5-27-2008 Part 4

After she's lunged a couple times in both directions she is a lot more responsive.  She'll start to show Steve respect now that her mind is right.

 

Steve has less to worry about now that he has established dominance.  Daisy will be more likely to do what he asks of her and be a more willing partner.

Establishing dominance is key in Horse training.  Horses in their relationships with each other  fight for dominance constantly.  Literally, their every move is either trying to move another horse or being moved by a horse.

So, Daisy and Steve are off to the round coral...

"To move or be moved..."

5-27-2008 Part 3

Steve uses "Steady Pressure" to get daisy to walk-off.  He asks her to start lunging by lifting the halter rope up, making it a right angle from her nose.   He tips her nose toward him. He then uses the index finger on the opposite hand to point at her rear end.  He also looks at her hind quarters, while squinting.  (Predators squint when focusing, before they attack.)  This makes her hind-quarters nervous and she walks forward.  Following her nose around where Steve has her nose pointed...  This is called lunging.

5-27-2008 Part 2

She is much bigger than Steve so if she decides to stop walking, he doesn't have much choice!!  He has to change her actions by changing her mind. He has to "talk prey animal" to her.  He has to remind her who's the leader...

5-27-2008 Part 1

Steve takes Daisy out to the round coral.  She thinks it's a better idea to eat grass and look for weeds than work today...    

The final Reward

Steve loves horses...     and this mule so much.

She loves having her ears scratched...   And he likes to reward her for her hard work.

Using his 'Skills'

Steve is twirling the end of the halter rope toward her front legs.  (He doesn't hit or whip her.)  The movement in the rope causes impulsion in her front legs to move away.  Horses are 'prey' animals.  (The animals that get hunted.) They think differently than predators. (The hunting animals) Prey animals move away from danger.  Herd animals run, or stampede.  So, when Steve spins the rope toward her front legs, her front legs essentially tell her brain "get me out of here!"  Causing her front legs to move forward.  And, her back legs follow her!

She will be claustrophobic while the gate is in front of her and while she moves her head through it.  Once her head is through, once the gate is even with  about her shoulders she's okay.  So, Steve knows if he can get her head through he's in the clear.  Can you read her body language in this picture?  She's hesitant, moving slowly, stepping with caution.  Once her nose is through, fear sets in and she'll move a little faster.  Then, when her head and neck are through she'll start to slow down.  

Putting 'Daisy' away.

Steve moves Rusty away so he can focus on "Daisy"  

                      

Now Daisy doesn't have to worry about Rusty being there ready to push her away.  (Establishing Leadership)  Steve pushes Rusty away instead (Leadership game again!)  Now, Steve can also focus on teaching Daisy how to get back through the gate. 

Daisy's a little nervous!

She sees Rusty on the other side of the gate and starts to pull back.   She has only been with us for 2 days at this time.  So, she doesn't know the other horses very well yet.  Rusty is the leader.  Steve knows just what to do...

The training of "Daisy Mae" . . .

Daisy is a Mule.  A Mule is a cross between a "Jack-ass" stud and a Quarter horse mare.  Daisy's father was a "Mammoth Jack"  So, she is a BIG Mule.  She stands 16 hands at the shoulder. 

This picture was taken the first day Steve took Daisy to the round corral. She's still a little unsure about the 'man-gate' she has to go through to get back into the horse pasture. (Man-gate means that it's big enough for a man, not a big mule!!)  Horses and Mules and naturally claustrophobic.  So, the fact that Steve is able to get her through this gate is pretty amazing.  Even more so, on the first day of training.

Salute to Daisy Mae, She's going home.

At the end of the day does your ass still want to follow you around? 

Steve and "Daisy"

Steve has been working with daisy for about 60 days.  Steve trains horses.  Horses.  This woman had heard of Steve's gift with horses and just had to have Steve train her mule.  Daisy Mae is a Mule. (A.K.A Ass.)  Mule's are a cross of a Jack-ass or "Jack" stud and a Quarter Horse Mare.  Daisy is a cross between a "Mammoth Jack" and Quarter Horse.  So, she's bigger than most mules.  She stands about 16 hands high.  Daisy is about the prettiest Mule I've ever seen.  To bad she can't be bred, Eh? (Mule's are sterile.)  She is 3 years old. She really shouldn't be 'started' until she's 5 or 6. Started = Start training.  Mules live anywhere from 10 to 20 years longer that horses, so they mature later.  It takes an awesome trainer to get much done with a 3 year old mule!  They're extremely smart.   If fact, We'd been using baling twine to tie the gate shut on the horse corral until she untied it.  She didn't chew through it or break it,  She UNTIED it. Keep in mind she's on the inside and it's tied on the outside. huh, I wish I had a picture of that!  Next thing we knew she and the other horses were out running around the 40 acres.  We had to use the truck and my car to herd them in. Bet that was a sight! If she was ours, we would've left her out to colic.  We were so damn mad. But she's not ours, and she's worth $8,000. YES, 8 thousand dollars.  I don't think my car is worth eight thousand dollars.  We are trading the work he's done with her for a high money name Brood Mare.  She comes from 'Dash for Cash,' and  'Poco Bueno.' But, I sure am going to miss her.  Everyday I'd go out to grain 'Twiggy" (my rescue horse) I'd race her from one end of the corral to the other.  Steve has done an awesome job with her.  She is amazing.  She's one that I will cry to see go.  But that's part of it.  We take horses, train them, fall in love with them and then take them home.  Before She goes I'll post a better picture of her, with out Steve.   ~ TO YOU DAISY,  I'LL MISS YOU. ~

Steve, Horse Trainer Extraordinaire.

Steve is a "Horse Trainer Extraordinaire " We own and manage Living Horsemanship, a small horse training business from our "Little Patch of Heaven." A little 40 acre ranch in western Utah. He has trained many horses using Natural Horsemanship techniques. He was the apprentice of a awesome natural horseman named D.E. Wright "Dew". He has completed the internship, and has been training horses (and their owners) for 3 years on his own. He is the most gifted, most natural Horseman I've ever seen. Natural Horsemanship is a new name for an old horse training technique. An art originally used by the Mexican 'Vaqueros' and the American Indians. However, the skill was learned and brought back by Tom and Bill Dorrance. It is still being used and is very much alive in the west today. Steve has studied books, magazines and editorials from the best! Ray Hunt, Bill Dorrance, Tom Dorrance, Pat Parelli, and Buck Brannaman. He has even studied some 'not-so-well-known' trainers; Marty Marten, John Lyons, and Clint Anderson. He has also taken some home study programs from Pat Parelli. Steve has trained Quarter horses, Arabians, Draft breeds, Stallions, even Mules! He is a very hard worker.