Shame on me neglecting this blog!

I would like to say I've been sooooooo busy clicker training i've not had time for this blog, HOWEVER it isn't true, sort of. I have been really busy, and I have done more clicker training just not that much, however I have now sat on harry twice (not my full weight just balanced on a gate and rested my leg over him) He is sooo itchy at the moment i could probably set a bomb off and he wouldn't care providing I kept scratching. We do a bit of clicker but don't want to do too much because he's going through a very mouthy 2 year old stage, he has learnt to play hide and seek and tag but only when he feels like it. He knows "back" "stay" and "come". Everything is on his terms though, he gets bored quickly. No specific plans just carrying on in our own little way. :)

Click-click!

Long delay in updating this but me and harry have started on a new chapter in our journey - clicker training!!!

I've already played around with him and treats before, so I wanted to get him used to clicks now so we can start to refine behaviours etc.


Anywho yesterday was day ONE. I started with anti mugging - not that he's the mugging sort but you know... I just waited till he put his head down and away and then clicked and treated. The first click he went "WHaaa?! Oh... treats!" and after that he had it straight away I could hardly keep up with him, I finished by asking him to back up then drop his head, and tried to get him to do it when I pointed but my timing wasnt great, but still super duper pony poo got it all straight away, he is soooo smart! Shall be doing lots more and will try not to neglect this so much as I want to keep a record :)

Spring is coming

I have been busy with changing jobs and having a life and such. Harry has moved fields again and is back in my village - I feel so happy when he's in the village. He's growing well, where he is situated is on a hill, and his hay is on the top of a hill covered with tarpaulin which means he has been getting used to flappy noisy tarpaulin every day - it means food. And also me climbing the fence and leaping down next to him every day - preparation for dismounting and riding, having someone above him. He is sooooo wonderful what can I say I love that pony. Nothing phases him.

I have scrapped all my plans for the now, am just going to go with the flow. Probably still do some shows, maybe he'll trot this time! who knows.

I have been reading up about horses growth plates and found out they have loads all along their spine which don't stop till they're 6 1/2 - 7, so I can relax on the whole starting him idea, we have 5 years to go still!! I also have got a new book on in hand training so that gives us something else to do - watch this space!

After reading Karen Pryors book Reaching the Animal Mind, all about clicker training and different animals etc it's really got me thinking all about positive reinforcement, clicker training etc. I haven't started CT with Harry partly because I'm lazy but also I'm not really doing anything with him so... I shall wait till the days get longer. But it's reassuring to know the way I've handled Harry so far - just following my instincts, has all been along the lines of CT, which is that I've done it all through positive reinforcement, I just didn't give it a name. We're on the right path :)

Happy New Year!!

After doom and gloomy weather for what seemed like ages but was probably only 2 weeks at the most, the sun came out!!!

So I went to see Harry, first of all we had a loverly long cuddle :) made me very happy and mushy, theeeen I made an attempt at grooming him, but oh my that's a whole winters worth of dirt he has on him! So I gave up, thought I'd leave it for another day. And then I decided as it's so nice we could go for a walk, haven't been for a walk for ages, and I was expecting him to be rather full of beans, but he wasnt, we wondered off down the road, Harry kept sniffing the puddles and washing his mouth in them, then giving me wet muddy kisses :) And he wanted to look into every gateway we passed, so I let him as it was such a nice day, then we turned around and he got a bit excited and jig jogged, I just said "steeeeeady" so he steadied, and we ambled back to the field, where Rocky was not at all bothered that Harry had left him. Oh the little things they make me happy, even if I never ride Harry I would be happy just hanging out in the field cuddling him and going for walks.

But as it is a new year, my plans are (very likely to change) to do another show or two with Harry and start some long lining. But that's not till spring or summer. For now it's just little walks around the village :)

A change of plan

All my previous plans for work I was going to do with Harry have been temporarily chucked, as a friend has got me into clicker training! I have ordered the books, got treats and a clicker and started practising on the dogs - it's really easy and fun!

SO when I have finished the books I will be starting clicker training with Harry. At the moment it's life-threatening trying to go see him as he is in a village with an incredibly icy road. I managed to see him christmas Eve, we spent some time having cuddles and scratches he was dozing in the rare sunshine and so sweet. I love how I can pick up all his feet loose in the field still, I hadnt seen him for over a week and yet it might have only been a day it never makes a difference to him. I really do have to drag myself away from him. I have owned Harry for over a year now, how time flies! I still love my pony more than ever, he really is such a gentleman. Anyway, latest photo of the hairy beast!

Well vet thought Harry probably had only bruised his foot, and today (blacksmith day) he wasnt lame at all, so that's a relief. I love my pony, took some more pics of him, can't believe how much he has changed since last year :)

Winter Blues

Haven't actually done much at all with Harry, rubbish winter evenings too short for anything, so he's just out in a field playing with his friend :) And today he was lame, most likely caused by a huge stone in his foot? Still he timed it well as vet is out tomorrow for jabs and blacksmith out tues for trims so if he's still lame one of them will know whats wrong! Bless him. Nothing more to report just an update, probably won't do any more updates till spring now when we shall start long reining. (my instincts said I was getting ahead of myself thinking about sitting on him so soon)