Still "Ian Duncan-Smith"!!

[lucydales]

Hellooooo! I have been bullied into showing you piccies from Celtie-Cobweb's birthday last week (else she won't play with me and will do Uncle Isaac evils and things she says) so here goes!

Here is uncle Pants looking handsome and sophisticated!


And Celtie saying "Wot about moi? C'est m'anniversaire!!"


She then went galloping over to see Lucy which was well scary for Lucy as she didn't swerve and has no brakes! That is well cool, I must try that when I'm not IDS!!!


Celtie only has two legs!


And two viking helmet horns! ;D Hope she didn't hear that!!


Anyway, as you is now bored with her, here is me and mummy!


And a ginger t*sser! Oi! Snap, snap! Sorry Uncle Pants!


And celtie doing atmospheric!


With the most beautiful orange ears I've ever seen!


Sigh! Will she ever love me??


Anyway, today we did skool! Lucy did doing riding Uncle Isaac and Claire did Celtie long reiny thingies again. Only this time Claire put the reins on her bit so she could do stoping and steering!


It was the first time Celtie didn't have a leader so Uncle Isaac did that bit and Lucy took bad pics from on top of him!



They met a big lorry and Celt was really good, even when it started up again. And she's not fussed about cars.



I did drawing hearts for her whilst she was out!


Then Lucy (who is still rather cross with me) took me for a little walk down the drive and 10 yards down the road and back. I tried sooo hard to be good, honest I did but I got sooo excited I tried jumping on her and when that didn't work I tried to kick her and squish her! I did get shouted at and I was only playing! So now I'm back In Deep Shi.......!

I will have to pick flowers for everyone tomorrow to win them round again! It is soooo hard being a little boy! Girls is odd!

Bye bye!

[lyndales]

Lucy, has Celt had readybrek in the orange ears pic?

Bad boy Tim! You must look after mummy Lucy

Lynda x

[Anna]

Dear Tim

"flutter eyelashes"

We got a chewed red card arrive today with the postie, it has a huuuge heart on it. Was it from you as its signed from "studmuffin" and smells of carrot kisses? giggle giggle

Hope you get ours ok before tomorrow, we dipped it specially in the mud just for you. Hope it didn't get lost in the post

Lots of love

Flora and Katy xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[harleydales]

Keep at her Tim, she'll succumb to your charms eventually....

[lucydales]

Ladies! Ladies!

You sussed me out but pleease don't tell Celtie as she might be grumpy, or Uncle Isaac as he is "the man" (or so he says except I have two things he doesn't!!) and I need some friends at the moment!

I would love to come and stay with you, we could do playing and everything, but I am slightly worried about your Dad! Could you sneak me in without him or his mates finding out?? I promise to be really good! (Liar, liar, pants on fire!) Excuse me this is private, thank you, Lucy! I can bring carrots and haylage

I will lay in wait for the postie! Sweet dreams my loves!

PS. Do you have any other sisters?? (Perhaps I shouldn't have asked that? )

[dollylanedales]

Hello Tim,

What lovely pics of all the lovely ponies you live with.

I was just reading about you jumping on Lucy, and kicking too. I was going to come and visit you - you won't do those things at me, will you? But I am used to naughty boys, as Oliver is one of those, but he is a lot bigger than you. He has never jumped on me or kicked me though.

You look a handsome big boy now, Tim. I am sure all my ladies would like you!!

[cadeby]

Feb 13, 2009 16:04:09 GMT -1 dollylanedales said:

You look a handsome big boy now, Tim. I am sure all my ladies would like you!!

Tim had better get writing more valentines cards sharpish

Nice photos Lucy - Vanty looks very handsome in the first sunset pic.

[sammy]

Tim, you are very norty!!
Lucy, what did you do when Tim tried those stunts?
Maybe we should have a Colts Clinic on here,
as in, what should I do when my colt jumps on me??
What should I do when my colt rears etc, etc.
Get those seasoned breeders to reveal all, honestly

[valerie n scout]

I thought Lucy was buying you a Lemon for Valentines, if your not careful, she will get you a pair of bricks to play with

[lucydales]

LOL at a pair of bricks to play with on Valentines Day, Valerie, it's tempting!

I think a Colts Clinic would be a great idea Barbara!

What did I do? I made myself very big, loud and flappy, the lunge line got waved in his face! He's great if you stay behind his shoulder (and you can fend him off with a hand), but won't lead from there necessarily, but if you're in front you are in the danger zone. Being on his off side so he can't push you into the gutter helps, and staying behind and making him circle round me worked. I think going out with two leaders, one on each side, both with lunge lines would be my next plan so he can't get close to either of you if he's having a paddy! He did get rather shouted at, and loads of praise when he walked on properly after an event! However, it was rather scary and dangerous, so avoiding him getting it wrong in the first place is the best ploy I think, but that would definately be a two leaders job. I need to crack this as I would like to take him to a few shows.

Everyone's advice and thoughts very welcome!! As Barbara said, it would be great to hear what the pro's do!

[Anna]

Do you carry a stick? Not sure if you do already but hold it in your left hand up towards his head (obviosuly NOT to hit him around the head with before anyone jumps on me) but it puts a physical barrer that prevents him from coming into your space and infront of you and you can tap his nose with it if he's pushing things to far and you into the gutter.

Also you could put a rope on either side of his headcollar so if you want to move him away from you, you can pulll on the outside rope and that will turn his head, and shoulders follow away from you and again out of your space.

Staying at the shoulder is a great solution, i always show little magic from further back than normal if i can help it as he can leap about a bit and it keeps you out of the danger zone, just watch that circling doesn't lead to rearing, its often a precursor of a rear to circle around a person and its a devil of a habit to break if they do get into circling round you and it can put you into a postion where you are in front of them and infront of batting legs.

I hope you don't mind me replying lucy, its just the first thing that came to mind when you said.

[lucydales]

No, Anna, it is VERY VERY much appreciated!

I would rather stop a bad behaviour before it is established, than have to deal with one once it is! I am working in the dark with colty behaviours as I have absolutely no experience, and I don't want anyone to get hurt.

I don't feel Tim is trying to be bad, he's playing, but has to learn what is acceptable with people and what is not! I note he is far more submissive to Isaac and Choc than me, even with my most stern and "don't do that you little oik" face!

IF he seems to be good enough quality, I would love to use him before we have him gelded, but not if he becomes too difficult for us to handle. There are plenty other good stallions to use if that is the case.

I feel really stupid sometimes with the questions I ask (you don't make me feel stupid, i hasten to add!) but I feel a few red faces on my behalf might get folks info/help that they might not feel happy to ask for themselves. It's difficult in a one/few foal environment as often experience is lacking and you so don't want to get it wrong! If you do, you may never try again which will not help keep the already limited genetic diversity of the breed going.

Tim's Blog for me is a bit of a laugh, but also may help some people have a go which is great, or at least realise that we all have these "moments"! I am fairly new to Dales, but am besotted! I am amazed how many views the blog gets as it seems very samey to me! Thank you to everyone who checks in, and a huge thanks to those who contribute as it keeps me motivated! It's great as it makes me take pics which i probably wouldn't do otherwise and having a sh*gged memory I will be able to look back in my advancing years if I last that long!

Dales peeps are TOPS!

[dalesponyrider]

You are right Lucy, this blog does help people thinking of having a go! I watch it with interest and this odd feeling in my stomach...... a sort of a cross between an excited feeling and a sinking feeling!


I'll be very interested in any advice you are given anyway!

[sammy]

Well done Anna for being the first to help out with some good advice.
Lucy I am in the same position as you, first colt ever last year and he is bigger now and trying it on still. Some days I am going to open the gate and let a passing fool take him for free
Other days he is so good, open a trailer door and he walks straight in! I am aso waiting to see if he is good enough to use as a stallion and if I can handle him!!
Everyone else please add your tips! Helen you have a collection of boys!
Keep up the hard work Lucy

[cadeby]

Lucy you are exactly right when you say that Tim's blog is a bit of fun, but also informative. It gives people the opportunity to be honest about problems they are having with their youngsters because we read and laugh about Tim going through the same things!
All too often on horsey forums, you only hear about people's successes and not the arguments, despair and tears along the way. It helps to know that you're not alone when you think you have the pony from hell

Barbara - we only have three boys so this is new territory for us too. We have only ever bred fillies before. They were percherons and at the first sign of the terrible twos we sent them off to a professional "breaker" for starting, so we are in no way experts

Wilf, our stallion, came ready trained and angelic. He has manners to die for. I have no idea how his breeder Tommy Sharp achieved this, but I plan to ask his advice at the breed show. I know that he was kept in stalls, and this is not an avenue that I personally want to go down, but I have to admit that even if he was "hard broken" - and I'm not saying that he necessarily was - it has worked.

Jacq doesn't do much at the moment so we haven't hit any issues with him yet. He's still only 8 months old, so he just goes for the occasional walk along the lanes with his mum for company. He did push me and himself into a deep ditch when he had a spook at a huge van, but that was definitely fear and not naughtiness, so that's just par for the course with a baby.

Taz is a challenge at the moment. He is full of the joys of Spring and throwing his weight around quite a bit. He always leaves the yard willingly and is happy to amble along nicely. Stopping occasionally to stare at things he is unsure of, but concentrating, listening and respecting our space. On the return he loses the plot, the moment he catches sight of, or hears ,our mares. Unfortunately, Cadeby our herd leader is very vocal, and she doesn't help by screaming her head off as he comes back into sight. Plus our driveway runs alongside the mare paddock so he has five ponies galloping alongside him

This causes Taz to surge forward or shoulder barge his handler as he tries to get across to the fence. Very occasionally he tries to nip when he's not getting where he wants to be. Often it's a case of just one or two paces forward in a straight line before he tries to surge ahead. We yank his head round to us so that he cannot run away then immediately step foward into his space and move him fowards from a position at his shoulder, followed by lots of praise if we get nice straight calm walking. We always try to prevent him circling round us. I agree with Anna - this can lead to rearing and also they tend to come out of the circle at quite a speed and then surge forward again.
For us, I feel the answer is lots more groundwork in an area away from the girls. We don't have a menage, so it's difficult to find a quiet area to work in. I will also give Anna's lead-rope on either side a go. Thanks for that tip Anna

My old heavy-horse mentor used to carry a stick with a sprig of holly tied to it when handling his colts. If they invaded his space he would give them a quick tap on the shoulder or the muzzle and they quickly got the message. I haven't tried this myself - some people would maybe advocate that it's cruel? but it certainly worked for him because he always had well-mannered, respectful boys.

With rearers, I was taught that you cannot physically hold them on the floor, so have them on a long lunge line, step back out of harms way as they go up, always keeping an eye on the hooves and just wait for them to come back down. If you pull they may fight you and go higher. The moment they come down ask for immediate forward movement. I know that some people growl or shout as their colts rear but I was taught to stay silent (easier said than done!) so that you are not responding in any way to this behaviour.

In the colts mind, rearing, barging and biting are all perfectly natural behaviours - just watch how aggressive they are when they play with their young companions - so making them realise that these behaviours are not acceptable around humans is never going to be easy. You are basically trying to re-programme millions of years of evolution! I also think that I am too soft, as I am frightened that I may make a big mistake. Sometimes, sending the horse to a trainer that you like and trust for a short time can work wonders and give you and the pony a break from the pattern of misbehaviour.

Lucy - with Tim, I would take him out with his favourite friend the next few times. Just to get his sensible head back. Then I would change the best friend for another horse that he hasn't really bonded with and go out for a few times with that one before you try him on his own again.

And the most vital thing - ALWAYS WEAR A HARD HAT WHEN LEADING YOUNGSTERS