Hairy Situation

Nox is shedding like crazy.  When I curry comb him, clumps of long winter hair fall off him and wispy strands float through the air.  The hair gets everywhere - all over my clothes, up my nose, in my mouth, and in my eyes.  For three days in a row, I pulled long hairs out of my eyes after they got stuck up inside my eyelids.  After that painful experience, I'd had enough.

The next day, I showed up at the barn armed with laboratory goggles and a face mask.  I donned my personal protective equipment, grabbed the curry comb, and stepped into Nox's stall.  He took one look at me, snorted, and back into the corner.  I spoke soothingly and dropped a few carrots in his bucket, and he was happy to let me curry him in my goofy get-up.   

Let me tell you - I look odd, and the other boarders might look at me funny and think I'm silly, but I'm no longer pulling hair out my eyes and mouth!  Nox is looking sleeker and shiner than any of the other horses, and I'm willing to bet that when everyone else is eating horse hair in a few weeks, they'll be asking to borrow my goggles and mask! 

Best Husband Ever helps me groom Nox, but he declines the goggles. 
He took a picture of me wearing them instead. 
Goofy? Yes. Does he love me anyway? Yes.

I can read his mind...

Though I'm not a professional trainer by any means, I really enjoy working with animals.  I trained Moose, our little Yorkie-poo, to do all the normal obedience skills, plus a few extra fun tricks for our entertainment.  When you point your fingers at Moose like guns and say "Stick 'em up", he will stand on his hind legs and put his front paws up.  It's just about the cutest darn thing ever.

Moose was very motivated by treats and verbal praise.  Like many dogs, he really wants to please his people and he understands that a treat can be a reward for completing a task.  He learned most of his tricks in less than five minutes.

Nox, like most horses, is motivated by finding the easiest route, or the path of least resistance.  If he thinks it's easier to walk around a pole than over it, that is what he'll want to do.  I've been training Nox to free lunge in both directions and he is doing very well.  At first, it was easier for him to move to the left because he has better balance in that direction.  When I asked him to go to the right, he resisted because it was difficult for him.  He tried to spin around and go the easy way.  My job as a trainer was to make it even more difficult for him to spin around to left.  I would shout and wave my arms and lunge whip, blocking his way and putting pressure on him to turn around.  After several hissy fits, rears, and bucks, he'd eventually move to the right. 

I've kept this up for several weeks, insisting that he walk and trot in a circle to the right so he can build muscle and learn to balance.  Nox's balance is improving, and now I can lunge him to the left, turn him around, and lunge him to the right with hardly any resistance.  I have to pay close attention, however, and watch for signs that he's getting frustrated.  A few days ago, I had him cantering to the right.  Cantering in a circle is difficult for a horse in training, especially an ex-racer who is used to gradual, wide turns.  Nox had completed 2 1/2 laps and I could sense that he was feeling uncomfortable, but I wanted to push him to complete the 3rd lap before asking him to slow down.  Big mistake.  Nox felt off balance and frustrated, and so he escaped his situation by dashing out of the circle, bucking and kicking, and spun around to move to the left.

I was mad at myself, because I knew it was going to happen and I didn't take control of the situation.  I should have told him to slow down to a trot as soon as I sensed he might break.  I would have kept his attention and faith.  Instead, I had to start over, convincing him to move to the right again.  I kept the session short, so we could end on a good note, and it all ended well.  I learned a good lesson - trust my senses and stay one thought ahead of Nox.

Looking good!
Nox is shedding out his thick winter coat and looking sleek and shiny again.

 

         

Working Hard, Going Well

Nox is progressing well, despite the cold, stormy, snowy weather.  I haven't ridden in a few weeks, since the temperatures haven't been above 20 degrees and Nox has been bouncing around the ring like a ping pong ball.  Instead, we've been free lunging and practicing ground manners.  Nox is still having a tough time lunging to the right.  I'll start him going right and he protests; attempting to change direction and racing around in an uncoordinated fashion.  I keep the pressure on him until he's sort of moving in a circle, and then I make him change direction.  To the left, he can walk and trot smoothly without any hesitation.  He's learning to balance better at the canter as well, and I increase his canter time each session.  After I've worn him out a little going to the left, I turn him around again and make him go to the right.  The second time is always better, and usually Nox will walk and trot to the right in nicer circles.  I haven't asked him to canter to the right yet.  He needs to build up the muscles on that side and I don't want to make him sore by asking too much too soon.

Nox still asks to have his tongue rubbed at every opportunity.  Best Husband Ever and the barn trainer are the only people besides me that will indulge him - everyone else thinks it's too odd or gross!

Hopefully, spring will arrive soon and I can start riding again.  I don't mind giving Nox a break from the saddle - it's probably good for him, actually - but I do miss it. 

Below is a video of Nox doing his "Black Beauty" impression.  I did not teach him to do this, and he has never done it while I've been riding, but he loves to rear when he's turned out.  Sometimes it seems like he's trying to stay up as long as he can, and other times he'll finish the rear with a twist and leap... he looks like the famous Lipizzanner horses I saw when I was a teenager.  It's fun to watch!