A touchy new colt

[RJH]

Howdy all,
It has been some time since talking with you all. I apologize.
I recently began starting a 3 yo colt for a lady near me. In our first day in the round pen, with little to no pushing, this colt ran into the side of the round pen and flipped over backwards. Three hours later after being roped and getting the hind end to disengage, I was able to circle up the colt and rub him all over in a nice manner. I ended the session by lightly brushing him out, taking the rope off, rubbing him some more then leading him out of the round pen. Seemed to me like a good end to a poor start. The next few days went much better and we always ended on a very good, quiet and calm manner, with the colt good and hooked on.

Here's where Im getting stuck. After 3-4 days of this, the owner which had previously left the colt in the round pen or brought him to me, I found myself in a position where the owner was not there and I had to catch up this colt in a small paddock area to take him to the round pen. Two hours later, I was still not able to halter him, but I could get close to him. After that, I decided to just have her bring the colt to me. However, today, two weeks later, I found myself in the position again of cathing the colt out in pasture. Good Luck! The colt acutally hid behind other horses. I did not approach in a quick manner but waited for the colt to come to me. Every time I would take a step closer, he would bolt 300 yards away.

Because I am new to colt starting, I am trying to figure out If this is unusual, bad, both or what. It is getting frustrating because I feel we are making great strides in the round pen, hooking on and sacking out. I have roped all four feet with feel and he has been very understanding.

Any thoughts would be great.
thanks
Ryan

[reata]

Hi Ryan,
Good to see you again mate!!
LOL all horses are different and all will teach you something .. I just had a little part arab filly here and it took 4 long sessions in the RP to get her to look at me .. I was about ready to give up LOL. The noise I was making to get her to look at me I'm sure was distressing the neighbours.. But she came round finally ..and went home on Monday ..
Ya have to take each horse for what it is .. Just coz something worked with each horse before this colt dosen't mean it will work with him ..your just gunna have to think a little outside the box.. The horses expression will tell you how hes feeling, I think the expression is the thing I use the most to tell me what I need to do and when I should stop and do nothing and just let him soak .. Try to read the horse a little better and he will tell you what he needs..
Sorry to not be able to give you any real help, I can't see what is taking place.. but your not doing something quite right.. LOL don't worry your not the only one.. and this will not the last thing that will stump you!!! LOL good luck!!! :eek:

[RJH]

Thanks, Reata. I spoke with Cinch tonight and he gave me some good stuff too. Good to hear your ok in Aussie land. I will be at Californios for sure this year. hope to see you there

[clk]

Just something to think about RJH. From his standpoint, this colt is getting a lot of education in areas of not much interest to him, and is getting a lot of stuff done to him, not for him. That fact can't be helped at this point.

But what's in it for him? Are you doing anything for him? Something to make him look forward to the time he spends with you? Feel free to punch me in the arm if I am stating the obvious. Think of a stranger who came to your house and forced you to take an intensive lace weaving and firewood chopping course. By the way you don't need any lace or firewoord. After a week or so are you going to run to the door to meet him?

I think when we can figure out how to put something in it for them, they start meeting us at the gate. But that is sure easier said than done.

[RJH]

Great last point about being for him not for us. And this is the balance struggle I find myself in. It is not my horse that I can spend time with him not "starting" him. True the areas in the RP need to be done and done with feel, but he is getting worked harder than ever before. I will keep doing what Im doing, with the intention not of just saddling and getting a first ride, but making it enjoyable for him as well. However, he does need to be saddled and rode, in his time of course.

My main concern was that I have never encountered a horse that dosent want anything to do with you outside the RP. I have started and restarted a few and have never seen this before. However, they have all been at my place where Im around them all day and feeding them. They get to see me without having to work.

I will keep looking outside the box, giveing him the best deal I can, and work towards him wanting to be with me. Bottom line is, I dont have to catch him, and the owner will be the one riding him most the time.

More chatter would be very appreciated.
Thanks
ryan

[kindredspirit]

> Every time I would take a step closer, he would bolt 300 yards away.<

Hi Ryan the above is from your first posts and I know you have discussed your situation with others but I thought I would start there.

Nothing like a large area to see how a horse is really feeling! My question, is when he bolted what did you do? When you approached him, what part of his body where you approaching? It is hard to see from this desk back to the past of your experience, but I know from my experience I see a lot of people who are pushing on a horse and actually driving the horse away when they think they are trying to catch them. For example a horse that bolts, the person stops their approach so the pressure comes off the horse and the horse says, ok this bolting works, got rid of that human for a second. Can you back off and move away before the colt feels the need to leave? Can you think of a draw between you and him (a visual line of clear good unencumbered thought)?

Do you ask for his focus and then relax when he gives it to you? When that horse looked at you, did you stop your approach? Now you may know all this and I am just practicing my typing skills (they suck), but I thought I would mention these things that come to mind.

I think if you could "catch" this colt out in the big field, with no agenda but to walk up and halter him, no matter if it it took all day (and I know it won't) and then spend some time rubbing on that colt's good spots, scratch a few itchies, and then unhalter him and just go away and park yourself somewhere nearby you MIGHT find that the colt has a different feeling about all this. Can you get close and rub on him without him leaving? All those little spots add up. I can rub all over a colt I have in a roundpen on the end of a line or holding his head. There is a difference in doing this in a bigger area. And I never worry too much about the rest of the herd, they soon figure out who I am interested in. I might offer them some good feel so that the colt can notice but I would still be thinking about keeping my connection with that colt.

If your mental approach to this colt could be one of "how can I help you feel better right now?" you might find things are working differently between the two of you.

Oh it sures sounds all touchy feely doesn't it? And if ya can, go watch Harry Whitney work with a horse loose in a pen or arena. Lots of particles of feel taking place for all to see.

Best wishes,
Kathy
Follow Your Bliss Farm
Midway TN

[clk]

Kindredspirit had some good points, and it sure is fun to watch those folks that can make a horse feel comfortable quickly and easily. But... Rome wasn't built in a day.

One other thought, be careful not to be too hard on yourself. Yes you need to make it the best deal possible for him, and if you could get him to enjoy the process, well you have hit the jackpot.

That said.. he is still a horse, and fate dealt him the cards that he is here to do a job and be ridden. All the empathy in the world won't change that. And.. you do have an uphill battle. That nice lady just scritches my itches and gives me cookies and that other person makes me work and keeps pestering me with that dang rope.

So if you are doing your best and you still need the owner to bring him in for you to work with, I'd just give him credit for being a thinking being and not feel bad about it.

[alanbell]

Hey Ryan I didn't read through all the other post so if I repeat things others have said then listen to them! First lesson I learned about this situation was not to try and catch a horse! If you are trying to catch them you are "hunting" them and this colt is just responding to that like any prey animal would by seeking the herd. I try and go out there with the attitude that I am just out there "being" just like the rest of the grazers. If I touch him or one of the others it doesn't matter either way. Second lesson I learned was "what have you done for me lately" horses love treats but I don't give them as rewards I give them as gifts. The horse doesn't have to do anything to earn the gift I just give them. It makes them think I'm pretty cool. Third, treats aren't the only gifts. Horses can't really scratch themselves very easily. Their tail dock is always itchy, their belly is always itchy and they love it if you are the cool guy that shows up and scratches those places for them. Also they really like it if you scratch between their legs where they rub together but be warned it looks really ummmm well odd if someone sees you doing it out their and they don't know what you are doing!!! And my final Lesson that I am just now getting sorted out, Take the little guy for walks jsut like he was a dog! I've found if you spend equal time in the round pen and walking him around the place taking him by spooky things, between cars, across ditches, over bridges and he learns to depend on you to keep him safe and secure, to believe in you as you learn to believe in him it goes faster! Take him to graze somewhere the others can't get to. Or even take along a bag o grain to give him and let him relax a bit. Most folks are trying to find the horse that they think is really "special" but I know that if I get my horses to think I'M really special I'll end up with a pasture of "special" horses!!
Vaya con Dios, Alan bell

[palehorse]

alanbell......that is one of the best posts i have read in a long time. i think you are right on the money, and its sure not complicated. it gets us right back to the proverbial "square one" we want to build on...kudos!

[alanbell]

I can't really take credit for the post it is just some of the things that others have helped me with and I'd sound like a name dropper if I said who ( Tom Dorrance and Jack Brainard) and the last one is something I read from Nuno Oliveri the dressage master that I am trying to put into place for myself so really it is just sharing these ideas that have been around.... and trying to not sound like a sound byte....just "join up" simply "hook on" etc etc etc.
Vaya Con Dios, Alan Bell

[RJH]

alanbell,
Thanks so much for your reply. I hadnt seen anything on it awhile and just decided to go back and check. Glad I did. Due to inclement weather and Little League obligations, I have not been with the colt for many weeks. But Springs a commin and with that my new "ammo". Thank you.