Saturday, January 30, 2010

Freezin on Hockey Day in Canada

Well, for starters: GO SENS GO!!!! What a game this afternoon!! Kudos to Kovalev for getting the first goal against the Habs!!
It wasn't a massive work week for Linus and I this week. For one it was so friggin cold here that he only got turned out for a couple of hours every day. We have a new little lesson that we do every now though. Sir Linus gets pretty eager for his feed and when he is outside waiting for it he can even rear a little bit. So, now what I do is stop walking towards him every time he gets jittery. Only when he stands still do I start to walk towards him again. It has never taken me more than a few minutes to get the feed to him and each time he gets better and better. What sparked this new lesson was him giving me a harmless(through my gloves) nip when I dumped his feed in his pail. Nipped that one in the bud!!
My husband did some work with him this week too which I thought was fantastic. He is from an army family and the majority of his experience with animals has come with meeting me! (I'm a package deal; I come with a farm, lol) He is also severely allergic to horses, hence our purchase of a Curly...sans curls :) I was feeding the cows when a quick, hard blizzard came up and I asked him to bring Linus in for me while I put the last bale out for the cows. He was a tad nervous about it because the sudden change of weather wasn't making Linus very happy but to my surprise when I came back in the barn he was grooming Linus, who was by that point half asleep. YAY Stu!!
In an attempt to get Linus to focus more on me when we are out I am going to set up some obstacles for him to get around, like weaving around wide spread pails or walking over rails etc. Maybe tomorrow...if it is warmer, I have an annoyingly hard time keeping warm in this severe cold.
Aqua Zumba tomorrow morning!!
Posted by Donna Wilson at

4 comments:

  1. I am a package deal, too. :D (A horse is a must.)

    I should take advice from you about the feeding. One of my horses gets VERY excited about the grain bucket (her vitamins & such). She hasn't reared or nipped, but she can be pushy. (We're still working on personal space)

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  2. Nice lesson for Linus to learn to settle into the program. Good job! It sounds as though Stu and Linus had a great bonding moment...that is wonderful to hear! You were obviously tickled. Must be something in the cold air as my hub suggested that "perhaps it is time" for him to learn to ride!! Here's to your weather giving you a break so you can have more fun lessons with Linus and that obstacle course!

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  3. Sounds like good progress Donna. :)

    We make our horses back up 3 steps in their stall before feeding them their grain. We taught them to back up online first, and then associated with a hand cue (wiggling our index finger). Now we just wiggle our finger at them til they back up; then they get their food.

    I think it's great you're working on Linus' manners--I agree with you that it's very important!!

    How cute your husband was gromming Linus and Linus was falling asleep!

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  4. Hmmm...I came as a package deal (2 horses) also, and I am wondering....how come MY husband doesn't groom?? Oh well, he came with a tractor, so I guess I made out just fine with that deal. My Curly is also pushy about his feed if I let him get away with it. You sure are doing an excellent job of training Linus!

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