Keeping Horse's Attention

[ahlihaff]

My trainer showed me how to keep Ahliver focused on me instead of the grass. I'm just so excited to be able to do this, I wanted to tell you about it.

Those of you that share life with a Haflinger, know that eating is probably more important to them than breathing.

I am now able to be more important to Ahliver than the grass he is surrounded by. I can stand talking with a friend or whatever while Ali patiently focuses on me. It didn't take long for him to catch on to the idea, and now he doesn't even attempt to lower his head. We stood for 35 minutes the other day while I talked with the trainer, and Ali didn't move.

This is what we did: Horse was wearing his training halter with 14' lead attached. I stood at the end of the lead holding the end lightly, rope was slack. When Ahliver attempted to lower his head (which was often at first), I'd bend my knees and lower too, keeping the rope slack. His head would come up. Each time, he lowered, I would too so he knew I was paying attention to him. As with everything, timing is of the essence. If I wasn't quick enough and he managed to get his head to the ground, I let him make the mistake. Once the grass was in his mouth, I'd bump (not pull or jerk) his head up. Kind of like if he touched an electric fence.

Maybe some of you already do this; but it's new to me, and I think it's pretty cool.

[Crookedblaze]

LOL I love halfies.

The trainer that I am working woth did that with Mac when we were working him on our grass pasture, it is so funny to see the look of shock on their face.

[ahlihaff]

Originally Posted by Crookedblaze

LOL I love halfies.

The trainer that I am working woth did that with Mac when we were working him on our grass pasture, it is so funny to see the look of shock on their face.

I wished I had my camera. It was very funny watching his head start to go down, then pop back up when I went down - up, down, up down.

[horselady]

I love your trainers methods. Perhaps he should have a clinic at next years Equine Affaire.
And good for you making progress with Ali.

[melmel]

I love this idea. Mav is always doing this to me. I know he is a growing boy at 2 y/o, but come on. I am going to start trying this immediately. Thanks for the tip!!

[version1955]

Originally Posted by horselady

I love your trainers methods. Perhaps he should have a clinic at next years Equine Affaire.
And good for you making progress with Ali.

Yeah, ya gotta appreciate a trainer who appreciates a horse from the horse's point of view. I never heard of this before and didn't know what to do about it. Very cool idea. I've gotta try this. And Halfies aren't the only horse that lives to eat... come to think of it, I think it applies to me too

How would you apply that to being in the saddle?

[PaintsQH]

Thats pretty cool. Are Haffies harder to pay attention? I have a hard time getting my TB mare to pay attention to me instead of whats going on in the barn. I have a NH trainer friend who told me to "wiggle" the lead rope to get her to look at me and me only. Still working on it, but she is getting better.

[ahlihaff]

Originally Posted by version1955

Yeah, ya gotta appreciate a trainer who appreciates a horse from the horse's point of view. I never heard of this before and didn't know what to do about it. Very cool idea. I've gotta try this. And Halfies aren't the only horse that lives to eat... come to think of it, I think it applies to me too

How would you apply that to being in the saddle?

That is exactly what this trainer does; he looks at the world from the horse's point of view. I will ask him about handling this from the saddle.

[ahlihaff]

Originally Posted by horselady

I love your trainers methods. Perhaps he should have a clinic at next years Equine Affaire.
And good for you making progress with Ali.

I love them too. He offers his own clinics once a month. He loves to teach and see people progress with their horses. I believe he'd do a clinic at my place if I could get a few people to come to it.

[ahlihaff]

Originally Posted by PaintsQH

Thats pretty cool. Are Haffies harder to pay attention? I have a hard time getting my TB mare to pay attention to me instead of whats going on in the barn. I have a NH trainer friend who told me to "wiggle" the lead rope to get her to look at me and me only. Still working on it, but she is getting better.

I'm not sure if Haffies in general are hard to keep focused. I don't usually have a problem getting Ahliver's attention - it's only when there's food around, even the tiniest pieces of leftover hay on the ground. I can groom and tack him in the round pen untied and without even holding a lead rope. He stands perfectly still; but if I try it in the paddock where there might be something to go in his mouth, he's all over the place. Now I have a means to keep him not doing that.

He's too cute. I back him in and out of the gates so his butt pushes the gate open. Going out, he has his butt all lined up with the gate before I even unlatch it. Why?? Because there's grass on the other side.