Crimson Rose Training Journal

[Crimson Rose]

Today Bliss and I worked on the beginning of head down from a touch cue on her poll, after reviewing treat manners, targeting, head down to the target, backing, and stepping forward to the target. She did well, but didn’t pick up on it very quickly. Her best repetition was halfway to the ground, so we will be working on extending it all the way to the ground next session. This behavior is great for helping calm and also letting my ponies know when it is okay to graze on a walk. I then took both Bliss and Ella on a grazing walk.

 

[Crimson Rose]

Photo Day for Bliss’ April Online Miniature Horse Classes

 

[Crimson Rose]

The weather has been so nice this week! Cool, slightly overcast, with a slight breeze. Bliss and I reviewed all her previously taught behaviors again today of course, and then worked more on her head down behavior with a hand on her poll cue. She did much better, and easily understood that her head was to go to the ground, and she even offered to keep it there a few times. I also played some with her following the target for several steps after that. She stayed calm and focused even with the added movement. I then finished the session by walking her off my body cues around the driveway and stopping and standing off my body cues as previously taught. She did well, but was slightly distracted, as is understandable for an almost yearling. Tomorrow is her first birthday!

 

[Dragon Hill]

I understand many of the benefits of teaching them to lower their head on cue. Can I ask what the benefits are to asking them to lower their head all the way to the ground?

 

[Crimson Rose]

I am teaching it as the beginning of a cue that I will eventually use to allow her to graze while on walks. It might become useful also in having her look at obstacles as well? Again I am just placing my hand on her poll to cue it, when she moves her head down even slightly I remove it, and she chooses how far down to go, and I chose when to reward it. Sometimes I reward it halfway sometimes all the way down, so that I can shape it to what I need or want. I hope that helps explain?
Edited to add: It is also the beginning of several tricks that I might teach her like the bow.

 

[Crimson Rose]

Happy First Birthday to Suncrest Dinero’s Bright Blessing (Bliss)!

 

[HersheyMint]

Happy First Birthday to Suncrest Dinero’s Bright Blessing (Bliss)!

Happy birthday pretty girl

 

[Crimson Rose]

Ella on our walk today. Both ponies are shedding like crazy!

 

[Crimson Rose]

Today Bliss and I had a very productive training session! We started off by reviewing as we usually do, and she quickly followed all my cues with focus. I then worked on her tying for a while rewarding her with staying relaxed and still while I moved all around her touching her everywhere, and picking up her feet with duration, which has been hard for her. She did excellent, I was so proud of her! We then finished off the training with her following the target at a walk which she enjoyed, and a quick grazing walk.

 

[Crimson Rose]

Bliss and I focused on standing still tied while being groomed, and having her feet picked out with duration today. She did well, but moved out of position a few times, but easily moved back when I cued her. She understood very clearly what I was asking, and I could definitely see her trying her best to be good, even when I was grooming her ticklish spots and holding her feet up longer, which has been hard for her. I am so glad that I have a training plan in my toolkit that can help explain this to her! I have worked with her many times in the past with staying tied, and being tied while grooming, but it was a struggle for her, and she got frustrated easier than I would like. I like for my ponies to stand still tied with relaxation without moving around a lot, and she needed me to step back, and break the behaviors down in more simple steps, then try again. She does need more work on relaxation while standing in the same position while being tied for long periods of time, but that will come with practice. She has come a long way in a few months. Overall I am very proud of this outgoing yearling!

 

[Crimson Rose]

Today we made good progress towards trimming Bliss’ front feet calmly with relaxation. She let me rasp her front feet several times with good duration, and stayed calm the whole time! I am so relieved and excited about this, as this has been her hardest behavior to learn so far, and it is very important. We also reviewed standing still, backing, head down, and targeting and following the target. She needed more work on backing until I cued her to stop, but everything else was pretty solid. I added some pictures of two interesting markings she has, one of her almost rabicano markings on her flank, and the other of white markings on her withers.

 

[Crimson Rose]

Ella today after our walk

 

[Crimson Rose]

Bliss and I worked more on duration while standing tied during grooming and rasping her feet. She did very well, and stayed relaxed the whole time. I then played around with leading with the target some more, and reviewed backing and head down. We then took a walk around the property.

 

[Crimson Rose]

After a week of constant rain, and tons of shedding both ponies were due for a good long grooming session. Ella got hers first, along with me deworming her. She did very well, and I was able to get a ton of hair off her. I then got Bliss out and we worked on tying, picking up her feet, rasping her feet, and then I gave her a long grooming session as well. I also played around with giving her a cue for having her ears up, and rewarding her with it, to help when taking photos LOL!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Such patience you have! Your girls will be perfect little ladies! (and beautiful too with their groomed coats)

 

[Crimson Rose]

Such patience you have! Your girls will be perfect little ladies! (and beautiful too with their groomed coats)

Thank you! I am trying my best to put a good foundation on Bliss my filly. Her mother Ella has just been a brood mare her whole life, and came to me with very little training and trauma from neglect and from loosing her eye; and I am trying to build a relationship slowly with her.

 

[Crimson Rose]

Bliss’ May Online Miniature Horse Show Photos

 

[Crimson Rose]

We haven’t been training much these past few weeks, due to being very busy; so I am spending extra time today with this sweet girl.

 

[Crimson Rose]

Today was feet day in preparation for me going to church camp this month. Bliss did really well during her trim, and grooming until the fly spray. She still isn’t too sure about being sprayed or wiped down with the spray rag, so we are definitely going to have to work more on that. She can stand calm with it sprayed next to her, and can target the spray bottle and rag well, she just doesn’t like the spray sensation. She really wanted to stay outside of the pasture after her session for more training or a walk, but I was so hot by then! I had already taken care of Ella, and cleaned the pasture. The Texas heat is no joke!

 

[Crimson Rose]

I felt bad about Bliss wanting to stay out, and since I haven’t been able to train her much lately in the past few months, I brought her back out later for a session. We reviewed all of our basic foundation behaviors which she did well, and then we took a walk and I had her target large or strange objects around the property. She caught on really quickly, and targeted the water hose, gate, my car, lawn mower, an old culvert, burn pile, trampoline, wheel barrow, and trellis. She only had a issue at first with the trampoline which is completely understandable. We had a lot of fun with it though, and it is something we will build upon in the future.