Mouthy colt // hand injury update...3-11

[ErinC]

How can I get the colt to stop playing so much , trying to eat the rope, my sleeve, my hand you name it, he is just so mouthy , and not paying attention.

he does get what I am telling him in one or two tries, is he board, should I UP IT!


I let his mouth hit my knuckles or pinch his nose, he does not care.
he just wants to play, I put a bit in the other day to have him play with that, and he did, that kind of worked, but the bit was to big, I will try that again with a smaller one....


Any words of wisdom for me????

[cowboy ed]

erin, if he is doing all that, then it is pretty simple. he doesnt have enough work to do. make him do more. get creative with his workout. dont just lunge circles. make him change directions without stopping. go past obstacles in both directions. go over caveletti or low jumps. how old is he? old enough to ride?

[Pasogirlz]

Our colt Echo was exactly like that. I couldn't find enough to keep him busy, but when he finally went to the trainers, he got better about it.

[ErinC]

No Ed , he will be two in a few weeks, all I do now is take him for long walks, and do lots of head games with him,
we go over all kinds of obstacles,

not much lunging, but I make him move left and right away from my hand, he is very quick to learn , very willing, and easy going, but he just is like a puppy dog with his mouth always going!

THANKS

[cowboy ed]

head games?? he needs to work!

[ErinC]

Head games, I mean walking over tarps, going over bridges, taking walks down the road, standing around while the kids drive the ATV.
I leave him standing tied. he has been bited, kids saddle on him,
on and off the trailer. I have rubbed him down with MANY things!
tarps, coats, the whip, other dumb stuff.


I should have said ground work not head games, sorry for the confusion.
I do
stuff, lots of stuff!

Tonight he did much better, I think he will learn me saying " NO PLAY "
with getting the butt of the crop in the chest when he is not paying attention. I would like to get it to just saying " no play"

he is very very good with voice commands. he stops, walks backs with almost all voice.

[Jasfino]

All of our boys have been mouthy. Jasper was the worlds worst, was doing it to be pushy so he got a quick slap and that seemed to correct his problem. Our other gelding Patrick is mouthy in a curious sort of way alot like yours with the rope, anything actually that he can get his lips around. He is getting better with me but I dont think I could ever stop his mouth from exploring the outside world. ;-) Charlie Browne is turning two this summer and is learning that he cant grab with his mouth. I think its a common problem. I raise my voice to respond with a sharp NO, a quick slap if needed, then quickly divert their attention to something positive.

[Barbwire]

Mojo is the same way, he's always biting at everything, especially Amante (remember the pics?) I can't wait until he's old enough to work in ernest, that will take the wind out of his sails.

Amante likes to chew on lead ropes, mostly when he's tied to the trailer waiting for a ride to start. I think it's nerves, because he sure doesn't do it at the end of a ride when he's waiting to go home.

[CarolU]

Erin, I wanted to comment on this post before, but was at work.

What you are seeing is a big play drive. I don't think it is a good idea to punish it, use it instead. Step up your training and keep his mind engaged and challenged.

As for the mouthiness, remember the video of Dusty?? The Rocky Palamino that did all those tricks? Well, your colt could easily be trained to do many/all of those same tricks! Start with a hanki and just set it over the fence where you know he'll pick it up...instead of spanking him for it, reward him. Repeat several times and add a cue of encouragement, like "Pick up" or something. Pretty soon, he'll associate your cue with picking something up.

Change him to other things.

An old trainer here taught me that one of the ways to get rid of a bad behavior is to train it to the horse and then take it away. So, in this case, he should quit picking stuff up until he's cued to do so. Stan, who taught me that, had only trained QH's, Paints, and Appys, so I think you have a little LESS success getting Pasos NOT to do things. I know Rosie does her tricks when she wants a cookie...doesn't wait for the cue. LOL

Good luck

[ErinC]

wow, what a great idea, best one I heard yet, he does do it like a puppy, not to bite but just to play , and he knows he gets my attention from it,
He is a big goof.


The big goof almost took my finger off Thur. night, I was doing some ground work, and he got excited when asked to move off, normal baby move he kicked up, and I was not looking, I took a hoof up the forearm, and the tip of my pinky,,,pincky got it worse, the bone smashed and a splinter of the bone popped out the top of my finger, so I sat in the ER for 8 hrs, had to have surgery yesterday, they took the nail off and fixed the bone there, so the scar should be behind my nail if it grows back.

My husband was pissed because after the kick, I backed him a few steps telling him "NO" "bad'" then made him go around in a few circles without the buck/kick , when I knew he was listening I stopped,, then I came in and iced and went to the hospital.

I did not want to leave it on a bad note!!!

:roll: :roll:

[PasoJoy]

YIKES ERIN!! :shock:
Hope you are doing OK and hope you got some pain pills to help you...yeowch that must hurt now... :(

[Jasfino]

Oh my gosh Erin! I hope you get to feeling better soon. Its amazing how quick these horses are and how fast they can hurt us without even meaning to. I have had a few close calls myself with the young ones learning to lunge. I have learned to never take my eyes off of them. Hope your hand heals quickly.

[ErinC]

I am OK,
no brain no pain!!!!

no really, I have no pain, none...

I took off the bandage, and besides having no nail, I just have two little stitches. they did a nice job.

I was at the mall, andrunning around all day! Wish I could have rode.

:roll: