1st December 2008

Just to say that Charlot has been moved away from the house to his winter quarters, along with the big guys, 2 pregnant Shetland mares and his new best friend, Merkisayre Jackson (small, little black sweetie).

We have decided to give him some time off. We do this sometimes with our youngsters, ie work with them in the spring/summer/autumn, then turn them away for the winter and re-start them again in the spring. It is a training practice popular with Icelandic trainers and one that we sometimes use.

Charlot seems to be going backwards in his training. I was looking at photos of him happily having has his back feet trimmed in the school, with someone holding him. He was calm and co-operative then but now he uses for target practice and that is not fair on any of us.

Weather and back permitting, I will go up and take some photos to show everyone that he is happy in his huge field, with his friends and plenty of grass. He has a rug on and is maintaining his weight.

12th November 2008

Well, another day - new strategy. To ignore Charlot and just work with his friends so that he can see they are not being killed by picking up their back feet!

We approached his back leg and he aimed as usual. Then we tried running a looped rope up and down the leg. We picked up the front leg using this rope and he was happy about that. We approached the back and he lamped out, bang! and we managed to get the rope around (you need a heavy rope) his back leg and ran it up and down like on this YouTube Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdfSQ_f0bA8

Surprisingly, we were quite successful. Just did the one back leg, gave him some food and left it at that. I think we need to look more into this back leg rope thing abit more - I wish that video had spent more time on the back legs rather than the fronts!

8th November 2008

I caught Charlot easily, though he was hiding beside his new best mate (Jackson). Eggwub has been sold and moved south so Charlot has had to team up with another Shetland. Luckily Jackson loves me and believes every word I say so when Charlot was turning away from being caught, Jackson came up and I fed him the ponynut intended for Charlot instead. That caught Charlot's attention and he turned back to me, I popped on the headcollar and gave him the ponynut.

Leading into the school on a windy morning was achieved with no additional help. He walked in, was tied up next to others and we started the clicker training to pick up his feet. This time Jo had a hoof-pick so that we could actually achieve something. Charlot was not very helpful and while quite successful with the back, he actually lashed out with his back leg before we had even mentioned what we were going to do. We won eventually through patience, an infinite supply of pony-nuts and the clicker. Not our best day, by any means.

I think we might get Jackson in and line them all up, picking up everyone's feet and showing him that no one else is having this hissy fit about it and it is an everyday occurrence in their lives. He might catch on if he watches his friend.

Why can't this horse be easy? I am trying hard not to lose faith in him, to be honest. We have had him only 6 months, I know, but you would think he might have got the plot a bit more. No one has murdered him yet....... could someone tell him that? Picking feet up is a very basic skill and one we are failing at!

No photos coz and I can't click, feed and photo at the same time. Sorry.

5th November 2008

Clicker training again.... and again..... and again...!

Got the herd up, caught Charlot and tied him up in the school with a few Shetlands for company.

With me on the front end with the clicker and a pocketful of pony nuts and Jo with the four potential missiles (ie legs), I clicked and fed merrily away for good results while Jo picked up all four feet and did a tiny bit more.

This time, she ran her hand down each leg about 6 inches at a time, said "click", I would click and feed Charlot 2 pony nuts, then she would keep going downwards, 6" at a time, with the appropriate click and feed 2 nuts if he stood still. Then, when Jo had got the whole hoof up in the air, I clicked repetitively and fed Charlot a whole handful of nuts. Jo handled the foot for as long as he would let her and then she put it down for him, not letting him grab it away, kick out or plant it down again. We were in control. It was a quiet, efficient working environment and Charlot behaved allowing us to pick up each foot in this way.

Success, big kiss and another handful of nuts, I led him outside, took off the head-collar, kissed a few more hairy noses and went back to working with the Muppets! (little dun 37" geldings who we have had since foals!).

Mission achieved.

We started the day by calling everyone out of their grass-filled field and the whole world and his wife arrived except for Charlot and two mares. So I walked down and caught him very easily (by giving the food to the mares!) and then Charlot refused to walk up to the school from the field, where all his friends were milling about. Jo had to come down and walk behind him. We then took off his rug so he could roll and get some sun on his back as it was a nice day for a change.

So......here we are outside, like Jo's son recommended (see previous blog). You can guess how well we got on! We didn't!

To be honest, we were not holding our breath (Charlot was starting to hyperventilate) and he was at least consistent in his complete lack of co-operation. I actually think he has no balance on three legs, he just falls over when you pick up one of his front legs.

We tied him up outside and tried Robert's suggestion of "going near Charlot's back legs when he was outside - apparently he doesn't mind that in the slightest!!". He minded more than in the slightest.

So, new idea - CLICKER TRAINING!!! I had previously found the clicker and put it in a safe place (so spent 5 minutes trying to locate my safe place), filled my pockets with pony nuts and off we went. Jo placed her hands gently on each leg, told me when to click, I clicked and gave Charlot food. We did each foot with quite minimal violence from Charlot and left it at that. Perhaps clicker training is the way forwards. Charlot is not stupid and very quick to learn. He worked out the relationship between the required deed, the click and the food fairly swiftly so we will persevere with this method and see where it leads us.

NB - it is not easy to take photos, click and feed at the same time. But believe me, there was far less target practice from himself!

1st November 2008

Well, they've managed to finish the grass in the hill park - a clean plate has been made and it is time to move them down to the other half of this field - the lower field.

Firstly, though, we noticed that Charlot's rug was squint. So Jo went up to him, put on a headcollar, which I held, while she put everything right. He just stood there, in the middle of the herd (with others offering to "help") while we tugged and pulled and shoved his rug back around his fat big tum-tum so that it was symmetrical again. Didn't mind in the slightest, wasn't bothered at all.

Then we went an opened the gate into 25 acres of ungrazed pasture. This field has been left all summer and autumn, the grass is fantastic and it is all theirs (13 ponies + 2 goats in total). The whole herd was very enthusiastic and galloped through the gate and stopped dead, with heads down to eat - not that anyone is looking thin or peaky.

So, Charlot, the only one with a rug on, seems to have re-integrated himself with his chums. The spring/summer girlie rivalries are forgotten and everyone is acting as one in this herd. Today was Charlot's turn to guard against the potential tigers while the rest had a snooze. So he ate, and they snoozed, either standing up or lying (blob on bottom right of photo is someone lying down). You can see the length of the grass too. Oh they are in for a nice winter. You can also see that Charlot is the with the Shetland pony contingency rather than the big 'uns that are the other side of the stream.

5th October 2008

Well, I'll be ...........totally gobsmacked!

Sorry no ponio photos.

Yesterday was a day of shite, as we say - it rained, sleeted, snowed and blew a northerly gale (constant 8, gusting 10), wind chill factor minus several somethings. So it was very cold with blizzards all day. The snow couldn't settle much because of the rain and wet ground but it was disgustingly cold.

I felt so sorry for the ponies - they all live out and all I could do was hope that Charlot copied the others and used the available shelter - 5 foot high dry stone walls. I also remembered that he is quite fat so there are some reserves in there he could shiver off!

Today is much better. The wind has changed direction. It is warmer and everything has calmed down too (about a Force 5). Jo, the dogs and I went into the field to call the horses home as we wanted to put a medium-weight rug on Charlot. Of course when you want them, they just stand there and look at you refusing to budge. So we walked up the field (I slowly limped unable to keep up). Jo then announced that she actually hadn't got a head-collar with her, just a piece of rope. So, she went up to Charlot, put the rope round his neck and he followed her for about 1/4 mile home where we put him in the shed, found a "real" headcollar and put it on him.

I was amazed. I expect that sort of conduct from the majority of our long-term boys but from a rescue pony owned for 6 months, that kind of behaviour is amazing. When you can do stuff like that out of the blue, who cares about the feet drama - it will come together eventually. So, well done that lad!

Anyway, we put the new rug on. There were no kicky moments around the back end when Jo did up the leg-straps even though she nearly clipped Charlot's manly bits by mistake! I told him he had my full permission to kick her if she did that again!

With the new rug on, we put Charlot back with his friends hoping they would not start ribbing him and tearing the rug up like last time. I am watching!

24th September 2008

Strike action at school so we had Robert (Jo's lad) to help today.

I caught Charlot, with no problem. Good start, I thought. He walked calmly into the indoor school and I then remembered that we had no "inspiration", ie food! Never mind, Jo said, he couldn't dine out on his fears forever.

So, front feet were done easily enough though Charlot does have a tendency to fall over if he has to stand on three legs. He just topples over!

Then "hello back feet" and off we went again. Round and round in circles with some fairly vicious kicks aimed at Jo. He really is vile about this issue (though, I am fairly sure there will be others but we only know about this one for the time being!)

Jo decided to use a Parelli method which involves touching the horse all over with a rustly bag on a stick. Being not up on Parelli and his methods, I am not very sure of the theory and benefits here but Charlot didn't seem to mind any of this, including when Jo touched his back legs with her weird "training aid".

So, we left it at that. Jo didn't go near Charlot's feet again with her hands and we put him out into his field again to rejoin his friends. Funnily enough, Robert announced that we should try going near Charlot's back legs when he was outside - apparently he doesn't mind that in the slightest!! Always open to suggestions, we will give it a go another day!

21 September 2008

Well..... as we have the girls around to help us (they are usually away at school off the island), I went an caught Charlot very easily. The trick is to show him a piece of apple and then to put on the headcollar around his nose, give him the apple, and to do the headcollar up. Works a treat!

Mission accomplished, Daisy held him and Jo went for the feet. Fronts, again, were fine. He even anticipated and offered to pick them up. Then for the back ones.

.... well Jo did it and it took half the time but there was still the usual lashing out with target practice. With Daisy on the front end with a pocket full of apple and carrot, Jo would run her hand down Charlot's back leg. If he lashed out, no apple. If, on the other hand, he allowed her to stroke/scratch his back leg, then he would get some apple. This time we won because he decided to have a poo!

With Charlot, it doesn't take long for him to work things out and, note to self, we really must find that clicker (I know it must be somewhere!) as I think he would make a prime candidate for clicker training.

This is a pony that needs constant work and reinforcement on a daily basis. At this moment, it is not the time. Funny little lad, though. I was stroking Charlot's head and he was doing his best not to fall asleep! His motto is never trust anyone coz they might be a tiger!

He is also looks like a little porker! Well, winter will be harsh and he needs it since he will be living out 24/7. You could make quite a few sausages out of him now! Perhaps someone ought to tell him and then he might behave!

20th September 2008

I bought Charlot a 4'9" heavy duty winter turnout rug. I know he will need it for the forthcoming winter or, failing that, we will have to put him in a stable. We don't have any spare stables at present. Jo's stables are already booked for this year's foals and Indie this winter and Charlot will not have a peaceful winter if he is stuck in a separate field gazing at them whilst waging war against Indie. Hence the rug purchase.

The last time we put a rug on Charlot (last spring), he nearly went into meltdown but this time, he was mellow and unphased by this, including having the fillet string passed through the back of his legs with straps done up underneath his belly. Charlot's behaviour cheered me up as we have done nothing with him this past month. He remained calm, interested in yet another mad scheme and co-operative. I am glad we tried it on him now rather than in an emergency situation (you know, Gale Force 10, rain lashing down and trying to get a rug onto him while he shook with cold, wet and misery).



Daisy calmly led him around the school (and btw, he was also fairly easy to catch too) and then, on a roll ,we decided to "do" feet, ie Jo picks up each hoof, cleans it out and puts it down with no fuss. Well, that is the theory anyway and the practice was actually completely different.

The front two hooves were no problem but the back two resulted in Charlot becoming more and more adept at target practice. He would not give in and lashed out the minute he felt Jo's hand on his back legs. Not good, not good at all.


Never one to give up, Jo persevered until Charlot became used to feeling her hand on his leg reaching as far down as his hoof. At times, he was dangerous and panicking. Jo said you could hear his heart beating very very fast. She kept going until she could run her hand down his back leg without him lashing out.

We know that we have to keep going but our luck has run out for the time being. I have wrecked my back and doctors orders are to rest with gentle mobilisation. Hanging onto a rope with nearly half a ton of horse trying to evade an issue is not "gentle mobilisation" in any language! We will do our best but it is probably more beneficial to let him learn to be in a herd environment rather than to try and train him occasionally without all our strength and concentration. We cannot help him if we are not firing on all cylinders.

23rd August 2008

We haven't worked with Charlot in a while. Just let him enjoy the summer with his friends with little, if any, human pressure.

So, today I decided we would do a small something in the training department. I caught him with no bother (a piece of apple thrown did the trick) and led him into the indoor school. Whereupon Jo brushed his tail and plaited his mane, picked his feet out and that was it. Nothing too strenuous and he coped admirably. Everyone was calm.

We are busy with training other Shetland ponies who are already sold so there is much to do that doesn't involve Charlot. He is interested in our work and taking it all in, which is a good sign. We let him watch and I am sure that one day he knows it will be his turn!

30th July 2008

Well, not our best day at all today. In fact, a disaster on all fronts. Charlot can't be caught, is jumpy and nervous around folk. So after failing to catch him the day before, I made the decision to work with him.

I followed him around the outside of the school a couple of times trying to catch him with a carrot but he would have none of it. Pony friends consistently offered their services which did not help and gave Charlot time to move away. In the end he sought refuge from being followed by me and went into the indoor arena.

The door was shut and the bars went across and I decided that he was not scared of me, just didn't want to be part of the team. Join-up was initiated and it did not take long for him to lick and chew. Although, he would not follow me, he would let me walk up to him and replace the head-collar. We did this head-collar on and off a few times.

Then Jo brushed him. He jumped at her every touch, trying to evade the situation. When she picked up his back feet, Charlot tried to kick her and I feel we have gone back very quickly to the bottom of our snake or ladder. However, we ended on a good note and I slipped him back into the herd group.

After lunch, I went back with a head-collar and after the initial wander, I caught Charlot fairly quickly. He appeared much calmer so we did a small amount of quiet lungeing, just small amounts of walk and trot on both reins, nothing stressful. I just wanted him to listen to me in a calm fashion. After that, I put him out with the others.

He has been moved to live around the house. This is where the fatties are and I can see him all the time. I popped out every few hours with a biscuit, baby carrots or a treat so that he could see there was no pressure to be talked to. Let's hope he gets back into the idea of people because at the moment, Charlot is taking the piss big time.

19th July 2008

Well, an eventful day for Charlot. He has had a nice peaceful time in his field for the last month - we have been very busy planning our trip south for the Royal Highland Show and then recovering from the subsequent nightmare ferry journey back home.

So, today we decided to take-up where we left off. Charlot was happy to be harnessed up but this time the breeching was attached to the breast collar so he could actually feel the harness fitting around his body. He wasn't sure about this and after a circuit of broncing on the lunge, he soon settled down to work sense, although threatening to roll. This was discouraged and Jo decided to put on the blinkered bridle and attached the long-reins through the terrets onto his bit.


Charlot was definitely unsure about this too and panicked very quickly. So Hella and Jo walked either side of him constantly reassuring him that things were fine. Once Charlot believed them, he was long-reined successfully for a short time with just Hella walking by his head.



We finished on a good note with carrots and lots of praise. Charlot learns quickly once he trusts his handler. It all takes time and that is what we have lots of. There is no hurry.

June 7th 2008

I went to catch a pony for shoeing and, in my absence, Jo harnessed up Charlot using the large Shetland pony harness. She said he was no trouble and let her do up buckles around his tail and girth. It suited him and so she led him about for a bit and then lunged him.

Charlot was chilled about the whole process and was working on listening to Jo's commands for various transitions whilst following her body language. Clever boy!

Meanwhile Eggwub arrived to "help" and generally get in the way. He tipped up buckets, made a huge noise investigating everything, while Charlot went round in his lungeing circles ignoring the clatter. I am including a photo of the Wub so you can see what a dear boy he is! Kiss that nosey!

5th June 2008

Another training day.....

Jo was shoeing Charlie (Shetland pony going to Royal Highland Show this year) so I was at a loose end. Charlot is an escapee - he gets over fences and just potters around outside the house. Eggwub is usually in evidence too so I let them into the school, caught Eggwub and tied him up.

I decided that Mr Headcollar was the special skill to work on. I got a particularly "nice" purple one and a pocketful of carrot pieces. Charlot was in the school, wandering about but could not escape outside. With Eggwub already nodding off, standing quietly tied up, I approached Charlot, gave him a carrot and put on the headcollar. He stood there and let me do it with barely a flinch. So, I took off the headcollar and did it all over again.... and again..... and again until he stopped reacting. I had long since run out of carrots and the headcollar issue seemed solved.

Then, we worked on leading again. Charlot would like to walk behind you and bunt you if you halt. With my body language, I said that bunting was not the best thing and asked him to walk beside me. He was reluctant to do this, but eventually was walking calmly. We did try a trot, but he didn't understand what I wanted and ended up behind me again. I won't push him on this yet. More work is required obviously.

Feeling that this was a good time, I attached a lunge line to Charlot's headcollar and took him into the middle of the school to teach him to lunge.

He tried to evade the issue, standing still, changing direction or walking backwards. He wanted to be with Eggwub (now snoring!) and I wouldn't let him. Eventually I got him walking calmly in small circles preventing him from stopping. He worked better in one direction than the other but he learned quickly and clearly enjoyed it.

Jo took over so I could take photos and was much more successful. She is better at lungeing than me! Charlot worked very well and was listening and learning. She kept him in walk and taught him to stop and walk on. She then did a quick Mr Headcollar lesson and could see that he was now fine.

We gave him an apple, woke up Eggwub and put them back in their field! Jo took the headcollar on and off in the field just to see if Charlot would co-operate. He was 100%!

Good lad!

1st June 2008

Today, we start work!

Charlot has been with us 2 months. He has settled in and has a place in the herd.

So, we bit the bullet. Everyone was herded into the indoor school, caught and tied up around the edge.

Charlot was the last to be caught (Ljosfaxi's influence) and was not easy about having a headcollar put on. We ignored this small hissy fit and he was tied up while we did a few chores around the place first.

I did some leading work with him and he appeared calm and attentive. He could see his friends and was happy to work with me at the other end of the school. Leading is getting better. He follows my body language, stopping immediately when I stop and walking at my pace.

Jo decided to have a better go at Charlot's back feet. He was stood in the middle of the school with one person holding him (and talking to him) while Jo picked up his back foot to trim. An initial kick-out, Charlot immediately got the message and co-operated. This is a huge improvement and his feet are now much nicer and he is putting up far less of a fight each time we suggest a trim. He was not bothered by his general surroundings as everyone else was calmly standing still while the dogs and hens milled about.

Floss, my daughter, had a conversation with Charlot and he stood quietly enjoying the attention. Pink does not suit him as a colour - they clashed horribly!

Then Jo brushed him. Charlot was not thrilled with this idea but tolerated it, even relaxing by the end. It is all new and he is realising that we treat him like everyone else and he is still alive!