a few times, and threw a tiny fit when I asked her to trot. It was the shortest fight I've ever encountered -- a few choice hops, and she settled right down.
I'm not saying she's a miracle horse; she's far from it! There's a long way to go until she's trained, and her temperament could do a 180. That, and she's got some issues we're working on: clinginess, for one, and she likes to nip at people she doesn't know -- particularly my mother.
But, have any of you encountered such an easily-mounted horse? What is the best way to reward this behavior so she keeps being cooperative? I don't give her treats, just alfalfa and the occasional grain after lessons. Should I start doing that, or continue on like normal? I don't want to make her good behavior dependent on rewards, but I don't want to deprive her of praise.
Also, while everything happened rather quickly, I don't plan on keeping this pace regarding her training. I really wasn't expecting her to fly through all of my goalposts like that. Should I worry about her getting bored with our lessons if I slow us down, or should I keep testing her limits?
As always, thank you!
Anyways, I posted a little while ago on the 22nd about my horse Ladybird, asking a few questions about her training. (You can find the thread here. It includes some background on Ladybird, along with my queries.)
I got some replies, and everyone was very nice! It's been 5 days since then, and a LOT has happened -- all of it good, though! I made progress on the lunging problem, and thank you to all of you that offered advice there. I also worked on her clinginess issue, and made headway there too! She's a smart gal, and she picks up on things very fast.
As mentioned in my previous post, I'm in the process of saddle-training. I had my concerns about it, and my mother was EXTREMELY anxious about the whole thing.
But it's been about a week and we're... baffled.
A while before I made my previous thread, I was just focusing on getting her used to the mounting block, the sensation of me putting my arms over her back. That went extremely well. I could lean over her and touch her sides, and she didn't mind me at all.
After a few days of that, I tried hopping to put my torso over her. From there, I'd let her hold my weight before slipping off. Practically no reaction. She walked away a few times, but never ran off or got upset. For the most part, she was curious.
One day, I put on my helmet and asked my neighbor to keep an eye on me. With no trouble at all, I hopped up on her back, swung a leg over, and sat up. Nothing. After a minute, I patted her neck and slipped off.
I heaped praise on her and gave her some alfalfa, and did the same thing the next day. No spooking, bucking, or rearing. I was amazed!
Three days ago, my neighbor lent me a saddle set, and I decided to try tacking her. I figured this would take a few days, so I just let her sniff it and put the saddle-pad on. As always, nothing! I've put towels on her before, and she didn't seem to mind that, and the pad was no different.
I ventured forth and tried the saddle, and walked her around without the girth. Cheerful as can be, she didn't mind. I decided to try the girth next, and she only nipped me once the first time I tightened it. I was all prepared for chaos, but there was nothing! She let me tack her up, and I walked her around with no problem.
Even letting down the stirrups and trotting her got no negative reaction. I've seen horses throw FITS over getting saddled for the first time, but she didn't even hop.
The next day, I enlisted my mother to watch my back while I got in the saddle. Like every other time before, nothing. She stood by the mounting block, waited for me to get on, and didn't bat an eye. I got off and on a few times, and every attempt went off without a hitch.
Convinced that the previous owner trained her without my knowledge, I called him back and asked a TON of questions. He seemed just as surprised as me. In all of her three years, little Ladybird hadn't seen a day of training.
Today, I asked my mom for help again, saddled her up, and tried to ride her -- instead of just mounting/dismounting. She walked just fine, spontaneously trotted a few times, and threw a tiny fit when I asked her to trot. It was the shortest fight I've ever encountered -- a few choice hops, and she settled right down.
I'm not saying she's a miracle horse; she's far from it! There's a long way to go until she's trained, and her temperament could do a 180. That, and she's got some issues we're working on: clinginess, for one, and she likes to nip at people she doesn't know -- particularly my mother.
But, have any of you encountered such an easily-mounted horse? What is the best way to reward this behavior so she keeps being cooperative? I don't give her treats, just alfalfa and the occasional grain after lessons. Should I start doing that, or continue on like normal? I don't want to make her good behavior dependent on rewards, but I don't want to deprive her of praise.
Also, while everything happened rather quickly, I don't plan on keeping this pace regarding her training. I really wasn't expecting her to fly through all of my goalposts like that. Should I worry about her getting bored with our lessons if I slow us down, or should I keep testing her limits?
As always, thank you!