I was always told that when one asks a horse to do something, one must follow through no matter how long it takes. I've tried to do that and am usually successful.
Sorry for the long post, but I could use some pointers.
I took Dapper Dan and Midnight for a friendly walk on Monday. We passed a property that has a neglected pear tree and I thought we would mosey over and choose a nice pear for a snack. Dapper Dan went through the ditch by the dirt road, no problem. Midnight refused. I checked the ditch for critters. It is a steepish ditch and sort of overgrown, but she has gone through ditches before. I tried standing next to her and urging her. No luck. I turned Dapper Dan loose so I could focus on Midnight. No luck. I had not taken a whip with me, so I found a sturdy weed stem to use for a cue. No luck. I tried pressure-and-release. No luck. I tried tug of war. No luck. I had to laugh at her because she looked so funny with all 4 little feet planted and her little determined nose stuck out. It reminded me of putting a cat in a tub of bathwater. So, I led her around to the driveway of the property and she went over the culvert and up to the pear tree. We had a nice nibble. Tried to cross the ditch again. No way. I tried tying her to Dapper Dan's halter, thinking that if she sees him go over again it would help. And maybe he would just tow her. No luck. So, I thought, I'll just leave her. She'll be sure to follow after because she can't bear to be left behind. She cried for a while and we were out of sight. No Midnight following. So we went back and she was gone, over the culvert and headed for home. She stopped at a neighbor's yard and I caught her easily and we went on home.
Today I took her with the golf cart. First we had a nice pear nibble. Then I asked her to cross the ditch in hand. Nothing doing. I tied her to the golf cart and drove through the ditch. I thought the golf cart wasn't going to do the job (she is only 33", but very strong!). We went through the ditch. I put her back in hand and tried the ditch again. No luck. Tied her to the golf cart again and we drove through it. Tried her in hand again. no luck. Did the golf cart again and she broke the metal clip on the halter resisting. She looked at me for a moment, then high tailed it for home. She stopped by the neighbor's because his cattle were by the fence. (One had her head through the the wire and one was lowing like an elk.) I caught her easily, did a makeshift tie and we went home.
So, the next thing I will try is having a helper get behind her. How about taking along a long lead rope to maybe put around her rump? I am open to training tips for this. I don't like to let her get away with it, but I also cannot risk getting ditch refusal set in concrete in her mind.
Sorry for the long post, but I could use some pointers.
I took Dapper Dan and Midnight for a friendly walk on Monday. We passed a property that has a neglected pear tree and I thought we would mosey over and choose a nice pear for a snack. Dapper Dan went through the ditch by the dirt road, no problem. Midnight refused. I checked the ditch for critters. It is a steepish ditch and sort of overgrown, but she has gone through ditches before. I tried standing next to her and urging her. No luck. I turned Dapper Dan loose so I could focus on Midnight. No luck. I had not taken a whip with me, so I found a sturdy weed stem to use for a cue. No luck. I tried pressure-and-release. No luck. I tried tug of war. No luck. I had to laugh at her because she looked so funny with all 4 little feet planted and her little determined nose stuck out. It reminded me of putting a cat in a tub of bathwater. So, I led her around to the driveway of the property and she went over the culvert and up to the pear tree. We had a nice nibble. Tried to cross the ditch again. No way. I tried tying her to Dapper Dan's halter, thinking that if she sees him go over again it would help. And maybe he would just tow her. No luck. So, I thought, I'll just leave her. She'll be sure to follow after because she can't bear to be left behind. She cried for a while and we were out of sight. No Midnight following. So we went back and she was gone, over the culvert and headed for home. She stopped at a neighbor's yard and I caught her easily and we went on home.
Today I took her with the golf cart. First we had a nice pear nibble. Then I asked her to cross the ditch in hand. Nothing doing. I tied her to the golf cart and drove through the ditch. I thought the golf cart wasn't going to do the job (she is only 33", but very strong!). We went through the ditch. I put her back in hand and tried the ditch again. No luck. Tied her to the golf cart again and we drove through it. Tried her in hand again. no luck. Did the golf cart again and she broke the metal clip on the halter resisting. She looked at me for a moment, then high tailed it for home. She stopped by the neighbor's because his cattle were by the fence. (One had her head through the the wire and one was lowing like an elk.) I caught her easily, did a makeshift tie and we went home.
So, the next thing I will try is having a helper get behind her. How about taking along a long lead rope to maybe put around her rump? I am open to training tips for this. I don't like to let her get away with it, but I also cannot risk getting ditch refusal set in concrete in her mind.