[MacabreMikolaj]

Calling all trick trainers! LOL, what do you do when your horse learns a trick TO well?

So, a lot of you will have seen the post I made over a week ago about laying Jynx down for the first time in the interest of trick training. It went quite well, she hopped around a bit and figured out what I wanted in 10 minutes.

Well, today was the first time I've seen them since I got back from Cuba (left on the 14th) and it's been really warm with wet snow so I didn't want to ride her wet, figured I'd work on her tricks! We worked on bowing a bit, she's getting darn good at it, pretty close to having a command and putting her own leg down.

However, my brilliant filly thinks she's something awesome and is getting about forty steps ahead of me for laying down. I wanted to introduce a command today (squeezing hard right before her withers and saying "down"). Unfortunately, I got about as far as getting that darn leg up with a rope and DOWN SHE WENT! :lol: I didn't even get a chance to introduce a command before she was laying down prettily expecting her treat!

Any suggestions on getting that leg up and not having her immediately go down? She's not even really going to her knees, she's just immediately laying down. I have a few ways I'm thinking I may be able to solve this, I'm just curious what others may have to say?

On the bright side, I immediately became concerned about what her brain may be thinking about, but she's definately associating it with ropes, thank goodness. I picked her feet out and she didn't try at all, so she's not associating her leg being up with going up, just with me standing beside her and lifting it with a rope.

Any suggestions would be great! Thanks!

 

[riccil0ve]

I know you wanted to teach her with a rope for safety reasons, but maybe if she's already got it down so well, you can try it without it, so that you can introduce your cue? Maybe I read that part wrong though, lol. But that way, maybe she won't immediately flop over.

You can also try teaching her how to handle ropes around all her feet and simply not allowing her to lay down. Not sure how you are supposed to keep her up without trying to teach her that laying down is now bad to do, lol.

It's definitely interesting when they're five times smarter than you are. Silly you, wasting time thinking you had to teach her things. =P

 

[MacabreMikolaj]

Hahaha, I know! I get what you're saying, and I'd love to progress to that point, I actually tried it today with her wanting to be such a smarty pants but she's not sure what the wither squeeze que means yet, which is what my dilemma is.

I think you're right though, I was pondering the situation myself and I think I need to be quicker on my feet - as soon as she starts to go down, ask her to back up or step forward to get her back ON her feet. I got the chance to stop her once and it worked well, once I asked her to stand she did and then started moving when I squeezed and said down, so she's definately retaining SOME association, it was just a few times she was so darn fast with it, she took me by surprise!

I'll work on being more attentive and hopefully intercept her before she can hit the snow! :lol: