2 Questions??

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cretahillsgal

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First: What is the best way to teach a horse to trot well on the lead? It seems like I have to work really hard to get my horses to trot when I am leading. (Pulling on them constantly) They all lead perfectly fine at a walk and they are doing really well and setting up and standing for show. I have already tried carrying a lunge whip in my other hand and tapping them on the rear to encourage them to move out. They will usually trot out for a second then stop.

Second: I have begun to notice bot eggs on the legs of several of my horses. I always use my bot knife and get them off, but they keep coming back. I worm my horses every month. Is the worming not supposed to take care of the bot eggs? Or does the wormer only do its job after the horse has ingested the eggs?
 
The wormer won't take care of the bot eggs, what the wormer does is take care of the parasites on the inside, not out. If you don't take care of the eggs they will be again your next infestation. What do you worm them with?
 
Thanks. That is what I was starting to understand. That the wormers will only take care of the bots once they are ingested. In July I wormed with Equimax and last month I wormed with a Pyrantel Pamoate wormer, don't remember which one. It is now time to worm again and I think I am going to use Equimax. I have noticed that the flies are getting worse. We have not really had any all summer long until now. It seems like I am spraying fly spray on them all the time! And I clean out their dry lots frequently to help, but sometimes it feels like a loosing battle.
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[SIZE=12pt]What I do to get them to trot in hand is to carry a dressage whip in your left hand with the tip behind you.Tap them on the hiney/hocks and ask them verbally to "Trot" at the same time you are moving out. The flick of the whip and your body lanquage will help them understand what you are asking. It usually takes only a few times and they get it but carry the whip for a while so they know its there for reinforcement. (Think of it as leg aids) [/SIZE]

Joy
 
1: try not pulling on their heads when you ask. Stand at their shoulder and start running "in place" beside them until they pick it up. Most horses will only fight back if you try to pull them. You can use the whip from this position if needed. I have one who will refuse to move it you pull her, but stand at her shoulder and cluck once and she starts right off.
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2: this may not be relevant, but I thought it was interesting. My vet was telling me that studies are being conducted that are proving bot larvae have no pathological effect in the horse, go figure. I keep meaning to do more research on the subject, but it sure would be nice to not have to worry about scraping off every little egg!
 
I agree with jleonard, stand at your horses shoulder and ask them to move forward while tapping on the back end. Remember round pen rules, to move a horse forward stand behind the shoulder, to stop or turn a horse move in front of the shoulder. Same thing applies while walking them, that is why pulling does not work.
 
For the trotting, do you have someone who can help you?

What might do the trick is to have a helper with the lunge whip and then when you go to trot the horse, look forward and keep yourself looking forward and have the helper crack the whip right after you give the verbal cue (and immediately go forward yourself and continue to keep your eyes forward). I've found when I'm training the horses for this, if I turn my head as we're going to see the horse, the horse will stop trotting.
 
I was taught to carry the whip in the opposite hand of the lead with the tip pointing behind me. The horse does not see the whip, but the tip flicks them on the rump or hind legs. Keep a body width between you and the horse, so he learns to respect your space. Cluck or say "trot" when you flick the whip. It helps to roll the r in trot a little or say trot-trot, I think. By itself, that one -syllable word can sound like some horse's names, as in my Hawk. I always praise when he responds to my cluck or word. AAAA when he gets too close.

I take lots of long walks with my horses and it is very pleasant to walk with them now that they know how to stay with me! So it is not just for showing.

The bot fly looks more like a bee. I cannot stand those eggs on my horses and use the clippers to zip them off. If you can get rid of them in a season or two you will have less to worry about in the future. I cannot imagine that giant larvae not being harmful to its host. It's got to eat something! If you want to worm specifically for bots, I think you shoudl wait till after there is a freeze, in November. Make sure the wormer says it gets bots--it will say so on the package.

I had no bot flies here till I got a new neighbor--he buys $50 horses and keeps them for a few weeks while he "trains" them, then takes them back to the sale to hopefully make a profit on them. The constant coming and going of strange horses has reintroduced bot flies in my area.
 
Thanks for all the replies! I think that the bots are just going to be something that I have to live with and fight constantly. I do use wormers that are supposed to work on bots, this month I used zimecterin gold. And I worm all horses every other month and all babies every month. I think part of my problem is that I have cattle all around me. I am sure that doesn't help.

As far as the troting on the lead, I think that one of my girls is getting the hang of it. But she has been a quick learner all along. I have been doing what everyone suggested with the whip in my left hand and tapping them as I say "TROT" and trying not to pull on the lead much. I have also been working with them in the round pen and trying to give the same verbal cues as on the lead. It will just take time, and I am not the most patient person.
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One of my young colts starts jumping around like crazy if I try to jog alongside him. He is fine till then. I guess I am just going to have to practice, practice, practice!
 
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Horses are not very patient either at times, remember to keep your learning sessions often and short, ending on a good note! Good luck!
 

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