tag:horsebackwriter.net,2005:/blogs/jake-s-journal?p=2
Jake's Journal
2020-12-25T19:55:00-05:00
Horseback Writer
false
tag:horsebackwriter.net,2005:Post/6507886
2020-12-25T19:55:00-05:00
2021-08-16T08:15:50-04:00
Nemo's Manger Commute Route
<p>It was raining pretty hard the other night, not too cold yet but with a predicted change to snow later in the evening. I just wanted to get the horses to bed, tucked into a cozy shed with fresh straw and generous mounds of hay for dinner. Nemo, unfortunately, had been caught by the storm visiting in Spike’s side of the shed, with Spike. He knew he had to go back to his own side of the shed with his Mamma Tatti for the night but he didn’t want to get wet. <br>Our shed is a huge lean-to tacked on to the back of our old bank barn. According to our Mennonite contractor, the barn itself is about 150 years old, likely dismantled in the Kitchener area and re-located here like many were in the late 1800’s as the city expanded, when lumber was expensive but labour was cheap. The shed measures 60 feet long by 32 feet wide, with a steel roof over long, raw cedar poles that likely came from our property. I’ve seen those beams bend precariously under some pretty heavy loads of snow at times, with us wondering if it would hold? It did. <br>The shed is divided part way by an indestructible cement bunk that was the kitchen table, so to speak, for cattle kept in there by the previous owner. Clarence Beatty farmed here for 40 years before us and he had a thing about cement. For us, it provides a convenient dividing line, when topped with a plywood wall, allowing us to split the herd up for the night and get some precious rest in their own areas. From high above in the loft I throw down their hay, keeping it off the ground while they eat so they can make use of every last scrap. <br>The cement bunker is also useful when we have visitors: I can lead people out there to say hello to the horses without fear of them getting run over. It’s handy when non-horse people come to visit. They get to feed and pet the horses while Jake unties their shoelaces. <br>For Nemo, the bunk is just a place to play. Nothing gets in the way of our Paint mountain goat. He climbs up over the two-plus foot high wall like it’s not even there, or puts a foot up in it when he gets impatient for his dinner, sometimes standing in it to eat. If I leave the barn door open by mistake he’s up through the manger like a flash, into the barn, barely enough head room to wander around while navigating the narrow sheep chutes that are close to the same width as him. If this happens during the day I’ll find feed buckets and halters scattered and poop piles in strange places but he lets himself out when he’s done exploring. No fear; no claustrophobia for this guy. <br>“Nemo, you’ve got to go to bed. Spike doesn’t want to share his shed with you. I know you’re friends but you end up eating all his food.” <br>Nemo wouldn’t budge. Twelve hundred pounds of Mr. No. The rain was coming down so hard it was shooting over the eavestrough and he wasn’t about to get his hair wet. <br>“C’mon, Nemo, let’s go!” Nope. I was regretting not having taking the time to teach him to lead with a hand under his chin for those times when I didn’t have a rope or even a piece of binder twine in my pocket. <br>I think he was getting a kick out of seeing me getting wet. <br>Enough of that, I walked away, knowing when the odds were stacked against me. I went back in the shed and climbed up into the bunk, opening the plywood door that separated the manger into two sides, one for each shed, and walking into the barn through a far door to carry on with chores. I took the short cut because I didn’t want to get wet either. I could get Nemo later or maybe it would stop raining? <br>Not five minutes later I hear thump, thump, thump. I look into the shed to see Nemo, following my route, climbing up into the manger, walking through the partition door opening, climbing down into his side of the shed with Tatti, and closing the partition door behind him, covering all trace of his path. <br>This. This is what I have to deal with. A horse that gets into things but gets out without a trace. A horse that closes the door behind himself. A horse that is always watching, learning. I shake my head and laugh. Good boy, Nemo. </p>
<p> </p>
Horseback Writer
tag:horsebackwriter.net,2005:Post/3240251
2014-10-19T21:56:38-04:00
2020-10-22T01:28:44-04:00
On Being Three
It must be interesting being three years old. I can’t really remember it but if I could, I know we lived next door to the old Woodbine Racetrack, at Woodbine and Queen, and the smell of the stable must have wafted in to my room and caused my lifelong addiction to horses.<br> <br>At that time the Beatles would have been just bugs to me and I wouldn’t have understood the concept of peace, joy and love because, at three, I would have thought that’s just the way the world works.<br> <br>That’s what Jake tells me anyway. Peace, joy and fun. He’s our three-year-old Paint gelding, born and raised here on our farm. He has never known what it is like to not have the security of the herd – his family. His ‘Papa’ (or he thinks so anyway) - the big, strong Cody, was the first thing he saw when he was born in the field. They have a special bond. His real daddy lives in behind the grocery store in town - it was a whirlwind romance. His dam, Tatti, is Jake’s security blanket and initial source of food and comfort, but Cody has been his biggest behavioral influence.<br> <br>He also has an Aunt Gypsy, a welsh pony that he herds around mercilessly, all in fun, of course. Jake is bred to work cattle but we don’t have cows so the pony has to do. Aunt Holly is his bossy friend; younger cousin Spike is a sissy as far as Jake is concerned. Spike is a ‘show’ horse, not a tough rugged cow chasing kind of guy like Jake. Spike gets bubble baths and has to wear a fancy halter; Jake reaches over and licks off the soap suds, jealous of the attention.<br> <br>Jake has now likely reached his full height but he’ll still add a few hundred pounds yet to his 1,000 pound stocky frame. He’s shed his first baby teeth and he’s due to lose more soon, at three and a half years of age.<br> <br>What really got me thinking about what it must be like being three was a recent visit to our farm from a three-year old little girl, the human kind. She wanted to go to the hayloft to explore but when she climbed up on the small square bales, stacked about four high, she got scared and started to cry. I can’t blame her; it was a new experience, even when a friend was holding her hand, but it’s okay to say you’re scared and to cry when you’re three; it’s okay for your thoughts to be pure and your fears to end up as tears.<br> <br>The little girl came down off that part of the mow but she was still curious so I led her around a few round bales and we pretended it was a hay maze. That was good. She could wrap her head around that. Hmmm, I’m thinking, this is like horse training (everything relates to horses to me). Make it a game and get her curious, give her some guidelines to follow, like don’t go past the third bale, so she could have something to think about besides being scared. Pretty soon we were having so much fun her thoughts turned back to those square bales.<br> <br>I suggested that we build a stairway to the top of the squares. One bale, one small step at a time, she climbed, stood, got her balance and her courage, and eventually went to the top, of her own accord. I just built the stairs; she climbed them.<br> <br>When she reached the fourth tier, she turned to me and said, “When I dream of trolls and get scared, I think of bunnies.” I didn’t expect such wisdom from a three-year old. Smart kid. I could hear myself using that advice when I ride Jake: note to self, think bunnies.<br> <br>She taught me some other things that day about being three. Like it’s okay to wear your dress inside out and backwards. It’s okay to dance at any time, anywhere, without any music, while your friend holds your stuffed unicorn. Oh, and when there’s a wet patch on that dress, it’s just water. No big deal. It reminded me of that saying, when you hear hoof beats, it is probably just a horse, not a giraffe.<br> <br>As far as Jake’s concerned, being a three-year-old horse is about the equivalent of a being a 15-year-old boy. He’s bold, over-confident, and has little sense of self-preservation. Most simple tasks are prefaced by the question, “How can I make this more exciting?” followed by, “where’s my mom?” I’m just waiting for his next stunt.<br> <br>I am looking forward to watching both horse and little girl grow up, but not too fast – there’s just so much magic to enjoy in the number three.<br> <br>(805 words)<br>©2014 K. Dallimore. All Rights Reserved.<br>
Horseback Writer
tag:horsebackwriter.net,2005:Post/3040263
2014-06-25T16:18:40-04:00
2021-03-10T01:38:44-05:00
14 rides
Jake now has 14 rides under his cinch, so to speak. I only get on him when someone is around so that's kept it slow. We've done walk and trot so far, a bit of turn on the forehand, working on transitions and steering, putting in about 20 minutes in the saddle each time.<br>I usually longe or ground drive before i get on, using ground driving to practice steering and longing to practice transitions and get him cantering under tack.<br>He's only had one day when I said to myself, "I don't want to ride that." So I didn't. I don't know what got into him but he does have his moments. Fortunately those interesting random athletic days are becoming less frequent. Man, can he buck! All four feet, two feet in the air - I think that's called a levade? That's just his warm up.<br>We've been on the trail once so far with two other horses. I led him until I could gauge his attitude, then rode until I could no longer hold my breath, then got off and led him again. He's been out there before in the bush but just ponying. It has all been good preparation.<br>His tenth ride was his first adventure off the farm. Last year we trailered him around the block with his big buddy Cody but until the end of May we'd never taken him anywhere. A friend decided to have a pile of us over to check out her new obstacle park and I am pleased to report that the young Jake did every obstacle - tarps, branches, backups, hills, ditches, culverts and tires - both in hand and under saddle in front of 16 other horses and riders. I'm not surprised since he's been raised around trail obstacles but I am pleased that he was so well behaved. He goes over the teeter-totter bridge at home like he was born to be a trail horse.<br>Last night, his 14th ride, I rode him in the bosal for the first time. I led him around in it last week and i've been riding his mother, Tatti, in it to get the feel. I like it and I have some confidence in it now. He had been grinding his teeth with the bit but he doesn't with the bosal so it's looking promising.<br>What's next? I'd like to ride him in the outside ring a bit more, maybe get him out on the trail. I'm in no hurry to get a canter. He's still growing and he still has to prove to me that his 'athletic moments' won't be expressed at speed. Meanwhile we'll work on getting some rhythm into his pokey walk. <br>Oh, and I've been leaning over Spike, dreaming...:)
Horseback Writer
tag:horsebackwriter.net,2005:Post/2855806
2014-04-08T23:16:53-04:00
2014-04-08T23:24:43-04:00
Decisions, decisions...
Jake will be three in May. I see other young horses being ridden and I just can't do that to Jake yet. He's a big boy but he's still growing. If you read Deb Bennett's work on the maturation of young horses you'll understand my hesitation to follow the tradition of riding two-year olds.<br>I don't think their minds are ready either, no more than a 12-year old child should be behind the wheel of a car, expected to make decisions under a variety of road conditions. They're just too goofy. Add that to the fact that they're growing so much they probably don't know where their feet are and it becomes more clear why I am happy to wait. <br>I'm thinking that we'll do some riding by the end of the summer, but that doesn't mean that he's not doing work. What it does mean is that he's in no hurry. Which is a good thing because I can't quite decide what path to follow to educate him. I've backed maybe a dozen horses so far but it's been a while, about 10 years, since I climbed on an un-broke beastie. What direction do I want to take this time?<br>Jake leads and longes well and we're working on his ponying off his mother and his Uncle Cody. He ground drives to a snaffle but he doesn't like the bit, grinding his teeth, so that's a question. I have tried a rubber bit last fall and today I tried a regular snaffle. Both got the same response: he works quite well on them but grinds his teeth. I will continue to try a few more bits, maybe another snaffle with a different width of mouthpiece or a french link?<br>His teeth are definitely an issue. He ripped out three incisors in January, somehow, and he has healed up well from that, but he's losing his first baby teeth. There is one more incisor to go and I have found one molar cap in the manger so far, which doesn't mean he hasn't lost more molars, just that he didn't conveniently lose them where I could find them. <br>I bought a bosal last week and set it up on Tatti, Jake's dam, to try it out. For those who don't know what a bosal is, it's a rawhide ring that controls the nose of the horse without a bit in his mouth. The cowboys like to use a bosal for the youngsters so they can leave the mouth alone, at least until the teeth have all changed by five years of age. I'm enjoying it on Tatti but I need to put some more miles with it before I can feel confident with it on Jake. <br>So tonight we went back to traditional ground driving and it was very comfortable for me. I'm confident with that and he reflected that confidence. At the very end of the lesson I figured I'd get on him a few times next to the mounting block - what I call doing the 'demented monkey': climbing all over him while he patiently stands still. He was such a good boy, not moving an inch, but we're going to need a breastplate to hold that saddle in place on his roly-poly frame.<br>So now it's up to me to figure out the plan that will give me the most confidence and in turn, make him a confident young ride. <br>Decisions, decisions...<br>
Horseback Writer
tag:horsebackwriter.net,2005:Post/2504446
2014-02-01T10:18:01-05:00
2014-02-01T13:45:12-05:00
Eggs - Over Easy Please.
I learn something new every day. Yesterday I bought eggs at the grocery store for the first time in a few years. We have our own hens, three of them, and they happily lay their eggs around the yard, but lately I haven't been able to find them. They move around if I disrupt their nesting spot and the search is on. In this extreme cold the eggs are usually frozen and cracked by the time I find them, but I wasn't even finding the frozen ones? Where could they be now?<br>I found out yesterday why I wasn't getting any eggs and his name is Jake. I never knew that horses ate eggs. I wondered what the yellow goop was on the hay in their manger? I watched him - he gobbled up hay from the manger that was covered in yolk. He even ate the shell, without lifting his lip like they do when they're eating something new for the first time. The little brat has been eating our eggs - mystery solved!<br>No, I'm not going to get him a pet pig so he can make his own bacon too.<br>It's all part of the unfolding mystery: who is this Jake?<br>With winter boredom setting in lately he's been Jake the egg-eating cow horse. He has been taunting Gypsy, who is already quite sensitive about her winter weight ("It's just fur - I could use a little alfalfa?"). He grins at her with his toothless grin (after he yanking out three front teeth a few weeks ago) and taunts her, ears back: "Gypsy is a Co-ow! Gypsy is a Co-ow! Betcha you can't outrun me, fatso!" Run, stop, spin, repeat. Great fun for Jake, not so much for Gypsy. She's learned to hide behind one of the huge snowbanks in the yard.<br>Now I have never worked cattle off a horse, unless you count a trip to a dude ranch in Alberta a few years back. Jake's not getting this idea that he wants to be a cowboy from me, nope. Genetics are powerful tools. His daddy, My Painted Black Jack, probably never saw a cow either, but pappy goes back to some powerful race and working lines.<br>There's the legendary and colourful Adios Amigos, considered a foundation sire of the American Paint Horse breed, bred by the Miller 67 Ranch of Big Piney, Wyoming, for speed and agility. He was bred to be a ranch horse but went on to found a great family of performance Paints instead. Looking at his photo, I see Jake. <br>His other great, great grandpa was Flying Fawago, the founder of one of Nebraska's first Paint Horse families and a champion show horse in two countries. At the time, his breeder was initially embarrassed by the loud-coloured overo cropout from two race and ranch-bred QH parents, leaving the colourful Flying Fawago in the back pasture for the first four years of his life. The stallion was discovered in 1967 by Donna (Loomis) Brown, who saw him in the field and bought him immediately. The stallion moved to Nebraska to become an APHA Champion with points in Western Pleasure, Halter, Hunter Under Saddle, Trail and Western Riding, siring champions from 1968 through 1982.<br>Jake's daddy had kind of the same story as his ancestors, except it was Glenn Miller of Hillsburgh, ON, who saw him as a yearling and knew he had to have him. My Painted Black Jack was transplanted to Ontario but he must have packed his ranch genes in his luggage. His legacy will now include young Jake.<br>So in some ways Jake is full of surprises, but in other ways, he's just being true to his history.<br>Be careful what you breed for, is all I can say.
Horseback Writer
tag:horsebackwriter.net,2005:Post/2378446
2014-01-10T22:20:22-05:00
2014-01-11T14:54:49-05:00
Puck Face Smile
Yesterday young Spike, now towering over me at 15.2, comes over with blood smeared on that big white nose. "Oh, Spike, what have you done?" He sucked up a fair bit of cooing and fuss, loving every minute of it, but I couldn't find anywhere he had cut himself. He was calm, happy and bright.<br>Hmm, so who was bleeding? <br>I should have known: Jake. It was Jake's blood; he was just using Spike as a Kleenex.<br>Blood was dripping from his mouth. My first thought was, he'd been kicked in the head. Holly was in heat and young Jake, Jake the gelding, seems to fancy himself as a casanova. There weren't any marks on his face though? But blood was dripping from his lips...<br>With thumb and forefinger I gently parted his lips to find one of his baby teeth contorted to look like a dew claw on a dog's leg. It was clear that it wouldn't be any good for biting his buddy Spike anymore. The next two teeth over didn't look much better but at least they were still in place, although a little crooked.<br>It seems that Jake is in a hurry to grow up and decided it was time to shed some more baby teeth. I say some more because he managed to knock one out on the other side before he was even a year old. He's just that kind of guy, always getting in some kind of trouble. <br>I just rode Jake for the first time last Saturday. One lap around the arena, until his buddy Cody started being a jerk. Nothing like having your calm, steady riding horse setting a bad example, so I got off while I still had full control of the decision. Jake was very good. As a matter of fact, the little prankster has been a star with his training so far. He's longing, ground driving, and learning to hang out in the arena while I work others. He's not done a thing wrong.<br>Except get in trouble with the gang.<br>The vet came today and cut away three teeth that had been dislodged. Apparently his permanent teeth should come in fine, eventually, but in the meantime he looks a little like Dougie Gilmour without his retainer. Puck face. Gotta love the little prankster.<br>I only wish I knew how he did the damage but he won't 'fess up. It's hard to know how to prevent something like that from happening again when you don't know how it happened in the first place.<br>At two-and-a-half he was due to lose his first baby teeth anyway, but not like that!<br>I wonder how much the tooth fairy will leave for the three teeth?<br>
Horseback Writer
tag:horsebackwriter.net,2005:Post/2120254
2013-11-26T23:56:18-05:00
2014-04-02T15:25:10-04:00
Brats
Brats. Both of them. Each in their own way.<br>Aside from finishing out the show season with Spike, not much has happened with both boys over the last few months, but that is about to change...<br>We've just completed our new riding arena here at Sweet Grass Farm, and except for putting down some calcium as a dust suppressant, it's finished and in full use. While it has been a three-month distraction from regular routines, it will be a bright refuge through the winter.<br>Jake, being two-and-a-half years old, thinks he knows everything. He hasn't had as much work as I'd like because I don't like to work him when I'm here alone. I think I've found a way to work around this though and so far, so good. I carry my cell phone, work him late in the day when I know Harry will be home soon, and I take him to the arena with one of his buddies for company. I can park the second horse in a steel-panel pen at the end of the arena or tie it to the wall while I work with Jake, or if it's Cody I can just leave him stand in a corner. Standing is something Cody does well, in fact, it's his best gait.<br>So Jake is ground driving to a rubber bit, walk and trot, circles and straight and serpentines. He's a quick study and when I ask him to work he's all business. I'm looking for bend and a rhythmic gait while he learns to balance front-to-back and side-to-side, working softly between my hands as opposed to bouncing back and forth like a drunken cowboy. The plan is to reach a level of competence with the ground driving, get used to the routine of using the arena, and then work him with the saddle on until things like standing at the mounting block and responding to word commands are second nature. I've sat on him once. Actually I got on him 5 or 6 times off some straw bales and there was no issue. He's too young to want to 'ride' yet but he can become familiar with the routine and if I'm inspired at some point I may get Harry to pony us around a bit off Cody or something. No pressure. I want Jake to have a long career and their hocks don't close until the age of four, so that's when I will expect him to start any serious training under saddle. <br>Meanwhile I'm expecting Jake to start shedding teeth very soon and I'll be watching for that. His middle incisors and first pre-molars should shed anytime.<br>As for Spike, he's grown 2 inches since I last checked in, standing at 15.1HH now at 18 months old. Show season is finished for 2013 with 8 shows under his belt, winning Ontario Pinto Grand Champion All Ages Stallion/Gelding, Reserve Champion Junior Horse, and Reserve Champion Overall Halter Horse for the year. His mother beat him there to take the Overall High Point Halter trophy for 2013 while earning her Pinto ROE in halter. Spike ended up earning his Pinto ROM in halter (44 points) under 9 judges and earned halter and colour points with APHA as well, under another 9 judges, winning a Reserve Champion placing at one show against some pretty hefty older Paints. <br>Spike will now take a breather. He has been an absolute doll and a pleasure to be around, clipping, bathing, trailering and hanging out at the shows. Our only bad habit is that he wiggles when the judge comes near. We're working on that! Now his idea of being a brat is chewing on anything that comes near his mouth - my coat, the wheelbarrow - always there to help. He follows me all over the yard, making it impossible to get chores done. Other than that, the boy wonder can do no wrong. We are truly blessed to have him in our herd. He will now have a well-deserved winter off.<br><br>
Horseback Writer
tag:horsebackwriter.net,2005:Post/1320332
2013-08-02T14:27:57-04:00
2013-08-02T14:39:22-04:00
Report Card Time!
<br>Our two-year-old, Jake, has been getting lessons maybe three times a week. He's doing showmanship, getting led from both sides, learning the cues to walk, whoa and stand square like a pro. I've been longing him with a surcingle in preparation for ground driving. I have an 'assistant' - Kathy - come once a week and she not only keeps me motivated, she is there for safety reasons so I'm not working him when I'm alone here on the farm. The other times I wait for Harry to be around so Jake's not getting as much work as I'd like but I'm pleased with his progress anyway. I've had the saddle on him and that caused him concern, so I got to see how he deals with such things. He 'gulps' like his mother does and the whites of his eyes show a little bigger, then he lets out a few big bucks, straight up on all fours, before he makes up his mind. I'm looking for a pattern here for when I eventually get on him, as well as a way to diffuse his strategy for obvious reasons!<br>For the next month we'll carry on with introducing the snaffle bit and ground driving him, as well as getting him out trailering a time or two. He's levelling off his topline finally - where there was 3 inches of difference there is now only 1 1/2 inches. I may get on him but I'm not in any hurry to 'ride' him until he levels out a bit more. I'd rather ground drive him over obstacles and pony him until he's ready. There are plenty of things to do!<br>Then there's Spike. At 14 months he's 14.3HH in front and just over 15HH behind, 780 lbs. A little giraffe. He's been doing well at the shows in halter, chalking up a couple of reserve championships against all older horses at both the Paint and Pinto shows. Every show we get a bit better. I've been showing him with his mother, Holly, side-by-side and he's actually more calm than she is at the shows. Last show my coach came out and gave us a few pointers to polish our performance so the next show should be even better!<br>In between we're practicing showmanship at least every other day and going for trail rides through the woods, ponying with either Holly or Cody. He's learning about being clipped - I can do his bridle path and whiskers now and a little bit of ears, but not too much because apparently it tickles. He's even thinking getting a bath is pretty good too, resting a back leg for it now. I guess his mother explained the part about the enjoyment of going to the spa...And he's loading and trailering without a concern. <br>Spike has a few more shows yet this year and the Paint Futurity, so wish us luck!
Horseback Writer
tag:horsebackwriter.net,2005:Post/999792
2013-06-24T23:13:22-04:00
2013-06-24T23:13:22-04:00
Summer School for Horses
Both Jake and Spike have been pretty busy so far this summer. <br>Spike has shown twice so far with his mother Holly along too. They're both showing halter so it is working really well. Gotta say, it's a real treat to have two fine, well-behaved horses. It is like showing is in their genes. <br>Spike's learning about having baths, standing still for longer periods of time than he ever thought was necessary, clippers, hair gel, and having one of those lycra slinkies to hold down his mane. He never even budged when I clumsily put the hood on him, covering his eyes and nose for what I thought was quite a long time while I sorted it out. He's been a trooper for most of it, though he would gladly skip the bath part. He loads and trailers really well. We've got some work to do on the wigglies in the actual class, but he settled well in the warm-up pen at the last show, giving me a glimpse of what he can do.<br>Then there's Jake. He thinks he should be wearing a Superman cape. His favourite question, after "can I chase the ponies?" is, "how can I make this (whatever task is in front of him) more exciting?" He's always been a bit of a playful type, and now that he has started kindergarten my mission is to apply discipline to a prankster. <br>So far he's had a snaffle bit in twice, which appeals to his need to put everything in his mouth, and he thinks nothing of the surcingle. We've started longing, using word commands that I must have taught him somewhere in his childhood, and he's pretty good at stopping and standing square. The challenge comes when he mistakenly believes that he rules the world and starts throwing his shoulder at me. A crop now defines my personal space and so far, he respects this new rule. <br>My goal for Jake this summer is longing and ground driving, eventually over obstacles.<br>For Spike, he's got a few more Paint and Pinto shows before the Paint Futurity in September.<br>The two boys are night and day. <br>
Horseback Writer
tag:horsebackwriter.net,2005:Post/603299
2013-04-24T22:03:59-04:00
2021-05-07T06:59:54-04:00
Watching The Boys
<p>Guy McLean says he likes to watch his horses in the field so he gets an idea of what they are capable of doing, then he wants to bring that out when he works with them. </p><p>Well, he should be here at 10 o'clock and 5 o'clock every day. He'd see some pretty interesting athletic feats from Jake, who's nearly two years old now, and young Spike, coming in at 11 months old. Run, buck, spin, rear, repeat. Chase the gray pony, stop. Yesterday I saw something that I'd never seen before though: Spike did a 360-degree reining spin that would have made Stacey Westfall's jaw drop. His topline never moved and it was lightning fast, done because he couldn't decide which way to run next I suppose. So there's a horse that's bred to show halter and trail, but is that selling him short? We'll see. </p><p>Meanwhile Jake has learned to climb into the cement hay manger, a leftover from the days when the old barn was a cattle shed, and he'll get up on the mounting block with me when I'm getting on Cody to take the boys out for a ride. I don't discourage him since i want him to do obstacles as a trail horse. That boy just doesn't say no to anything and I don't want to say no to him. He's due to start in the round pen and trailer training as well, with one of the adults as a buddy.</p><p>They've both had their issues with growth, with the odd bit of swelling in their legs and a few growing pains. Both are on just hay and Gro'N Win, a ration balancer from Buckeye Nutrition. Jake won't eat his unless there's a handful of oats on it, like the marshmallows in Lucky Charms, and Spike eats his carrots first although he's a bit of a garbage can for food. They're nearly the same height, within two inches, but Jake has 200 pounds on Spike yet. </p>
Horseback Writer
tag:horsebackwriter.net,2005:Post/342139
2013-03-04T16:09:35-05:00
2021-02-04T06:08:30-05:00
It's in their genes
I'm finding it interesting to compare the two boys, Jake and Spike, and their genetic predispostion for their careers. <br>
Jake is the prankster. He has been that way since day one, with a little twinkle in his eye that asks, how can I make this more fun? He's missing his third incisor tooth on the top, no doubt from skidding into an immovable object while travelling at high speed and not paying attention. The more I hang around Jake, the more I understand his mother, Tatti. Jake inherits his sense of humour honestly. I remember not being entirely comfortable riding her through her early years, a time when she earned the nickname 'Scooter' because of her propensity to launch forward with no warning, usually when you were relaxing in the saddle while she grazed. People wonder why I always hang onto the saddle horn when my horse is grazing, and it's because of Tatti. <br>
Getting back to Jake though, he's been a handful to handle. He likes to rear and buck and play. I feel pretty safe when I'm ponying him but leading him is another story. It will affect what I do with him this summer for training, working around safety issues while still moving forward with his education. I can see that we will be doing a lot of ponying with his pal Cody, and trailer training as well, again, with Cody or Tatti. But as for showing, I'm not ready for that much adventure!<br>
Then there's Spike. He's an absolute doll around the barn but when he gets outside his comfort zone he likes to strike. He doesn't necessarily aim, just protests with his front foot, like an anxiety meter. I'm more inclined to take him in hand to new places than his field-mate Jake. It speaks to genetics: Spike comes from a long line of show horses and it shows in his temperament. He's content to hang out in a stall, where Jake would be impatient. Spike is cautious about new things, taking his time to think about them. Jake, on the other hand, will be the ultimate Xtreme Cowboy competition horse. He'll be happy to go flat out with a yeehaw thrown in for fun. He's bold and smart. Bred for a purpose, those boys. I think it's important to recognize the genetic factor - it makes training so much easier when they're doing a job they were born to do.
Horseback Writer
tag:horsebackwriter.net,2005:Post/67973
2013-02-03T10:28:09-05:00
2013-02-03T10:28:09-05:00
Using the Herd
It takes a herd to raise a horse. What's interesting is being able to use the herd to tackle different issues. <br>
Young Jake has become a bit of a punk. His step-dad, Cody, is the boss of the herd. He's 16 hands high, a plump 1300 pounds, and acts like a football linebacker: immovable. We call him 'The Rock'.Tatti, his real mother, is the boss mare. She is a bit of a loner and doesn't take crap from anyone, except Cody, of course. So young Jake thinks he's invincible. He imitates both of them at various times and it's interesting to watch him try out new behaviours. The only problem is that he hasn't earned the right to such a position in the herd. He starts taking for granted that he can push everyone around - the ponies and his weanling friend Spike - and they can't stand up to him.<br>
Enter: Holly.<br>
So for three nights, young punk Jake slept in the shed with Holly and Spike. I don't think he slept much though. Although she'd never hurt him, Holly doesn't take any crap and Jake respects her. By the end of three nights young Jake was gumming to Gypsy, the welsh pony. You could almost hear him: "I'll do whatever you want, curtsy to the queen, kiss the pony, anything, just let me spend the night with mom & dad again. Pleeeeeeze?!"<br>
I would like to thank the herd for their input. It sure makes it easier than having to expain the word 'punk' and the concept of 'respect' to a joyful young lad.<br><br><br>
Horseback Writer
tag:horsebackwriter.net,2005:Post/280228
2013-01-14T07:55:53-05:00
2013-01-14T07:55:53-05:00
Jake & Spike - The Dynamic Duo
Around 10:30 every morning the shenanigans start. Bite, rear, bite, chase, gallop, stop, circle, bite, rear. It goes on for about ten minutes then they have to stop to catch their breath before starting all over again. Sometimes they get distracted and chase one of the ponies but that doesn't hold their attention for long.<br>
It's great to have a weanling and a yearling together. The surprising part is that it's the weanling, Spike, who instigates most of the play. He'll jump on Jake and ride him out of the shed and it's 'game on'. The interesting part for me is that I can go out at anytime between their bouts of play, put a halter on one of them, bring him in the barn and beyond a little bit of nibble on the rope there is a definite respect for me. Phew! The only remnant of play that is left is when I pick up the front feet and they want to drop to their knees, but that is fading too. I honestly wasn't sure how this would work out: wanting the boys to see me as a friend, part of the herd, but not use me as a punching bag. Somehow, it works.<br>
Both boys are getting some lessons in halter showing at the moment. They are learning how to stand still for increasing periods of time, how to lighten their shoulders, back up softly and straight, and how to move each foot on cue to stand squarely as required in the Paint breed. They are also learning what 'whoa' and 'walk on' mean, and how to walk in rhythm with me, and learning to enjoy a good grooming and a bit of fussing, like having their ears held and their legs and faces brushed without fidgeting. We'll move on to clippers at some point too. It's a good project for this time of year when the winter often shuts down other options. When the weather fines up a bit we'll be able to work outside, adding a trot to our repertoire, some show ring-type distractions and eventually some trailering to test our routine away from home. <br>
All of this used to be done with young stock to get them prepared for an eventual show career. That's one of the purposes of showing on line, showmanship as opposed to halter. It seems to be a dying art and that's a shame. Disciplined and purposeful groundwork is the basis of a good riding or driving horse, and it develops habits that can last a lifetime. Which is a good thing, since Jake and Spike have a long and fun lifetime ahead of them.
Horseback Writer
tag:horsebackwriter.net,2005:Post/239921
2012-10-24T15:59:49-04:00
2012-10-24T15:59:49-04:00
Fat Head
Well, his head's not really fat, just getting bigger. Jake now wears an adult horse halter, albeit at the shortest holes. He's growing up. Except in his withers, which have a long way to go yet before they catch up to his butt. <br>
We've not done much with the young lad this summer. That's one of the nice things about a yearling: it's okay just to let them grow up. No pressure. All we've done is come into the barn once a week to be tied, groomed and have his feet picked out. He's low maintenance!<br>
I took him out for a trail ride with Tatti, his mother, this week. We were out for an hour and he was pretty darned good. It was interesting to watch his interest levels rise and fall over the course of the ride. There were times when he felt he should stop for a nap, then he'd perk up again. He saw the pond for the first time - it's fun to see the look of awe on his face when he experiences the world like that. He's learning to keep up, how to ride beside on the wide trails and trail behind on the narrow trails, and getting used to seeing deer and turkeys along the way. He's learning that there are times when it's okay to stop, look and sniff, but when he has to go, then he has to go. He's learning how to work.<br>
Horseback Writer
tag:horsebackwriter.net,2005:Post/182896
2012-06-24T10:45:00-04:00
2012-06-24T10:45:00-04:00
Jake Starts Kindergarten
<span class="Apple-style-span">Jake turned one year old on June 9. The nice thing about having a youngster is that their time is well spent growing and playing and they don't place a lot of demand on my training time. Until now. At one year old Jake is becoming a bit of a young punk. He has a swagger in his rubber-legged stride that comes from more than just being three inches lower in the withers than the butt. Up until now he's respectfully held his own with his Uncle Cody and mother, Tatti, dishing out a few head butts but backing off when he was told.<br>
Lately though he has taken to a bit of terrorism. It's our senior pony, old Blue, who's been taking the brunt of it. He took great joy in herding her around, never hurting her but keeping her moving. This past week I've noticed though that he's become a little more relentless, not respecting her requests to back off. When I saw her kick and squeal at him and he kept on tormenting her I knew it was time the punk got a job. <br>
Blue got moved to another paddock and Jake got enrolled in Horse Basics Kindergarten.<br>
I don't know how much of his cockiness has to do with our new foal being born, but I have noticed that Tatti has noticeably become more 'motherly' again towards Jake since Spike arrived on May 29. She calls to Jake more and doesn't want to leave him, looking for him all the time. That's something I've taken into consideration with Jake's schooling, and we'll be using Cody as a buddy horse wherever possible to help Tatti 'wean' from her son.<br>
What's Jake learning in school? </span>It's Kindergarten: he's learning his manners. A lot of what he's doing isn't 'new': he's been doing a little bit here and there all his young life so far. <span class="Apple-style-span">He's doing well with his leading from his once a week of coming in, getting groomed, picking up his feet, and tying in the grooming area. I'm glad to have that solid base from which to start. <br>
He needs to lead outside now, and we've been going over a few trail obstacles in the yard, bridges, gate and poles, which is nothing new since he's been grazing around them ever since his splay-legged baby grass eating started. We're working on personal space while leading. He loves to throw his weight at you in challenge, much like a teenager in the school yard. Once I can get a bit of consistency and respect on that issue, his colty biting habit will not be an issue. He gets a spanking if he bites but I'd much rather he just keep his distance, since a correction that isn't timely or hard enough is only a challenge to a young punk, accelerating the bad behaviour instead of extinguishing it. We're also discussing things like mouthing the lead rope or Tatti's reins when he's being ponied, since they're not very useful when they're between his teeth and I may need them in a hurry.<br>
Jake loads on the trailer like an old pro, and with Cody as his mentor we trailered around the block today. He's been playing in and around the trailer since he was a little kid. I had to close it up because he'd get in there and try to rip the padding out. All of our other horses trailer and load well, so it's not a big deal to him.<br>
We've also been enjoying his company on the trail, ponying him off Tatti. He's learning how to not chew on the saddle, not eat Tatti's reins, and not bite my leg. I carry a short crop to define my personal space and I don't hesitate to use it if he gets pushy. On the trail he has to keep up a good pace beside us and in the bush he has to go single file behind us, on a longer rope, without getting wrapped around trees. He's negotiating the trail well - brush and branches, going over logs, and up and down hills. The only time he gets in trouble is when he has a deer fly biting his neck and he rams Tatti like he would in the field to brush it off. He's quick and merciless about deer flies. Ouch.<br>
When will he graduate from Kindergarten? I like to call things learned when they have done them ten times and gotten better each time, so I guess it depends on how much time I invest. At this stage I need to have a human helper around, especially for the trailering, so I'll do the best I can and call in favours from my friends. Any takers?</span>
Horseback Writer
tag:horsebackwriter.net,2005:Post/172568
2012-05-26T10:35:00-04:00
2012-05-26T10:35:00-04:00
Measuring up
Jake's 13.2 at the withers and 14.1 at the butt. He's been that way for about a month now, showing all kinds of growth that sometimes makes him a bit grumpy and often has him resting a leg while he's eating his dinner. If he'll end up at 15.2HH that means he's 87% there in front and 92% there behind. He weighs in at 310 kg or 685 pounds, which is about 57% of the 1200 pounds I expect him to reach as a full-grown lad. His rascally antics have slowed down a bit. He still bites once in a while but otherwise he's pretty nice to be around. I can brush him all over out in the yard and pick his feet, or bring him in by himself without any fuss. The next step is to start doing in-hand obstacles with him and I'd like to get ponying him again. His entertainment, besides just hanging out with his friends, is to chase old Blue around. She's a 33-year old Welsh pony who seems to enjoy the banter. He throws his tail in the air, trots around an bites her butt without taking as much as a hair, and she threatens to kick him but never does. It's fun to watch.<br>
Not much else to report as we wait for Holly to foal. All eyes are on Holly.
Horseback Writer
tag:horsebackwriter.net,2005:Post/158271
2012-04-17T08:44:57-04:00
2012-04-17T08:44:57-04:00
Who is this Tatti?
<span class="Apple-style-span">This isn't really about Jake, and yet it's everything to do with Jake. <br>
I don't know who his mother is anymore. She's not the same lazy lump I rode before the blessed event of motherhood overcame her and I have the bruise on my butt to prove it.<br>
Tatti is typically known as one of the seven dwarfs - 'Sleepy' - for the most part. She's the one you can count on to bring up the rear on a trail ride, sniffing every mailbox as we ride along, totally unconcerned about anyone or anything else, having a nice snooze while her feet rhythmically plod along. She does have a wicked little sense of humour that has left me and a few others in the dirt over the years but it doesn't surface very often and certainly not in the past few years. <br>
Well, it's back! She's feeling good without young Jake to drain her resources, either that or she's celebrating his independence. I wasn't long out the other day when I realized I was no longer mounted on my horse. She spun out from underneath me just like in the cartoons, leaving that moment of hesitation before gravity took over and I went in the dirt, butt first. No harm done, I held the reins so she didn't leave me. I actually found myself laughing at her and at myself. We walked the rest of the way through the trail then I mounted up again to do about six laps of the hayfield at a good trot, then we tackled the trail again and came through just fine. Lesson learned: don't take a good horse for granted. <br>
Funny thing, Harry asked me that evening: "Did you ride Tatti today?" "Yes," I answered. "Did you stay on," he asked? Harry has never asked that before. Strange.<br>
Needless to say, she got cut off her oats. Her weight is coming back well now that she's not milking. She's also leveled out hormonally: I didn't expect such strong heat cycles after weaning but she was relentless within the first two weeks of weaning and I could tell that she didn't even recognize herself. <br>
I'm pleased to report that she's come through the turbulence of weaning, she's getting rid of those pesky stretch marks from motherhood and she's giving me some of the best work </span>of her life both on the ground and <span class="Apple-style-span">under saddle. <br>
And as for Jake, by three weeks after weaning he didn't even look up when I took Tatti out riding. His friends saw him through the rough spots. </span>I started him on some Purina Juvenile along with his Buckeye Gro'N Win now that Tatti isn't his nutritionist. <span class="Apple-style-span">I've just started putting the herd back together and I give him a swat in the nose from under the other side of Tatti if he goes to nurse that makes him think twice. He's catching on quickly. Hopefully I won't have to monitor them after a few days.<br><br type="_moz"></span>
Horseback Writer
tag:horsebackwriter.net,2005:Post/150844
2012-03-23T16:05:00-04:00
2020-11-14T03:26:05-05:00
Jake is now a Weanling
I guess it's now official: Jake is a weanling. I mean yearling. I mean he no longer drinks milk (sorry, dairy farmers!). He's been off the nipple since March 18, at a little over 9 months of age.<br>
In a natural situation I believe that a foal will nurse until the mare has her next foal, although that is something I haven't been able to confirm. I can't think of a better way to get proper nutrition into a foal during the critical early growth stages than as nature intended it, so I was quite content to keep the feed in front of Tatti to get it through to Jake. He has done well and looks really good, with none of the potty belly that I often see in colts his age. <br>
Most of the time we wean around 5 or 6 months of age. I've worked with colts who were weaned as early as three months of age, such as when they're a late foal and need to be put in sync with a group, but I don't believe they're mentally ready at that age to be weaned. <br>
Often we need the mare for other purposes or want to ensure the health of her next foal so we wean earlier than nature intended.<br>
For Tatti, I was having a tough time keeping weight on her as she nursed Jake. She cribs so I watch how much concentrate she gets so that her digestive system stays even. Everything would be fine except I miss riding her and I want to get my trail buddy going again under saddle, and I wasn't prepared to pump more concentrate into her to do that. <br>
So Tatti got put in one shed with a double gate - Jake stuck his head through a single gate and Tatti was quite willing to sidle over to let him nurse. Gypsy the fat Welsh pony keeps her company during the day, and old Blue, the other Welsh pony, keeps her company in the evening. I don't know how much company they are for her, since they're both scared of her, but it's a good theory. <br>
Jake and Tatti still eat together on opposite sides of a manger and over the course of a few days Jake started hanging out more with his friends Cody & Holly than in the shed, running in from the field full tilt every once in a while just to check in. Tatti's udder has come down to a manageable level after five days with no signs of mastitis. I'll keep them separated for as long as possible, at least two weeks but likely more, probably until it starts to drive me crazy keeping them in separate groups.<br>
And so Jake enters the next phase of his life.
Horseback Writer
tag:horsebackwriter.net,2005:Post/137758
2012-02-05T14:21:14-05:00
2012-02-05T14:21:14-05:00
Ice Days
I understand now how a parent must feel when the kids have a snow day from school. The herd has had a long string of 'ice days' - the fields have been treacherous with ice and the horses have wisely chosen to stay in the yard and shed. Luckily it's a huge shed so they can move around and I've been keeping them separated into two groups so that they all have shed space without scrapping. <br>
Jake is the court jester. He's the one who annoys the heck out of all of them but I think he's the one who has kept them all entertained too. He absolutely adores the old pony, who, at 33 years of age, seems to have no trouble maintaining his respect. I find this very interesting because she is the lowest in the pecking order of the herd and she couldn't raise a leg to kick if she tried, but somehow, young Jake just knows his limits with her. He'll often hang out with her at the far end of the field when they can get out there.<br>
I like to watch how Blue does it: how does she earn his respect? How can I imitate her efforts? We used to have a QH gelding named Manny and I'd watch him for the same reason - he was the most unlikely leader, very quiet and scared of his own shadow, and yet he was the boss. How did he do it? I learned so much from him. He left a huge void when he died in the spring of 2010.<br>
Getting back to young Jake, I've had to get creative to enjoy his company but stay safe. There's nothing he'd like to do more than use me as a play toy. He comes up and nips my sleeve or steals my toque and if I don't protect my space he will throw his shoulder at me in challenge. And yet I don't want to send him away, I have to teach him to be around me but be nice! When he latches on to my clothing I put my finger in his mouth and pry myself loose, then block him from grabbing again while quietly patting him on the withers. Sometimes he won't settle down, which is when I hide behind one of the other horses so that they take the brunt of his sense of humour. I don't want to discourage his company, I just want him to understand that I'm not a soccer ball. I work hard to block him rather than have to punish him.<br>
As for his training, he's learning to follow me through the barn, which doesn't sound like much unless you have seen our barn. It's an old bank barn full of sheep pens and all of the horses have had to lead through the 2' wide sheep aisles, past the chicken coop, to circumnavigate the ice in the yard. He follows me respectfully and will go anywhere I lead. I bring him in, tie him up, pick up his feet, and for the past few days I've been putting him out with Holly as a change of scenery. Tonight I had him in a stall for a while by himself and brought Cody in on the cross ties so that he stayed calm. I've just been changing up the scenery as much as possible, introducing a bit of stress so that he can learn how to handle it. <br>
Meanwhile Jake's trying out different ideas on me too. He sometimes lays his ears back and swishes his tail while he's eating, but he's learning that it's okay for me to stand beside him while he eats and that he doesn't have to defend his dinner from me like he does from his Uncle Cody. He's imitating what he sees the others do and I am very alert to this so that I can discourage the bad and encourage the good the minute I see it surface.<br><br><br><br type="_moz">
Horseback Writer
tag:horsebackwriter.net,2005:Post/133276
2012-01-11T14:30:00-05:00
2020-09-08T07:45:17-04:00
Out on the Trail
Jake's just cutting his third incisors on top at seven months of age but he's already an experienced trail horse. We pony him out with his dam, Tatti, and enjoy his company. <br>
Ponying a young colt is not for the faint of heart. I wear my padded winter pants, thick winter coat and of course, my helmet, and I don't mind getting a few scratches on the old saddle we're using. <br>
Tatti is a seasoned pony horse so she knows that all that movement on my part can be safely ignored, while she knows she has to pay attention to my cues. She rides on a draped rein, responding to my leg and seat well, which is a good thing since I actually need three hands: I have the reins, Jake's rope and a crop to juggle. The crop prescribes my comfort zone: I want him to keep a respectful distance from me and my tack. We stay within the fenced confines of our property in case he gets loose, so he won't get out on the road.<br>
I've been riding Tatti with the bitless bridle so if Jake grabs a rein in his mouth he won't hurt her mouth. He likes to bite and try to mount Tatti but that subsides as he gets into the ride. I'd been letting him go free in the woods, watching how he deals with downed trees and such, but last week I kept the rope on him and he didn't even wrap himself around any trees. I figure by the time he's ready to ride he will have already spent his childhood playing on the trail; so far he's showing a good attitude to whatever comes his way.<br>
He's good company out there, a pleasure to watch as he explores new territory, and I hope he will be good company when it's his turn to carry a rider.
Horseback Writer
tag:horsebackwriter.net,2005:Post/54042
2012-01-07T14:12:34-05:00
2012-01-07T14:12:34-05:00
Still sucking
Okay, I'm too soft for this weaning thing. He's still nursing but there have been a few changes.<br>
I was pleased to have Tatti to comfort him through his gelding, so that was good. Since then he's had a one-day fever (103 degrees) that passed quickly and a brief colic that also passed quickly. If he had been weaned I would have blamed it on that, but there didn't seem to be any obvious cause for either. Kids stuff. <br>
So he's still nursing. I was trying the fenceline weaning and separating them for longer intervals until it dawned on me that they only milk dairy cows twice a day so how was that different here? Then the nutritionist mentioned that a foal couldn't deal with forages at full capacity until they are 8-9 months old (I would like to confirm that so don't quote me yet) but I've taken that to explain why weanlings always look a bit potty. Jake doesn't. <br>
I have worked with foals who were weaned at 3 months old and while it is commonly said that the milk is just washing down the food at that point, I don't know how true that is. I do know that they are not mentally mature enough to deal with it. They need their mothers for longer than three months.<br>
The typical weaning time is 4-6 months but I wonder if that is optimal for the foal? It is convenient for us but what is best? In the wild does the mare nurse her foal until the next foal comes along? Since it's winter I'm going to be doing a bit of reading. I'd love to hear from you if you have any information about weaning in the wild.<br>
Meanwhile, I've increased Tatti & Jake to twice a day grain (Buckeye Gro'n Win and crimped oats) and both are holding up well. Jake's now 13H and 520 lbs., so he's about half his mature weight at 7 months and about 85% of his mature height of approximately 15.1H. Tatti's weight is good and so is her sense of humour, so I'm going to carry on and procrastinate about this weaning thing for a while. <br>
Last week we went out for a trail ride - I pony Jake off Tatti when I feel like a fun adventure in the woods - and when he got back he went to the water trough for a drink instead of the boob, so maybe this will just take its course naturally.<br><br type="_moz">
Horseback Writer
tag:horsebackwriter.net,2005:Post/126546
2011-12-04T09:28:31-05:00
2020-03-11T07:05:09-04:00
Good Stallions Make Great Geldings
Jake will be a great gelding. He had his castration surgery last week and all went well. He's nearly six months old but there was no point in waiting. The vet says that gelding early tends to make them a bit taller and not quite so chunky, but that's just fine with us. While Jake certainly had the potential to be stallion material, I think he will lead a better life as a well-socialized gelding. I have customers who routinely geld at a young age since it makes handling and groupings easier if you have no intention of using the colt as a stallion anyway. I believe that the socialization that may be missed by isolating a young colt (or any young horse, for that matter) can affect the quality of the rest of their lives. As humans, we can provide company but we just aren't up to the task of providing essential social skills - herd manners - to a horse. I don't know if they can compensate for missing Kindergarten lessons.<br>
The surgery itself went well. It was about 5 degrees Celcius - warm enough to be fairly comfortable. The anaesthetic disrupts their ability to thermoregulate and that was a consideration. There are no flies at this time of year, which is important because the surgery site is left open to heal from the inside out. He's on preventative antibiotics (TMS)<br>
for a week and we can expect his sheath to be a bit swollen for a week or two. <br>
Jake also got his first series of vaccinations - rabies, tetanus, eastern and western encephalomyelitis (EEE & WEE) and West Nile virus. He'll get a booster in 6-8 weeks on those.<br>
The vet came back to check him after a few days and Jake allowed him to palpate the surgery site without even a halter to hold him. He commented that he wished there were more horses with Jake's gentle nature. We know we are lucky to have him.<br><br type="_moz">
Horseback Writer
tag:horsebackwriter.net,2005:Post/124562
2011-11-22T03:20:00-05:00
2011-11-22T03:20:00-05:00
Weaning Time
Jake's quite ready for weaning at just over 5 months of age, and his dam is ready too. I'm trying what they call 'fenceline weaning' in the beef cattle trade: mother and son can see each other through safe fences or gates but he can't nurse. This time I'm doing it gradually too, on the advice of my friends who have weaned their own two-legged children. We started with four hours a day and we're up to about 8 hours. Jake doesn't really notice there's anything different since he's in the herd with all of his friends and it's Tatti who is confined to a pen in the lean-to: that way Jake can come and go but he doesn't get distressed about being 'locked up'.<br>
Last year I had an issue with mastitis with Gypsy so I thought a new approach might work better.<br>
So far, so good. It's been about a week, on and off as I am around. I put Tatti in her pen in the morning and put them back together at dinner time. Last weekend we took Tatti out for a trail ride and left Jake with Uncle Cody, locked in a pen where he couldn't see us going around the trail on the farm, and the boys were so busy stuffing their faces they didn't notice we were gone.<br>
A few considerations if you are trying this for yourself:<br>
Lock up the mare, not the foal.<br>
Use ultra-safe fencing or gates in an area that's comfortable and familiar for them.<br>
Use friends for company for the foal.<br>
I haven't restricted Tatti's feed or water but I'm monitoring her condition closely. I'd like to get her 'figure' back but I'll wait until she's dried up before I start changing her diet and exercising her again.<br>
Jake has been on Gro-N Win ration balancer but not on creep feed since the ponies are the same height and we know who'd be eating it. I will try to get some more groceries into him once he's weaned. With only feeding grain once a day I haven't been able to reach the recommended levels of feed, although he looks good I think I can give Tatti credit for that.<br>
P.S. He's 12.2HH at the withers and higher behind, weighing in at 470 lbs.
Horseback Writer
tag:horsebackwriter.net,2005:Post/118764
2011-10-16T05:50:00-04:00
2021-04-15T01:42:08-04:00
Growing like a weed
If you stand next to him long enough you can almost hear Jake growing. He wears a pony size halter now and he's been good about leading. Twice now he's lied down when I picked up his front foot. He just lies there, having a little nap, playing possum. I'm glad he's experimenting with this now and not when he's 500 lbs. I've been 'tying' him by looping the rope around a solid fixture in the barn and he's been good so far, about ten minutes at a time. He's also been on the trailer several times by himself, wandering in and out as the rest of the herd grazed around and explored the trailer with him. It's a little hard on the paint but it's worth it for him to see the others so relaxed - he looks to the others for their thoughts on everything before making up his own mind, and Jake's lucky to be surrounded by a pretty laid back group.<br>
It will soon be weaning time - I'm aiming for 5 months. Jake is happy to stay with the herd while I ride his dam in the yard. I wouldn't test this too far yet but I'll gradually increase her time away from him so that weaning won't be a big deal. One of his favourite games is to come into the barn and run off with one of the saddle pads in his mouth, laughing all the way.<br>
Jake wants to dress up as an Appaloosa for Hallowe'en. Kids.
Horseback Writer
tag:horsebackwriter.net,2005:Post/114095
2011-09-12T11:25:00-04:00
2011-09-12T11:25:00-04:00
Three months old
Jake has just turned three months old. So far he's been an easy keep (touch wood). I haven't led him as often as I should since he doesn't go in and out of a stall on a regular basis, but when I do lead him he comes along fairly well and stands to have the halter put on. It's a bit tricky to get it past his open mouth though. The foal halter is on the last hole now and I'll be searching the tack room for a new one this week.<br>
He's well started on Buckeye Gro'N Win and a bit of oats that he eats out of a tub beside his mother in the evenings and he likes carrots well enough, but his palate hasn't extended to apples yet. He tried one the other night but it didn't hold his interest.<br>
Not much else to report yet. He won't be showing at the Paint futurity since he's too young to wean and they won't allow the dam in the class. Norman, if you remember our Welsh Pony foal from last year, was showing at two months and again at four months of age with his mother, Gypsy, at his side. It was a great experience for all of us and a lot of fun.<br>
We did some training on the obstacle course last night, showing Jake how to paw at the wooden bridge to check it out, all in preparation for loading on the trailer among other tasks. He has no trouble at all playing with plastic bags full of rattling cans, a soccer ball, walking across a carpet or through the rope gate, or walking over poles. I want to expose him to as much as possible while he enjoys the security of the herd around him. He's going to be confident, that's for sure!
Horseback Writer
tag:horsebackwriter.net,2005:Post/108462
2011-08-10T05:44:36-04:00
2020-05-30T02:29:25-04:00
First Trim
Jake had his first hoof trim this morning. We tried to do him last week but he played shy with the farrier so we left it another week so we could do some more handling with him. I've been picking up his feet and touching him all over while he hangs out in the shed and he's good to halter, but he needed to experience having two people around him. <br>
So how did he do? As expected, the fronts are tougher than the hinds with a colt. In the herd the colts try to take each other's front legs out from underneath their buddies in a game of colt tag, and it's natural for him to drop to the ground in response to the challenge. He'll get much better as he distinguishes human contact from colt play, which is something that just comes with time and consistent handling.<br>
Jake will be de-wormed today too - his first de-worming that will be repeated at 8 week intervals for the rest of the year.<br>
One of my pet peeves with foals is that they are busy with their mouths and I see so many people teasing them, encouraging this behaviour, then getting bitten. I've tried to short circuit this behaviour by only petting Jake with a steady, smooth touch, borrowing this concept from massage: a gentle, slow rhythm of one stroke per second is a soothing touch, as compared to a faster rhythm that is used for stimulation. <br>
In many cases with a foal people scratch them on their butt or neck to see that lip-stretching, funny contortion that they do. It's fun but it's not fair when you have to smack the foal for biting you or turning his butt to you for a scratch when you've encouraged it. This is where we have to think longer-term and do what is fair for the colt. He's hard-wired to react to a stimulating scratch and there are consequences to that for everyone who handles him, including visitors.<br>
We led Jake in the yard last night for the first time behind Tatti. I think I might wear my helmet next time - he's a bit bouncy! <br><br type="_moz">
Horseback Writer
tag:horsebackwriter.net,2005:Post/107266
2011-07-30T09:31:24-04:00
2011-07-30T09:31:24-04:00
Jake joins the herd
As usual, it's a happy accident that things happen. I was hesitant to put wee Jake in with the rest of the herd, not because of what might happen to him, since the other horses are very good with a foal, but because of what Tatti might do as the overprotective viper mother. Apparently I need not have worried. They were all together one morning this week after they breached the gate between their yards. No harm done. Jake is very independent and has been well-received by the others, and at 6 weeks has come to an age where Tatti is not quite as protective. Phew! <br>
He's had a halter on once this week, leading easily around a large pen while Tatti ate hay. He's incredibly easy to train. He's used to me touching him all over and his next lesson will be picking up his feet. I'll want to get him leading with someone leading Tatti around after that, with the eventual goal of being able to pony him with his mother so I can get back to riding her a bit.<br>
Jake has grown quite a bit and his knees are a bit wobbly at times as he gets used to the constant growth, so while he's interested in the little bit of grain he can nibble from Tatt's tub before he puts his foot in the tub and spills it all, I'm not creep feeding him yet. He can take his time growing and she's a good milker.
Horseback Writer
tag:horsebackwriter.net,2005:Post/105798
2011-07-15T16:53:41-04:00
2011-07-15T16:53:41-04:00
July 14, 2011
He's cutting his second set of incisors, top and bottom, at the moment. All the better to bite you with, as Dracula said...<br>
Jake had his first 5 minute training session: halter on, halter off, halter on, halter off. Repeat. No big deal. Resist the urge to grab the halter for any reason - he hasn't learned what it's for yet! <br>
Halter training is more than just putting a halter on and hanging onto a rope while he bounces around. It's about putting that halter on and taking it off without any concern from him. It's about teaching him to give to light pressure, setting the precedent for how lightly I would like him to respond to my requests in the future. Eventually it will be about him being comfortable touching his legs, lifting them and allowing him to learn to balance on three legs comfortably and confidently, and learning to walk beside me, one step at a time. I'll spend the next week with him, about five or 10 minutes a day, to get him ready for his first trim in a few weeks.<br>
Other than that, he's low maintenance, high entertainment value.<br>
To those of you with foals, please DO NOT LEAVE A HALTER ON YOUR FOAL! (or a flymask - they can stand under their mother's tail to get fly relief) They will get caught in something and they don't have the reasoning or the training to work it out. They can strangle themselves or break their neck, especially if you're using a hay feeder. It does happen and it's just not worth it! They can get in enough trouble without us setting them up for it.<br>
Okay, that's my soapbox for the day.<br><br><br type="_moz">
Horseback Writer
tag:horsebackwriter.net,2005:Post/105383
2011-07-11T16:59:18-04:00
2011-07-11T16:59:18-04:00
July 8, 2011
I hope you will enjoy checking back here regularly for progress reports on this fine little lad. I'll keep you posted on his training and life in the herd.<br><br>
Sweet Grass Jake was foaled June 9, 2011. He's a Tovero colt by My Painted Black Jack, a black and white paint owned by Glenn Miller of Hillsburgh, from legendary North Dakota ranch stock lines of Adios Amigos and Flying Fawago. His dam, Sweet Grass Tatti, is a bay and white paint who has proven herself in the show ring and on the trail. She is the reigning three-time champion at the Rockwood Trail Trials (scoring 985/1000 in 2011) and was High Point Open Trail with the Ontario Pinto Horse Association in 2008. Jake is her first foal, named after our neighbour. <br><br>
Tovero is a combination of Tobiano and Overo markings; Jake will be registered both Paint (which reflects his QH bloodlines - Paints are just QH with too much white for QH taste!) and Pinto (which reflects his colour only, not his bloodlines).<br><br>
He had his vet check at one day of age, checking his heart, lungs and eyes, as well as receiving his tetanus shot and vitamin e/selenium supplement shot. I treated his navel for two days but it was good and dry after one, and I dewormed Tatti on the day she foaled which my vet had advised, since he believes it reduces the foal heat scours that the foal experiences at around 10 days of age. (It did.) We passed on the IgG test since Tatti didn't even as much as wax up before she foaled, let alone lose any colostrum, and Jake nursed well and often in the first 24 hours. I still check her udder at least twice a day to make sure he's nursing well.<br><br>
So Jake's going to be a trail horse, but right now he's learning to respect the other members of the herd. He's out with Uncle Cody, a.k.a. "the Rock", and he's learned a few lessons about manners from him. Cody's also the only herd member that Tatti respects and that's kept her from becoming a giant Ogre. I tried turning him out with the ponies but his mother is a little protective, to say the least, and she's much faster than poor Gypsy! Ouch.<br><br>
All he's learned from me so far is that he's not welcome to rear up at me or bite me. I gently return his from feet to the ground or dislodge his teeth from my sleeve and cradle him in my arms until he settles down. So far, so good. He's been on all of the trail obstacles in the yard, including in the trailer, as he explores his new world. He's very independent, often in the shed by himself with his mother nowhere near.<br><br>
It's time to think about putting a halter on him to get him ready for his first hoof trim at six weeks. Our yards are set up so that we haven't had to lead him to his pasture, so we can halter train him at our leisure. He will not have a halter left on him at any time, since foals and youngsters have a tendency to get their heads into places where they can sustain serious injury. I've seen too much there.<br><br>
Check back soon for our next Jake's Journal entry.
Horseback Writer