Hi everyone!
I hope you had an awesome 4th! Ours was quiet, but I did get a couple of horse rides in and one was on Tygs. We were with just one other horse and about 1/2 mile in he wouldn't go any further, so my friend started ponying him. After about 4 miles we came to a part in the trail where you can ride side by side. At this point Tygs decided to forge ahead, so I took the rope in my hand. About the same time I had a thought to myself that because Tygs had always been led around for 8 years that maybe that was how to make him think he should move forward, since that seems to be a puzzle to him. Otherwise he has done good! BUT I do need your help because after he passed up my friend's horse she decided to come up beside us so we could converse and Tygs was having none of that. All of a sudden he backed up and I knew what he was doing because I've seen him do it in the pasture to the other horses, but I've not had a horse do that before under saddle, so I just kicked hard. He didn't kick the other horse because the horse paid attention, but it could have been bad.
Afterwards thinking about it and what I should have done, my common sense says I should have pulled his head around left or right and made him do circles, but I don't know for sure. I'm sure there are people out there that this has happened to, but in my limited experience I don't know. What would you have done?
Sorry no pictures because I'm too busy paying attention! But soon! Janeen and Tygs
Dear Janeen,
ReplyDeleteI do not want to be a fool and give advice in a situation that I do not completely understand. But that being said.....Let me make one suggestion, please.
Start as if Tygs has never been handled and as if he knows nothing. So start teaching him to lead as if he has never been led. I would strongly advise you to go the Allen Pogue's web site and study his pedestal training and other "Imagine a Horse" training techniques. The basic problem, I think, is that Tygs has not given you his attention and that he thinks he needs to solve his problems himself and on his own.
I am close to 70 years old, I have chronic encephalitis and am racked by physical pain because of this illness, yet using Mr. Pogue's methods I have been able to re-start Lyle, a gelding that was abused and cruelly treated by a bad trainer. So I think that there is much hope for you and Tygs using the method that I suggest.
Sincerely,
Penny Johnson
Bonners Ferry, Idaho USA