#73 More Time

#73  MORE TIME !!!

If you want that darling of yours to learn something in a specified amount of time - forget it - you have a goal and that horse can read you like a book.

I've had write-in's about the time blog -so here is a run-down for you - and you will see it depends on each horse, his owner, and/or the behavior you are asking for.

We measure everything by hours - not by days, or rides, etc.  

GINGER - to stand still for her bridle 90 hours, to stand still for her saddling 106 hours - she is now perfect - it just took her quite a bit longer to "get it".

JOSE - to walk, not jig, back to barn - 125 hours and huge patience - he is perfect now, to sidepass 5 hours, to be the perfect horse that he is now- 250 hours (most difficult horse ever but just superb now), spanish march 10 hours

DUSTY to learn crossing his legs - half an hour, to look to the left and to the right - 3 hours, to park out 20 minutes, to walk from the barn to the house - 1 year !!!, to be able to RUN around a curve in the trail - 2 years, to jump 1/2 hour, to go out alone 10 minutes.  spanish march 2 hours

MISSY - not to bolt 30 hours, to stay behind calmly 10 hours, to go out alone 15 minutes, to stay in control in her gaits 10 hours, to go into the side door of the horse trailer 15 min, to come toward me sideways 30 minutes

HENRY - to walk, not jump, thru mud 20 hours, to walk and not run downhill - 2 hours, to go out alone 1/2 hour, to stand still for mounting 1 hour, to ground tie 1/2 hour, to stay behind the herd and not go crazy - 10 minutes to send to the left and right 9 hours

DAKOTA - to not run downhill - 4 to 5 hours, to not eat grass on the trail and have a temper tantrum when asked to quit  30 hours !!!  To run in the lead - still working on it - several years now !, to not take shortcuts for home 3 hours, to send to the left and to the right 2 hours

TIFFANY - lead mare - to not attack other horses on the trail - always ongoing but she is pretty good now - 30 hours

BLESSED JOY - pretty much perfect at the git-go in everything -really easy and laid back.

Jose, Blessed Joy, Dusty, Pozo

These are just a very few examples - the purpose of this is to simply show how the time varies with each horse.  It does not mean the darling is slow or stupid or smart and quick - 

it is just what he is and how you are able to communicate.

So, PATIENCE is the key here - you just are not going to rush anything until your horse is confident enough and just plain ready. 

Take the time it takes, and it will take less time...

Adventure Horse Riding in NYS            Smilla13@gmail.com  (Mary Dixon)         www.RideNYS.com

#59 Time...

#59   Time

Good heavens - I can't even seem to find the time to put something new on the blog - so Lordy only knows how you folks find the time to ride - especially those of you that have "real" jobs or have to go to an arena.

I do everything from right here at the ranch and I can't get to writing just a tad.

So, I guess, the lesson here, is not to beat yourself up badly when you can't get out there to see your little darling.  It is not always easy but always keep in mind that first of all riding should not be a chore.  Nor should it be something that you get upset over.  Nor is it anything you should feel guilty over. Nor anything you should be getting stressed over.  Nor anything you should be getting yelled at about.  Nor is it anything that your horse will hate you for.  (sometimes, they are just tickled pink to have a little vacation from you !)

So, now I need to take my own advice - knock it off Mary - the horse riding and the blog writing are gifts from the gods and the gods are compassionate and empathetic.

snowy Mary

Lazy rolling...

Adventure Horse Riding in NYS            Smilla13@gmail.com  (Mary Dixon)         www.RideNYS.com

#55 Just One Step

   #55  Just One Step
   Pix are not Dusty, but a different horse - Beau

You may get bored reading this and you may get bored doing this method but  read on anyway.  What the heck ? 


I want my horses to be brave and confident so I ask quite a bit of them.  This most recent quest was terrifying to Dusty, my Tennessee Walker (he's always been a very nervous nelly)

Our creeks are very rocky, and deep, and have about 2 to 5 inches of hard ice on top and snow on top of the ice. Our other horses cross them and are calm when the ice makes the cracking sound and they drop down into the dark, cold water and the ice cracks again with each step.  They just deal  with it.

.  Not Dusty, though - no way and no how. (actually I don't blame him !) 

Day 1     He just couldn't stop pooping when he realized what I was asking of him and he also got the shakes.  So, we were both happy IF we just faced the creek and took one step toward it and simply stayed there for a spell (the release or reward).  We did this about 4 times - not 4 steps  .  This  was no easy task at first.  (1/2 hour)

Day 2  Went back to same frozen creek - he was getting nervous & pooping just going there - and we did the same thing as Day 1 - didn't take long at all, we would just stay there little bit,  and then I asked for  "just one step" and then one more step and one more step, etc,  to get him to the EDGE of the creek.  We did this nice and slow with rests between each step - and, alas,  he finally got there at the edge and stood there. But, he sure wasn't going to go one inch farther.        (1 hour)

Day 3    A repeat of Day 1 and Day 2 - much, much easier and quicker than  
before and got to the EDGE of the creek relatively quickly.  He had his confidence up in himself and in me because I didn't push him over the cliff (didn't shove him into the water)  I tried the just one step, ain't happening, and I just knew it wasn't going to happen,  so we turn around and away, then approach again and just one step, nope, and again and again and again and nope nope nope (I was wanting him to get on the ice)

BUT, he lifted his foot out and over the ice. Great!  I gave him a treat and we went back home.  (45 minutes)

Day 4  By now, naturally, I think this is going to be many days to get the job done but I knew it and accepted it because I know my horse.  Geez, talk about patience!  So, the day was a simply a repeat.  He did go quickly to the edge of the creek and we just stayed there & when he picked up and stuck out his foot again, we just went home. I didn't ask any more from him.  (10 minutes)

Day 5  Back again doing the same thing, balancing on the edge of the creek  but this time we stayed even when he picked up his foot and stuck it out over the ice.  I did nothing and said nothing - just sat there.  So he did it again, then again, then again, and then put one foot on the ice !  I just sat there, didn't say a single word.  He put weight on it, took it away, did it again a few more times,then he put the other foot on it so now both feet are on the ice.  I said nothing  and did nothing.

Then the ice makes a noise and cracks, and his 2 feet go right down into the freezing water rushing among the rocks under the thick ice.  I said nothing and did nothing.   He just stayed there - didn't do a thing.!


  And, then, FINALLY, he crossed the freaking creek - ice breaking all over the place.    We then re-crossed the creek and rested, then did it 3 more times back and forth with no problem at all.  Then we found 2 other places and he crossed those with no hesitation.  He seemed quite proud of himself.
So we finally got the job done !!!!!!!!!!   (1/2 hour)


The reason for this blog is simply as a reminder about baby steps and  time and patience.
Rome didn't get built in a day & Dusty wasn't going to cross a creek in a day.                         

      *   The "time it takes and it will take less time"  - 4 days and tons of patience (more time) - he now goes thru

           any and everything with no hesitation whatsoever - even a frozen pond (less time)

• Trust - he knew I wouldn't force him to do it (push him over the cliff)
• Confidence - in me and in himself
• Patience - Omg, the patience !
• Baby Steps - reward the slightest try.
• Consistency - he always knew how the lesson was going to go and that it was lesson
• Persistence - I just didn't give up or get frustrated or impatient 

Adventure Horse Riding in NYS            Smilla13@gmail.com  (Mary Dixon)         www.RideNYS.com

#39 Sixty is the Magic Number !

#39  Sixty is the Magic Number !

For your darling to learn something new or different, it takes about 60 repetitions before he really gets it into his noggin and he knows the lesson inside and out.

So, that means if you are with your horse once a week, and teach him just once a week the lesson you want him to learn, it will take over a year.

Often, though, you will see your horse more than once a week or teach him the lesson more than only once a session.

What you do not want to do, is drill it into him - he will become resentful, spiteful, bored stupid and you'll have lost him.

Reward the slightest  try, then you can ask for more - don't expect perfection at the get-go, whatever you do - and don't make him keep doing it over and over again.

If you want him to move backward, reward him if he simply BEGINS to lift his foot as if to go backwards.  

The reward is when you stop what you are doing - also, referred to as the release.  It's not what you are doing that teaches him, it is when you quit doing it that he learns.

When he lifts that foot 3 times in a row - go on to something else.

Then, a bit later, you can ask for more than just the lifting of his foot.  Reward one stop,  When he does it 3 times, stop and do something else - maybe something fun.

Give him time to think about what he is learning and trying to do - and you keep quiet - don't keep talking to him - he needs the quiet to think and process.

It will take the time it takes - some learn more quickly than others, but figure, on average, the lesson needs to be repeated 60 times.  That is a good guideline.

And remember, horses are supposed to be fun - so don't go getting yourself all stressed out and impatient - if you are getting that way - you go and do something else.

Mary Dixon   Adventure Horse Riding in NYS        RideNYS.com

      Smilla13@gmail.com           BLOG:   ridenys.com/marydixon