calekio
Grand Prix Poster
Posts: 1,235
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Post by calekio on Dec 16, 2008 8:27:28 GMT 1
For kinda a good reason! We've moved yard and my laminitic ponies are having to have there muzzles on as there is so much grass! (already had 1 colic and one low grade lammi!!) The problem is with one pony... he's got his muzzle on for 23hrs a day... and gets it taken off for 30 mins morning & evening... or least that is the plan from today.. The problem is this pony HATES the grazing muzzle... i have to put it on over a head collar which i can take off from underneath with him as moment he see's it he bolts! When wearing his muzzle for long periods, moment it is off he then refuses to be caught... for good reason in my eyes but no much i can do that that... kind of like being cruel to be kind! So... any idea how i can try and make catching him easier.. he'll had a head collar on... but he's 32" and very quick and will happily buck at me and turn on his heels. I was thinking of making it that he comes over to me coz i have a bucket (he'll then actually get something in said bucket i'm not that cruel! lol) to then be caught and muzzled.. But this little voice in my head is saying your not ment to catch ponies with a bucket of food! lol (plus if he's too wise and it doesn't work... still need more ideas! lol)
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Post by julz on Dec 16, 2008 13:26:52 GMT 1
Im a bit shocked that you want the muzzle on for that long.. sorry, but maybe it's just me...
couldnt you have the muzzle on overnight, then have him in during the day on well soaked hay??
or in a bare pen, with well soaked hay...
Im with pony on this... I'd run away too!
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Post by ladynowak on Dec 16, 2008 20:14:24 GMT 1
What are you asking here? How to catch the pony? There is an obvious reason why he doesn't want to be caught, I don't blame him in the slightest and I have to admit that it is perhaps a little much to expect a pony to be caught when he has no good reason to come to you!
Surely if there is so much grass you can make a smaller paddock, if its a livery yard put another horse onto it to eat it down first?
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calekio
Grand Prix Poster
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Post by calekio on Dec 16, 2008 21:46:26 GMT 1
I know its not a ideal solution and not one i like using but my vet told me 23hrs a day, already had colic and at high risk of lammi... i can't stable him as other pony who'd got lammi is in there and can't leave it yet...... he can eat with his muzzle on...... just not gorge on the grass like he can without it on...... (these aren't the bucket type muzzles which i won't use as they can't eat anything in them)
The paddock is as small as it can be without the 4 of them fighting for space... but its the total shell shock of coming from a field with no grass what so ever... to a field with quite a fair bit of grass!
I did now manage to get the little fence area in front of my field which yard owner wasn't do anything with as its rubbish land really (in a sense no grass... muddy not actual rubbish).. less grass, had to fence it and one of the others is putting her horse out onto my field now so he can have his muzzle off over night and on during day (or other way round) and as the others in the field he is in shorten the grass more the muzzle can come off more... (he is out with 3 other ponies)
But still have the same problem of getting the muzzle on him! Even if he does only have it on for an hour or so... (and if the muzzle is anywhere in sight he's off like a rocket regardless! Muzzle has to go on over a head collar to get it on... then undo all buckets and slip head collar off underneath)
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Post by ladynowak on Dec 16, 2008 22:19:43 GMT 1
If he only has it off for half an hour AM and PM then why not just attach lunge line to his headcollar and let him graze while you are holding onto him? I'm guessing you only have one stable? If so, then I would consider moving to somewhere that has two as it sounds as if you do need the extra stable to deal with decreasing food intake for the little ponios
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Post by annabelle h on Dec 17, 2008 12:29:47 GMT 1
Sounds like it is necessary for him to wear it . . so how could you make the muzzle something he loves to see and wear? Clicker training perhaps, click and treat when he touches it? Have a jackpot of (slimline) goodies inside the muzzle that he gets to eat when he puts it on?
Might be useful to revise advance and retreat forms of catching. And spend some time catching him and then releasing him after a nice scratch (or healthy titbit, if he is polite).
Sounds like he is not on a leadrope when you are putting the muzzle on? I'd definitely have him on a reasonably long rope, if he tries to turn and kick you need to bring his head back towards you and back him up, or send him away strongly then invite him in - that's not safe or acceptable behaviour, even at 32"!
Is there an RA or good IH student near you that could assess/help?
A
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calekio
Grand Prix Poster
Posts: 1,235
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Post by calekio on Dec 18, 2008 15:12:41 GMT 1
Well the grass is all but gone in the rubbish square paddock they are in... so he is able to have it off more.... i have 2 stables at the moment... but my sickly foal is in the other (when i arrived i only had one stable, had to take on another stable to cope with laminitic/colicky ponies... can't afford a 3rd stable!) and another livery's horse is grazing my field down... (at 15.2hh & 18hh they should do the job quickly!)
However getting the muzzle on him is always the problem... as even when only on for a few hours a day he gets wise to it quickly and then refuses to be caught and i end up having to leave a head collar on him to catch him as he reacts the same with the head collar going on as if it was the muzzle and runs off.... Might try clicker training with it though..... hadn't thought of that... anything to make putting one on him a bit easier for the both of us is a benefit! And i dare say in summer it will have to be on part day!
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Persianhorse
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The picture is taken from a figure found carved on a bone 5000 years ago in ancient Persia.
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Post by Persianhorse on Dec 30, 2008 3:07:05 GMT 1
Hi, Happy New Year, Have you tried the Catch and Release? You also can use the Clicker Training method here , it is so effective on this matter. If you go for the clicker training , don't use your hand as the source of giving the treats , use a plastic dish put deep as much as the horse nose could go in and let her/him to have the reward from the dish not your hand, hand feeding could end up to the habit of biting. Wish you the best, PH.
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Post by julz on Dec 30, 2008 12:59:53 GMT 1
How big are the stables? How big are the ponies? If they get on well enough, could they be paired up and live in together?
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calekio
Grand Prix Poster
Posts: 1,235
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Post by calekio on Dec 30, 2008 20:29:26 GMT 1
Well the grass is munched down that i have been able to put away the muzzles again... the box rest laminitic pony is recovering and slowly getting back on the grass.... but i can see this become a problem yet again come spring... however the hope is he'll be back in stable again part day then.... i try to keep this one as trying a new management programme for him this year as he has arthritis in his legs (another reason to keep his weight down) but i will try the clicker training with the muzzle.....
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