TTEAM TTOUCH class starting March 23

March 10th, 2010

I am starting a class teaching TTOUCH  by Linda Tellington Jones.  Class will be for 3 weeks and will be two hours each class.  Staring Tues March 23 and continue for the next two Tuesdays  ending on April 6.  Class will be held at On Eagles Wings Equine Center and cost will be $75 for the class. 

We will learn the many TTOUCHES that can be used on Horses, Dogs, Cats and many other animals including humans.

Go to http://www.lindatellingtonjones.com/  to learn more about the Linda Tellington Jones Methods.  I have been a practitioner for the past 17 years teaching many clinics and use  these techniques on a regular basis. 

Contact Marie at Mariehorse@aol.com if you would like to attend

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Update from RZ’s New Owners

March 8th, 2010

Rz is a fabulous horse.  We love him.  He enjoys playing with his new buddy, Shocker.  They really kick their heels up.  He is very curious.  We put things in the pasture for them to play with and he loves to pick up the pilons and carry them around.  M and him are bonding quite well.  He has even gotten use to my other two kids, who are 9 and 5.  Even when they are screwing around and making all kinds of noise and banging things around, he can careless.  He definately has the type of personality that we like.  Just wanted to let you know how good he is doing.  Talk to you again soon.  M

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Horse Bible Study

March 8th, 2010

Several have  asked where I got the DVD series for the horse bible study.  I got them from

http://www.sermononthemount.org/

Their programs are wonderfuly done.

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Bible study using horses

March 7th, 2010

 Starting April 7th , Wend eve at 730 pm, in our  viewing room at On Eagles Wings Equine Center.

There is no charge to attend but we need to know if you are attending,  So we have enough materials and refreshments.   There will be a free will offering for refreshments. 

We are going to use a DVD bible study that uses horses to learn more about God, Jesus and what the bible is telling us .This is a great series by Sermon on the Mount.  They use horses and horse behavior to teach bible lessons.  

If you are interested in attending please email Marie Hoffman Directly.  mariehorse@aol.com

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RZ Update 3-6-10

March 7th, 2010

He loaded great this session and just walked into the trailer, the two year olds were playing in a pen behind him where he could see them and that worried him, but nothing more than big eyes.  I encouraged him to chew and by sticking my fingers in his mouth and moving them around.   When a horse is chewing he is thinking and able to use the non instinctive side of his brain.  A horse can’t retain what is taught if he is not in thought.  Thinking instead of reacting is a KEY for a calm horse. 

Once he chewed he relaxed and though was still worried, he realized he was ok. 

When other horses play and are frisky, RZ does not know yet they are just playing or if they are acting that way because predators are after them.  I find this happens when a young horse sees a reining horse spin or a horse jumping over jumps and even just cantering in a group.  The young horse instinctively wants to react to get away to be safe.  

Next session he walked right in the trailer again and I had a friend close the trailer door behind us.  I had some hay for him to eat and we stood in there for about 5 min then I had her open the door and we backed out.  He backed out nicely one step at a time.

The next session was time for a ride in the trailer.  It was a slant trailer opened up like a stock trailer.  RZ walked right in and I had him turn around so he was facing the back.  Horses usually like to ride this way.

I took off his halter so he could not catch it on anything.  I left him, shut the doors, and drove around our driveway.  We have a large drive where I can make right and left turns.  I drove VERY slow letting him get the feel of the floor moving.  I stopped and went back to get him out.  He was standing braced in the middle of the trailer with very wide eyes.  Once he saw me he relaxed and I haltered him.  I had him chew using fingers wiggling on his tongue.  He did.  I turned him around and backed him out.  He backed out well.  He was getting the hang of it pretty well.

Next session we did a video of his baby exercises in the indoor.  The video has the cues I use to signal him to do his baby exercises.

The day is here for RZ to go home.  I fed him his breakfast and turned him out as usual.  The owners arrived late morning, I had the owners park the trailer in the same area as I had been loading him.  If possible I like to make as few changes as necessary when a horse is learning a stressful thing.  The trailer changed but the place was the same and the type of trailer was mostly the same, except this one had a ramp.

When it was time to load him I led him up to the back of the trailer.  The ramp did not lay flat on the ground, before I could say anything, the new owner’s dad realizing this, stood with his foot on the corner so it did not wobble.   A wobbly Ramp would be harder for RZ to realize he was safe to walk on it. 

Loading took under two minutes for him to figure out it was OK to walk on the ramp.  He resisted by not moving, then pawed it with one front foot, then sniffed it and licked it then chewed on it.  This is the normal way a foal investigates his world.  Though usually it is sniff, lick, chew then paw.    Once he was done investigating he stood on it with his front foot on the edge, and then backed off a couple of times.  He did this to test if it was safe.  I just signaled him to get back on.  He decided it was safe and walked in, he slipped a little on the way up but loaded great. 

He was quiet in the trailer.  They had previously removed all partitions so it was like a stock trailer and very safe.  We took off his halter and shut the door.  He had a LONG ride home.  He was a bit sweaty at the first stop but ate hay.  The  rest of the stops he was no longer sweaty and doing well.

He arrived and is doing great in his new home. I am confident that he will do well with his new owners!

This will be the last post for RZ. 

Watch for future updates from his new owners under the category of Updates for Indian Artbeat foals.

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lila update 2-28

February 28th, 2010

lila had the week off due to the sepearation of RZ from his pasture mates

She continutes to do her baby exercises well up in her pen

back to work the last part of next week

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RZ update 2-28

February 28th, 2010

RZ update 2-28-10

By Marie Hoffman

Indian Rizing has graduated to being turned out without his pony friend and will be alone in the barn tonight.  I turned him out in to his pen and took the pony back up to the field with the Lila and Iris

RZ adjusted   well and actually could exercise more, to help the swelling from his gelding. Though he is only swollen a little in his sheath.

Today I took him into the indoor and there was another 3 yr old in there that is very green.  RZ bounced around a bit when the other horse was playing on the lunge line with his owner holding him.  But then RZ settled nicely and we walked on the bridge and backed off very nice, one step at a time on cue.  We then did his baby   exercises of bending and moving away from pressure.  Then we worked on our walking lunging.  His lunging to the right was not round but we ended up good.  Worked on head down leading, he is getting better where he can walk some with his poll lower than his withers. 

RZ was perfect in his next session.  He did all of his arena lessons very well then we went for a walk around the farm, we even went into the hay shed to get his hay for his eve feed.  I carried the hay in one arm and led him with the other.  He also was good in the barn all by himself.

The next session we loaded in the trailer 3 times.  

The first time he tried his options, just backing up, and going sideways.  No kicking or rearing.  Then he put two feet in, his whole body shook and he stepped back out.  The trailer was pretty scary with no other horse in it.

Then it took a few min for him to figure he wanted to go in.  When we signaled ( not hit just a firm tap)him with a whip on the rump to go in.  He just stood at first then he walked forward till his front legs touched the back of the trailer,  then he leaped in.  Once in I stood with him doing ttouches till he relaxed and looked around. Then I had him back out,  he had no trouble with this but he just keep going backwards slowly without stopping, we need to work on stopping at the edge then walking back after signaled.   Then after a  few moments, we loaded him again which only took a few signals with the wand on his croup.  Then he leaped in again. 

Once in again we waited till he was calm. He bumped his side on the slant partitions when he jumped in this second time.  So I loaded him one more time making sure the partitions would not bump him.  Again he leaped in. We have to work on that.  But he loaded without any hesitation the last  time.  It was important that we waited till he was quiet and thinking then backed him out.    I wanted him to realize he was safe and that being in a trailer was not going to harm him in any way.  If I would have unloaded him before he thought and was just in freeze because he was scared he would not have realized he was safe and the trailer was ok.  By taking the time to make sure he was blinking and chewing and looking around I knew he was in thought and would come to realize the trailer was safe to be in.  we have not shut any doors yet. That is the next session.

Every night he is now in the barn all night alone with no other horses in sight. He is VERY quiet in his stall.   He is excellent to halter and quiet to turn out every day.

RZ had a great trailer lesson on his next session.   I took him to the back and let him sniff around and eat the scraps of hay that was on the floor by the door

Then I had my friend stand behind him like she did yesterday and tap on his rump with a stiff whip.  When he leaned, stepped or moved forward in any way she stopped tapping.  I just made sure his head was in the door opening but did not pull on the halter.  He put one foot in and pawed the floor a couple of times then stepped back out.  We praised him.  Then in a few min he did the same with the other front foot. Again we praised him and let him stand a few min.  He was investigating the floor of the trailer by pawing with his front foot on it.

 Then we backed him up so he could find it easier to step up as the trailer floor was just below his knees and he was having a hard time trying to figure out how to step up that high.  He just walked forward till his front legs bumped into the rubber edge of the trailer.  We tried this couple of times then just let him stand at the back with his front legs against the trailer bumper.  Any time he leaned forward or moved a foot forward we stopped tapping and praise him, if he moved back my friend tapped much harder to discourage that direction, stopping when he went or thought forward again. 

He stood at the back of the trailer in this position for several minutes, with us occasionally asking him to move forward tapping till he leaned or moved a foot forward.  At this point it was only his hind feet that could move. 

Then one time we taped he just stepped into the trailer in a normal way and walked right in. 
He was much calmer today and not as scared and did not shake.  I stood there with him doing TTOUCHES on him and waited for him to think, look around and sniff things. 

When it was time to back out and I did not want him to back out fast as he did yesterday.  He backs not listening to my signals because he is nervous about the big step down.

I asked him to take one step at a time and he did great till he was about 4 steps to go , then he just backed out quickly.  I had my friend send him back in using firm taps with the whip till he went forward.  He walked back into the trailer in a few taps.  I let him settle then asked him to back one step, stop and repeat, again

This time we got to just 2 steps before he backed out even though we were tapping to go forward.  Again my friend sent him right back into the trailer, he walked right in.  I let him settle then we asked again and I had my friend stand where he could see her.   He backed out one step at a time all the way to the edge.  I had him stop for one min at each step so he understood he was to stop unless signaled to move.  He was backing fast because he was nervous this pause helped take the pressure off so he could think about what was happening and not just react.  When I wanted him to back out, I told him DOWN, Down, down and signaled him to back.  He stepped out very slow and controlled.  I rewarded him and took him back to his pen.

RZ has had a couple days off from extra work. But has been VERY quiet and good about normal leading out and living in the barn alone

Next week he goes home to his new owners

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Indian Artbeat paint filly born last week

February 23rd, 2010

here is the  picture of this 43 inch tall filly as a new born foal

Congratulations again HP

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Lila training 2-20 Marie Hoffman trainer

February 22nd, 2010

Lila 2-20

The first session of the week we went to the indoor to walk and do our exercised without the confidence pony. This was the first time without the pony.

We walked over poles, over the bridge, she did not realize it was a step up and tripped onto it.  But she recovered fine and walked up the second time much better.  We walked over the bridge and she stepped down just fine.  Then we went over the poles again and again over the bridge.  She had figured it out and just walked up on it like a pro.  She was very calm and seemed to like the new tasks.

,  then did our baby exercises in the same area as always near the gate, bending , shoulder over, hip over and walk lunging.  She was perfect so I turned her out, she is really starting to get the idea of leading with her head lower.  She is not perfect but learning.

Next lesson was walking on the off side, the non normal leading side.  Again we worked alone in the indoor without the pony friend, we walked over poles, walked up on bridge then backed off of it then back on it and then walked forward off of the bridge. Lila handled this well and was not at all unbalanced backing off. Then I led her over poles again and over the bridge again.  Then did baby exercise and walk lunging.  All went VERY well. Then walked her again on the off side back to her buddies, she led quite well on her off side.

Lila got the rest of the week off as RZ is learning his alone training and I don’t bring the pen buddies near where he is turned out.

So she just did her baby exercises up in her pen.  She does these very well.

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RZ update 2-20 Marie Hoffman trainer

February 22nd, 2010

RZ 2-20

Indian Rizing , AKA RZ is sold and the next couple of weeks will be his time to be weaned from his childhood buddies and learn to be in the barn alone and trailer load.

Took pony and RZ to trailer, my friend brought her horses over and has a slant load so we used it.

Loaded the pony and RZ walked right in, kind of tripped on the way in  but stood calmly and after 5 min we backed out , I did like I usually do where I back them close to the edge and then push them out so they don’t hop back in when they feel the drop,  he was calm,

So we went to the indoor to walk and do our exercised without the confidence pony. This was the first time without the pony.

We walked over poles, over the bridge, which after the trailer he thought it was no big deal, then did our baby exercises in the same area as always near the gate, bending , shoulder over, hip over and walk lunging.  He was perfect so I turned him out, he only whinnied a couple of times.

Next lesson was walking on the off side, the non normal leading side.  Worked in the indoor without the pony friend, we walked over poles, walked up on bridge then backed off of it then back on it and then walked forward off of the bridge. Then I led him over poles again and over the bridge again.  Then did baby exercise and walk lunging.  All went VERY well. Then walked him again on the off side back to his buddies

Tonight he was put in the broodmare barn with his pony buddy stalled next to him.  He settled quickly once we gave him some hay.  There are no other horses in this barn.

He was quiet when we went in for the night

Wednesday he was gelded, so no working and he has to stay in a stall for 24 hours

Thursday he can be turned out again

When it was time to be turned out, I turn him out first then go back and get the pony friend.

Thursday he was less wiggly and able to focus on me, than the day before.

It greatly helped that the pony friend did not call for him today, when the leader calls for a youngster when the youngster is in the same pen, that youngster had better go to the leader or ELSE he is in big trouble and will get scolded from the leader. I have seen this MANY times.  That is why some times the young horses are so herd bound they are just being obedient.  It is their nature because in the wild they would be dead if they did not stay with the herd.

I led him into his stall in the barn and he was the only horse.  Food was more important to him than his buddy.  He was quiet till the pony called for him then he just whinnied back but was calm

I put the pony across the alley and RZ was good with that and continued to eat his supper and look out into the drive where he could see activity of the cars and horses led. Up until now the pony was in the stall next to him with bars between them so they could see each other.

We have to lead two horses through that barn right past his stall and he did not care

On future days I lead RZ out and the pony joined him several hours later.  And for coming back into the barn it was the same.  I led RZ in and a while later led the pony in to put across the alley. RZ was adjusting well to being alone.

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