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Post by redhorseracinguk on Dec 23, 2012 18:58:46 GMT
I know that you're not saying that lol. It's fine, I just didn't want you to think I'd hidden anything about Rose. I think you're right about her, she expecting to get 'moved on' all of the time and I think that's why she never settles immediately. I love hearing about how she's getting on, I know that she's not the easiest mare but I think she's special. And you are a special person, so I think you'll crack it with her Xx
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Post by beksnjake on Dec 23, 2012 19:18:36 GMT
Ahhh that was such a nice thing to say rhr
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Post by beksnjake on Dec 24, 2012 21:29:10 GMT
Some things I've learned about Rosie over the past 7 weeks:
She loves her food
She loves mud, boy does she love mud
She looks to Jake for reassurance when out hacking (it's his calm aura I'm sure)
She likes people (most of the time, apart from when they groom her belly!)
She is very good at letting you know if she doesn't like something
She will nudge you, then if you continue to do what she doesn't like, she will give a little nip (only found this out when I wasn't wearing a thick coat!)
She doesn't like, REALLY, doesn't like having her belly & bits brushed, swishing her tail initially, & if you carry on, then lifts a foot . . . .
She can cow-kick but this is if you ignore all the warnings of which she gives you plenty!
She is happy for you to do leg straps up on her rugs, but will tell you off when you do the front up.
She is getting more vocal - calls to Jake if he's hacking out without her, and in the mornings for her breakfast.
She can be a fidget when tied up but is beginning to relax more now
She is good at getting you to move your feet (I am working on this)
She is tidy in her stable, yes she box walks a bit but unlike Jake, doesn't tread everything in & make a huge mess - her stable takes under 10 minutes to do, Jake's on the other hand can take 45 minutes!
She uses far less shavings than Jake (thankfully - he got through 3 bales this week!)
She was an angel to clip (well I did a bib clip, will try the belly later this week!)
She gets anxious about the field entrance but any other gateway is OK
She doesn't feel the need to gallop into the field anymore, she often now just mooches out (well at the moment she paddles!)
She can be very sweet, sometimes resting her head on your shoulder if you're stood next to her
She doesn't like Jake getting too close to her, however if she's a little worried about something she will get right next to him
Oh and she is most definitely the boss, if you go into the field and up to Jake first, Mistress Rosie will put you right!
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Post by beksnjake on Dec 26, 2012 13:46:02 GMT
I just love this little mare more and more! This morning I decided to concentrate on Rosie and take her out for a walk & maybe some GW if the school wasn't too wet. As I said in my previous post she is quite good at getting you to move your feet, but thinking about this I realise this is part of Rosie's anxiety, her feeling the need to move her feet all the time. If she is constantly moving when tied up, then naturally you move too. So today I worked to mum's great belief about horses & children - that your treatment of them should be insistent, persistent & most importantly consistent. Yes I allowed Rosie to move around, its how she expresses herself at the moment, there are times when she will stand still and those periods will increase over time as she learns to relax more. I spent probably best part of an hour grooming her, paying special attention to her legs and belly, doing a lot of advance & retreat type stuff - Rosie will tell you when she's uncomfortable with something, so you go back to where she's comfortable for a few brush strokes and then back to the belly or legs. Her legs were particularly muddy - I use Gold Label Leg Guard so once the mud is dry it does just fall off with very little brushing but Rosie gets fussy when you are doing her legs. I had noticed on Saturday that Hazel was backing off a little when Rosie starts swishing her tail & lifting her feet in protest and realised I was probably doing the same! So I just kept on brushing, not always in the same place, but I stuck with her and after about 20 minutes she calmed down and was far less fidgety Then I took her out for a walk. Now I will admit I was just a tiny bit worried that she might plant as I haven't been able to do any GW with her for nearly 4 weeks (new job, bad weather etc) and she hasn't been going out of the yard without Jake. Shouldn't have doubted myself - I've put in the building blocks with her right from the start and halter & long rope means work and off we went down the Mill Lane. Got to the school no problem. Rosie was just a little excitable at first - boy has she got a nice canter, she also has a good buck in her and she is quite agile with those back feet! I just let her get on with it but made sure that her head was very much on the inside when she was flybucking ;D She never tried to leave though and I wasn't bothered by her energy levels - she just needed to let off some steam. Once she had, I had her full attention. Well a 3 week break from GW hasn't done her any harm, like with Jake, if anything it's done her good. She has remembered everything, her back up is softer (would actually drop her head for me, which previously she was too anxious to do in the school) and I could get some lateral stuff too. Changes of pace from my body language On the way home we met Heidi's dad in the Cat with the big metal box on the spikes above our heads - now I know Rosie isn't brilliant with big vehicles and of course we didn't have good old dependable Jake with us but I just put myself between her & the Cat (Heidi's dad had pulled over for us, but still its a single track lane, so there wasn't a huge amount of room) and we walked past - OK Rosie skidaddled a little but she stayed with me! We then stopped to chat to my friend Sam who hasn't met Rosie. Another lesson for Rosie in standing still, which she managed for about 3 minutes!! We then wandered home, Rosie with a lower head carriage which was great as this means she is beginning to relax more - it's nowhere near Jake's nose on the ground walk home, but its progress. I am so pleased with her.
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Post by beksnjake on Dec 27, 2012 12:19:25 GMT
Started off all blue sky, but then it got darker & darker and eventually the heavens opened, so I didn't get out with Rosie today as hoped (even had my mini-digi-cam thing so I could try & get some footage of her working ) But I carried on with some of the things I worked on yesterday with the grooming. Rosie was much better with her legs today - she is a mare that picks up things really really quickly. For example she used to try & snatch her hay while I was hanging it up, didn't take her long to work out that if she stands quietly she gets it quicker & also isn't met with elbows!! Her belly is a work in progress, at the moment I'm trying to work out what brush she prefers - not a soft one or a rubber one with pointy bits on, but a dandy brush or (cringe!) a sprung curry comb - used with firm circular strokes. So I guess she's a bit ticklish. I suppose I'm using a modified "friendly" game with her, trying to touch her all over with my hands, brush or in the school my stick, but it's something that needs doing everyday so it just becomes routine (insistent, persistent & consistent!). She will tolerate my hand on her belly as long as I resist the temptation to pick off any mud (which I find really hard!). This morning I was able to move my hand on her belly from her elbows to just before her teats, as long as I was slow but firm with my touch & gave her time. As I know she can cow-kick, I was very aware of any weight change she made, especially when I was standing next to her right hind (her favoured kicking leg!!) But sometimes you have just got to trust your instincts & it felt OK to do what I was doing. So I've managed to brush 2/3 of her belly - not bad in 7 weeks ;D Reflecting on yesterday's session in the school, I'm really pleased that she felt able to canter round bucking & farting - I think this shows she is beginning to relax more, which is great. Also when chatting to my friend Sam, I had remarked that Rosie was possibly a little small/light for a Section D despite her impeccable blood lines and she said "No way, you've got a proper traditional D, that's what they are supposed to be like, they were never supposed to be more than 15hh 2 max" I was rather chuffed as Sam has shown cobs (traditional vanners & welshies)for years so to get her seal of approval on Rosie was unexpected & really nice. I know I keep saying it but I really do like this little mare more & more & more!
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Post by quest on Dec 27, 2012 18:40:19 GMT
I like "insistent, persistent and consistent". It might be worth thinking about her season cycle. Nancy is fine with her belly and teats except when she is a certain stage of her cycle and I'm actually not sure whether she's pmt, season or post mt, but for a couple of days at this time, and she does give me clear and definite warning, DO NOT TOUCH THE BELLY, so I respect this unless it is really necessary and then she will tolerate it. I don't see the need to distress her unnecessarily as she is excellent the rest of the time
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Post by beksnjake on Dec 27, 2012 18:51:04 GMT
I haven't quite got the hang of this "mare" psychology yet, as for whether she's in season I have no idea - when she first arrived there was a bit of winking & squirting at Jake but it all settled down after a couple of days. Probably once she realised he wasn't a stallion!! I will admit I am finding the difference between mares & geldings somewhat challenging!
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Post by el on Dec 27, 2012 23:22:50 GMT
Great updates, nice stuff
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Post by beksnjake on Dec 29, 2012 14:25:39 GMT
Another thing I learnt about Rosie today:
She doesn't like IV injections and I mean REALLY DOESN'T LIKE!! Thankfully Charlotte (my lovely vet) was very understanding & patient despite being pushed & squashed by one very stressed out poorly Rosie. We'd hoped to sedate her before a rectal exam to make it more comfortable but Rosie had other ideas! Don't think my ribs will be quite the same after Rosie smashed me into the stable wall but I did manage to keep my feet out from under hers, even when she went up. . . . . .
Anyway we all survived and yes Rosie did get her IV bute & buscopan after we twitched her but I guess I just found something else to work on!!
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Post by quest on Dec 29, 2012 19:41:09 GMT
For horses who don't like injections, get a tooth pick and very gently touch the neck at the same time turning the head towards you, and reward with treat. Do it regularly getting firmer with the toothpick. Turning the head will relax the neck muscle and lessen the pain. She will eventually learn that when she feels a prick to relax her neck and turn for a treat. It's a really good think to teach as it can safe loads of stress, worry and damage.
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Post by beksnjake on Dec 29, 2012 20:18:37 GMT
Thanks for that. She's quite food orientated & I've used treats to encourage head lowering so this seems like a logical progression.
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Post by beksnjake on Dec 30, 2012 16:28:22 GMT
Took Rosie out for a walk this morning. She was really good, stopped a couple of times but didn't plant. Just touch her with the stick and on she walks. Met a load of cyclists (about 30) but Rosie was OK with them until the last couple came past. Think she just got a bit fed up waiting, her head came up & she got a bit speedy but I got her to slow down by just moving my shoulders back off the vertical. Got home before mum who'd taken Jake out so Rosie was a bit put out & kept calling. Suddenly we heard Jake reply as he & mum came into the yard. Cue one happy Rosie! Will try a short hack tomorrow weather permitting.
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Post by beksnjake on Dec 31, 2012 16:08:17 GMT
Having heard the wind howling overnight at work I was just a little unsure about riding this morning, in addition the fact that the tops of the trees were all at a 45 degree angle was also adding to my reluctance to sit on a horse, any horse. Mother's reply to my question about her riding out was a brusque "You just don't like riding. It's not that windy". But commons sense prevailed and as she tacked up Jake, I said I'd just take Rosie for another walk. . . . . . .
. . . . . off we went shortly after mum & Jake had left the yard which Rosie doesn't like, she gets quite upset but I'm trying to continue with working them separately because it will happen regularly that one is worked and the other is left behind in the yard and they will have to get used to it.
Just a tad windy - yep both I & Rosie are finding it hard to walk along Mill Lane - I then realise I've forgotten to put on my fluorescent (post night duty brain!) so will have to double back rather than taking the circular route as I don't want to be on bigger roads without any fluorescent stuff on. My initial plan of working in the school is foiled by the fact the owners have friends staying and the cars are parked in their stable yard so I can't get to the sand school. So we turn back home but I use the lane to school on - little serpentines, changes of speed within walk & trot, halting, backing up etc. I then turn round again and go back towards the school - Rosie just comes with me, no stopping or questioning why we've changed direction. So we do this a couple more times & carry on schooling as we're walking along.
We get back to the yard to find Jake & mum already there. Mum says rather sheepishly "we just did Mill Lane, I nearly got blown off it was so windy" ;D
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Post by quest on Dec 31, 2012 18:06:48 GMT
Sounds like Rosie is really relating to you now. Definitely a dream companion.
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Post by beksnjake on Jan 1, 2013 12:56:00 GMT
After riding Jake this morning I took Rosie out for another walk. Am keeping her workload light after her colic but still want to work her - she has dropped all the weight she'd gained over the past 7 weeks (20+ kg) over the weekend. Her appetite is back to normal so I'm hoping it will go back on over the couple of weeks - I'm the one who needs to lose 20 kg not her!
Just did Mill Lane (in reverse, past The Tiger first) and she was a complete star. She stopped once but I just moved the stick at her hindquarters and she walks on. Funny how she will ignore a twirling rope but a stick & string really gets her attention. Unfortunately I forgot that Mill Lane floods rather spectacularly and we did have a large amount of rain yesterday. Because the sun was out I just kept my joddy boots on which was OK until we met this rather large expanse of water right across the lane, no verges - so I had to follow Rosie though it (she does water does Rosie!), came right over my ankles & into my boots - lovely ;D (boots now drying on radiator in my kitchen stinking the house out)
Rosie was relaxed throughout the whole walk, apart from the one stop & when we saw Heidi's brother in the Cat which had its teeth on today, but he turned away from us and Rosie just sighed & went "OK, lets go, now that's out of the way". She generally walks with her nose at my shoulder or elbow (now her head's lower!), we have a big smile in the rope too and my hands are soft. At trot, she stays at my shoulder too, but I guess that's all the in-hand showing she's done over the years. Even when a cyclist came up behind us and spooked her, she didn't run forward, just jumped a little and stayed at my shoulder.
I've also been trying Quest's suggestion re desensitizing for injections - god this mare catches on quick!! 3 short sessions and she just turns her head for the treat, whilst I run a pen top up & down her neck - I can poke quite hard with it now too - just need to get the vet to come and do some of this work with her too I think!!
I may be being completely off the wall here but I do feel that some of her barriers have come down after the colic and she seems more trusting of me - mum said yesterday that when I pulled up in my car Rosie called to me & says she's noticed that Rosie often does whinny or nicker at me. When I'm in the yard I often stop & rub her as I walk past - haven't found where she likes to be scratched yet (it took me over 10 years to find Jake's & then I appear to have unleashed a monster who demands to be scratched at EVERY opportunity ;D ) It just feels like our relationship has moved onto a different level.
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