THANKS!I'M GLAD TO BE HERE!

Hey,

  Sorry I didn't see this sooner. I had a fun time yesterday trying a second try at trimming a neighbor's horse. This time there was a vet there and the horse was sedated to have his teeth floated so I gave it a try. After a second shot you would have thought that a horse that could barely stand couldn't kick...wrong. Even drugged I had to scotch both hind feet to do them. Bruised and sore last night, I didn't want to move when I got home. More fun and games today with a two year old...

  So many things can work well or not with a yearling. All the clinitions have ways that work but the important thing to remember is that there is nothing new under the sun. The one thing that i see a lot is that young horses are not taught restraint. They grow up and sooner or later they have to be tied for some reason then...bam, something or someone is broken. Young horses learn to follow instead of lead. They connect to the person instead of the lead rope. De-sensitising a horse when you are holding  him or he is free is a good thing but if he has learned how to be tied he won't be that pulling demon at the end of the rope waiting for something to break when spooked. You might think that I am stressing this too much. If you think about it though so many thing later on in a horses life are based on some kind of control. For example, reading a horses body language and being able to get them to respond in kind to your's is actually a part of handling all livestock and the "trainers" can call them games. In reality what happens when you hand a horse off to someone else to lead through a gate or on a trailer? Will that horse go now or is he waiting for a "game" I know this is just one thing but it is a big thing. Even as a youngster i think they should be able to stand to be trimmed and groomed for that matter, while tied and without someone fussing at their head oft times giving them treats. While shoeing I want their attention. If they pull for some reason there won't be a body giving in at the other end of the rope. They know they have done it to themselves and can quit sooner. 

I know I carried on about one thing. There is so much more. I like to at least put a bareback pad on yearlings and tell them early on that it is all right to have something fastened around their girth. Then too, a nice bright yellow, noisy slicker won't kill them when it is draped all over their body and that somewtimes it can fall off when they being led. Lots and lots.

Hope I haven't bored you to death. The most important thing is that there is no one way. Take bits and pieces from everyone and make it into something that works for you.

Dave     

KellyHB1 wrote: Hey there Dave! Just wanted to say, HI! I have been trying to work with my yearling filly, and wanted your take on what training method has worked for you. Sounds like you have worked with lots of horses!