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Post by duvers on Jun 27, 2012 12:01:35 GMT -5
On our panels, we used baling twine as a "safety" so the horses couldn't work the pins free. For pins that have chains welded to it, I ran an end of the twine through the chain link closest to the pin, then through the pocket, secured the twine with a *tight* square knot, and then cut the twine leaving about 1 - 1 1/2" of twine end. This makes it impossible for the pin to pull up. If there's no chain attach to the pin, I've run twine through both pockets & tied, but you could maybe wrap the twine around the top of the pin before going though the pocket to keep the pin from being able to pull out. Kind of hokey to use baling twine, but effective & readily available.
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Post by gotkiger on Jun 27, 2012 15:01:30 GMT -5
Thank you I have used tha baling twine before and it did work I was just hoping since I have to take the panels down every time I'm not using them thr that might be an easier way to do It. I also don't have a gate so every ins I go in I would have to cut the twine.
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Post by Michelle Clarke on Jun 30, 2012 6:32:44 GMT -5
Sarah, looks really good - glad to see she is coming around. Still watch your weight over your inside foot and leaning forward. This is going to be very important when you ride, so practice now! You don't need to give her so much time in between asking at this point either. Okay, now the fun part ! You need to do 500 of these...and yes, count! Ask her to yield her hindquarters, then push her the opposite way, ask on that side, change direction, etc. You will find she may do 3 or 4 then argue for 10 minutes before she does another one. Count to see how many you get in a row. You want her to consistently get 50 in a row. This is totally working on her mental fight and maybe some emotional stuff as you go along. She needs to learn that we are just doing this for awhile, so settle down, pay attention and do what is asked. Big drill for a horse that likes to leave too.
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Post by gotkiger on Jun 30, 2012 19:42:21 GMT -5
Awesome will do. Thank you
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Post by fantasykiger on Jul 2, 2012 21:59:45 GMT -5
just to let you know ..I am reading with great interest and love this thread
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Post by gotkiger on Jul 2, 2012 22:24:18 GMT -5
I'm glad you are enjoying it. I am really enjoying working with Dollie and seeing the change in her and growing as a pair
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Post by gotkiger on Jul 6, 2012 18:09:34 GMT -5
Slight side bar:
Ok so I know for a mare to be a good mama they need to have strong maternal instincts. Is it possible to have too strong of maternal instincts? One of our beef cows calved this morning so I had to use Dollie to bring cow and calf up front to the maternity pen since it is 5 weeks early. As soon as Dollie saw the calf in the big pasture she stopped dead and then walked up to it and stood over it. She was pissed whenever a cow got near it. Once we got it up front I held her back to let everyone settle down befor letting her go (she shares the maternity pen with the close up cows). When I let her go she walked straight over to the calf and actually stole it away from all three cows that are in there and kept chasing off the mama cow. She even tried to side up so the calf could nurse. Not like it could reach but she tried. I ended up having to move Dollie into a small side pen where she rammed the fence and reared at it trying to get back to the calf. Is this normal? I mean I have heard of mares trying to steal other mares babies but with a different species? Should I possibly try to offer her as a nurse mare? Or maybe just laugh at her and her baby fever.
I would like to be able to put her back in the pasture with the cows but cant if She is going to continue to try to steal the calves.
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Post by Michelle Clarke on Jul 7, 2012 6:31:36 GMT -5
Don't read too much into it - just a mare being a mare; the most natural thing in the world. I have to smirk when folks feed sad about mares that have a lot of foals. That is their job in life and they get depressed when they don't have babies. Lots of broodmares don't live long after they are not being bred anymore; their purpose in life is gone.
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Post by gotkiger on Jul 7, 2012 11:21:49 GMT -5
Thanks I didn't think it meant more than she wants more babies. But not right now maybe I can bred her next year if I beg enough lol
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Post by gotkiger on Jul 10, 2012 11:23:41 GMT -5
I worked Dollie for about an hour last night until I had to work Frodo before the light was completely gone. Try as we did we kept getting stuck at 12 changes. It is always the counter clockwise turn that she refuses. She got to a point where she would start changing directions before I asked so we started over and took longer breaks in between. We will be trying again tonight (like most nights) but Frodo will go first so I can keep working Dollie even if the light is fading.
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Post by gotkiger on Jul 28, 2012 11:26:31 GMT -5
Back in the saddle so to say after two weeks off for injury to myself and family vacation. I had to use Dollie to bring in the cows and seperate off the new calf and close up cow and she did great. A little too excited but she still listened great and did what was asked. Back to the round pen tonight though we left off at twenty. Let's see where we are now :/
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Post by Michelle Clarke on Jul 28, 2012 12:41:25 GMT -5
So glad to hear from you...happy you had success riding with giving her a job with the cows. Onward!
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Post by gotkiger on Jul 28, 2012 14:05:15 GMT -5
Yeah we had just been working on the round penning exercise and got to twenty before I stepped wrong and rolled my ankle so I was out for a week so I would be able to walk while on vacation. I rolled it again as soon as I got home but I taped it up and kept going. Dollie loves working with the cows but normally gets to excited. She starts doing moves that you see in the dressage arena by fancy trained horses when you hold her back.
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Post by gotkiger on Aug 1, 2012 19:03:13 GMT -5
My mother always told me that I needed to learn to be more patient. Dollie seems to agree. We are stuck at 20-15. At that point she tries to predict me more and more and when I ask for the direction change she throws her shoulder and head to the side for a block with pinned ears. She did this before at the 12 mark but moved on after having to have a conversation with the end of my rope. for the life of me i cant remember what I did to keep her moving instead of stopping and challenging. Tonight she has off as plans changed this morning but tomorrow we are back at it.
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Post by gotkiger on Aug 16, 2012 23:31:47 GMT -5
So slight set back over the last two weeks (to be disclosed later) but the good news is that I was able to work Dollie again tonight after moving her next to Frodo again for the farrier on Wednesday. I know I miscounted a few times but I know we at least got to 48 if not a lot more. I was a little distracted. She had just gotten in trouble for... can you guess it?... Kicking out at me, so i was in no mood to have any of hers. I was surprised when she moved straight off and kept her energy high until the last few. I will be able to get a new video the middle of next week when I have a second set of hands during the day.
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