How to start...

[secuono]

Hello, all! It's been awhile!

My Kasia is turning into a really strong looking mini, and her winter woollies are coming in, too!

I'm really thinking I need to try to start teaching her something so we can eventually buy and train to a cart!

She's very dead broke, you could implode next to her and she'll calmly stare at you, she follows me everywhere, nothing bothers her, shoving her is fine, dotting is fine, rolling like a loon is fine, crazy noises are fine, etc.

It's almost like I have two herds, one for the bigger horses of two and then one for the minis of two!

Truly, two sets of twins. My paint mare and the silver baby mini are the same, push overs, calm, fairly indifferent of me. While my mustang and the mini paint are glued to me like puppies willing to die for me! =0 Mustang is bossy towards paint and the others. Mini paint is bossy towards silver mini. And yes, they have matching hair-dos!

I have not started Kasia in a round pen/long line. Do I need to or are there ways to teach more naturally and during regular life? She already seems to be picking up when I want her to move or stop while freely walking/trotting in pasture. She's very bright and willing to do whatever she can. I almost feel like I'm training a good dog than a horse. I never have a halter nor lead on her, she's willing to work with me on her own choice.

She will walk forward, back up, side step away, speed up or slow down all free next to me. The three all stay put for their feet trimming, the silver mini is still learning to stay put for that. I've thought of round penning or long lining her, but IDK. Something about how it can take a lot to get them moving away is something I don't want to do in a confined area such as a lead or pen. Somehow, it makes me feel too much like a predator forcing a lot on them. Not sure if that makes sense to you guys.

I've on and off, done long lines on my mustang for driving, but he knows the basics of long lining/round penning. Does the mini need to know this, too or can she somehow learn to drive without ever being driving in a circle from me?

I haven't taught any horses any 'trick training', I don't want any nutty surprises what-so-ever. I feel far less fear with the minis than with the bigger horses, if at all any fear! I taught the silver mini how to old her feet up similar to how I taught the mustang, except when she reared or refused, I felt no worry and easily held my ground when she reared. I used a loose rope on the mustang's legs to lift, so I was never close enough to be kicked, but with the mini, I was kneeled, one hand on the halter, other holding the leg. I'm sure some of you will say that it was stupid and/or dangerous, but she is still small and I am still stronger and more strong willed than she. It only took a few tries per leg for her to accept it and stand calmly for me with her leg up. She never kicked or totally freaked, a little rear, sure.

I am hoping that the silver mini will also be able to be easily cart trained. I'm sure Kasia will easily learn, she's always looking for something new to do and she does not spook at all, unlike the mustang.

So, anyone have any tips, videos for very basic or first start things? Things all without any cart equipment.

 

[Max's Mom]

Before anything else, I would first make sure that she is used to being lead. It sounds like you don't generally use a halter and she follows you and does what you ask at liberty. I wasn't quite sure from what you were saying. I'm not an expert at all, but I don't think she needs to be taught to long line going in a circle around you. Plenty of people do this, but ultimately what you need for her to do is to go forward and halt and stand with you behind her, like you would be in a cart.

 

[paintponylvr]

I think it's great that you've worked with not one, but all, of your horses loose.

Hmmm - had/have to give this one some thought. My only comment though is this -

If you don't teach your horse the "basics" of lounging - how will you build to ground driving and doing turns (first ones both while ground driving and on hitching are always BIG and "loopy"), serpentines and CIRCLES?

Personally, I'm not sure it could really be done.

As to training, she's a coming 2 yr old and there are lots of things to do to prepare her for driving. Starting with wearing a halter, leading from both sides, you have to introduce CONTACT with her head for turning and stopping - not seeing your body and just hearing your voice, circle driving on one line and then circle driving on 2 lines before moving behind her to ground drive. Circle driving IS a type of lounging. Even in working around your property or just pleasure driving, you will engage a circle or turn around, and I simply don't know how you would actually start them learning about that w/o using lounging and/or just very simple "circle driving". Teaching them to lounge first also introduces a safety factor in my opinion. It gives you a way to allow your horse to SEE YOU and to SLOW/CALM THEM if something goes wrong and you need to stop, turn or manage a runaway/spook.

AS you continue working with your two minis, let us know how you go about it. My wondering mind wants to know of other safe ways to train for hitching/driving. Who knows - maybe you can skip lounging and even the type of circle driving that I do (but then again, circle driving allows me to have them expend energy while my out of condition body travels in a straight line behind them)...

 

[secuono]

Yes, I rambled on in the OP, I do that sometimes, sorries.

She's (silver filly) doing well with baby deworming, gelding is also doing much better and I don't have to hide everything like he's a spoiled toddler and needs to be tricked into going to the doctor, lol.

Really need to pick an actual name for her, I call her Tiny and Kasia is called Mini. =/

I don't mind having to teach them to round pen, though, the pigs are in there right now. Tiny hasn't met pigs before and I can't remember if Kasia has seen pigs or not. Don't mind making the pigs share, but would have to fix the ground ruts along the fence line first and get them introduced. Rather teach them in a pen than on a long line, it's just easier for them to move in a circle and not just out and away.

Sled dogs are taught by other dogs and from just doing the work along other dogs, first dogs had to learn somehow without a dog to show them...makes me think it might be possible with horses as well.

I'm very slow/taking my time teaching them anything and everything. It'll be years before they really know enough to invest in a cart.

I'm wondering if I should put the minis, one at a time, in with the gelding that knows how to round pen. Maybe they can follow and learn it that way? I just don't want to be flailing around trying to force them to move forward and they somehow end up afraid instead...Gelding loves to take steps backwards in training, but he braves back up and figures it out.

 

[MiniNHF]

when I do round pen work I work my gelding and stallion together and they engage each other.. the gelding has alot more energy while my stallion is a lazy butt when it comes to the round pen when they work seperate, so the combo makes for a better work out. So it is possible to work them together in the same pen butI wouldnt have one on a line and the other free because then you run the risk of the other one running into the line.