Hello Flyingshire!!

Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 8:54 am

depends really. I do ignor, and this alters behaviour in itself - as the pressure wasn't released - it's only released when it's something wanted....

Eg - my mare was scared the girth would hurt, and kept trying to bite me. Eventually, I put a padded bag on my back, and when she tried to bite, I would stay standing there and not move away. (ie ignored). When she stood and was ok, I moved away and praised her, so she soon realised, that a) I wasn't going to hurt her, and b) that she couldn't chase me away - this done my ignoring her unwanted behaviour!?

Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 9:31 am

Flyingshire we could never get bored with your photo's what HF said about them is true. Very Happy

I agree with the natural horsmanship way and I do think on most occasions if a horse doesn't listen to you it is the human doing something wrong not the horse. Very Happy

Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 10:18 am

Flyingshire have they NEVER had a bit in their mouth?

I have 2 youngsters and am now wondering whether to bit them or not!

Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 11:34 am

My colt will never be bitted Ratface, and my other mares don't wear a bit since they've been with me, and will never do again

Everyone has their preferred method, but remember, you'll need to do the correct groundwork with your youngsters, to ensure they understand what is being asked of them

Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 8:56 am

Holdfast wrote:

Thank you again! Very Happy

It was a lovely day here too today. Your pictures capture an instant of beauty to hold, and remember. It makes one happy to see them.
When you train your horses, do you use the Monty Roberts system? One of my horses was very scared to go on the lorry, even though he had never been hurt on one. I had help from a Monty Roberts trainer, and he is quite happy to go up now (but could do with more practice).
Kindness and patience are more powerful than force. Very Happy

Oh Holdfast, thank you for the good critique, I am glad that the pics make you happy! I wanted to create and reproduce the atmosphere we had that day outside in the field, hope I succeeded!

I use NH-way. There are many good people who can “talk” and work horses whit body langue’s… Monty Robert, Parelli, Hempfling, Nevzorow , Honza and others. Always try to look and learn at these good people!

That is a common problem, many horses is very scared to go on the lorry.
Horses off course have claustrophobia!
Gideon was scared too, even though he had never been hurt, just like your horse.
And the solution to that problem was to “loadtrain”
Only use the rope haler and do it by myself….no other aid.
…. and these days... I send Gideon into the lorry. Have nothing on him, just use my body language.
I agree, kindness and patience are more powerful than force…
And it is very heavy to try force a Giant I think…and could be very dangerous too….
It was a wise decision of you to take help from the Monty Roberts trainer! Where you together, you and your horse when you get help? Our did the trainer only work whit the horse?

some pics from "loadtraining"

Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 9:03 am

Lizzy, Morph and Nick:

I am glad you like and have the same idée! It is very interesting too here what your experiences is, there are different ways to reach the harmony and corporation whit the horse.
Different people, work and think different ways!

Me and a couple of friends meet an train together with our horses’ a couple of time every year. Sometimes we trained etch other instead.
One persons act horse (“humanhorse” and are not allowed to talk) and the author person is driver.
It looks like a silly play, but very instructive and you got a
lot of” ahah” experience!!
It is very difficult to make things understandable to the “humanHorse” and that is the same for the real horse in real life. If the driver make the body langue’s not right, you do not understands anything!

Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 9:09 am

lizzy wrote:

Those photos are lovely, particularly of your two children and the horses and dog..

Thank you Lizzy!

lizzy wrote:

How often do you groom your shires? They look in tip top condition.

Groom…ok, maybe you do not believe this, but a never groom the horses Embarassed

.
Of course I take a brush and clean Gideons back (a careful examination) before I put the saddle on.

Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 9:12 am

Beautiful photos again Flyingshire, particularly the one of the shire and the Shetland, wonderful.
I think what you say is unimportant it is the way you speak. I know that if one of ours is nervous when road walking, I can talk all kind of gibberish about peoples' gardens, the state of the world but as long as I keep my voice quiet, with the same soothing tone and occasionally throw in a 'Good girl or Good boy', I have them eating out of the palm of my hand. Laughing

No grooming Shocked

my goodness our are full of mud, dust and general rubbish until they have a wash and a good old brush. Laughing

Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 9:13 am

Morph:
I think your explanation of “ignoring unwanted behavior” was good, it is a effective and soft way to communicate and reach harmony and trust!

Tracey:
Thank you!! really Nice words from you!

Ratface:
Gideon have been riden in bit before he came to my place. But never since then, I use the rop halter mostly. To be honest, I don't not want use a bit, I am to worried to hurt the horse in the mouth.

Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 10:18 am

lizzy wrote:

Beautiful photos again Flyingshire, particularly the one of the shire and the Shetland, wonderful.
I think what you say is unimportant it is the way you speak. I know that if one of ours is nervous when road walking, I can talk all kind of gibberish about peoples' gardens, the state of the world but as long as I keep my voice quiet, with the same soothing tone and occasionally throw in a 'Good girl or Good boy', I have them eating out of the palm of my hand. Laughing

:

Ok, it is not so easy for me to explain in English, it can easy be misunderstandings I think..sorry?!
Of course I talk to the horses sometimes! When have Elli in the rope halter behind Gideon I sometimes drop the rope. When that happens I have a special word/ sound for her, and she came to me so I can catch the rope again. It is so convenient, i do not need to jump of Gideon to catch her, she always come back to me when I use the word/ sound.

lizzy wrote:

No grooming Shocked

my goodness our are full of mud, dust and general rubbish until they have a wash and a good old brush. Laughing

Gideon and Elli of course get mud and dust in their fur, but when it rain, they get clean again! Very Happy

Gideon and Elli live outside 24 hours a day, every day in the year and the horses gets a lot freedom of movement. We have built a house where Elli and Gideon can go inside if they want to and I have hay and water in different places in the big field, so the horses move even more.
We have groomed the places where the hay bars are, so the horses can stand clean and dry. I clean the “foodplaces” every day.

Gideon and Ellis fur always look shiny… even if aim not groom them….
Our experiences is that the horses gets very healthy and strong being outside!

Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 10:32 am

I can relate to the living outside and healthy coat bit....Dolly is a 24/7 out hourse with possibility to go in if she wants...but no, she'd rather be out..Even in 20 degrees below zero and a metre of snow she chooses to sleep out on the snow, no matter how much i try to persuade her....and ofcourse she develops a good thick coat too. (the Bedfords like that for showing.. Smile

When I first had her I was overprotective and led her in every night. She soon got a kind of eksma/skin problem...losing small hair patches on her face ect because of the poor climate in the satable at that time. Since then she's been an outside horse and no more problems.
When it gets towards 25 - 30 below zero then I force her in...well,..not force but give her pellets and hay inside and close the door behind her until next morning. Thankfully it wasnt necessary last winter, and with global warming on the in march, its only going to get warmer too.. Smile

I have to mention that it is a VERY dry climate here (Sweden too) compared with the U.K and 20 degrees below does not feel THAT cold due to the low humidity. I even go out to the car in a t-shirt at that temperature.
In the U.K and its 'island climate' it feels much colder when it gets only to around zero and below beacause of the humidity too.
Nice pics again Flying..! Smile

I wonder if you use a proff Camera...?

Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 11:02 am

Flyingshire there is not need to apologise I was not criticising you at all and I understand you perfectly; your English is so good. I was just saying that I chat to our lot and it seems to make such a difference.
I must admit that ours do like mud baths. In one of the fields there is a slight dip and when it rains it becomes very muddy. They take it in turns to roll in it - dirty so and sos.
Morning Nick.

Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 12:13 pm

Afternoon Lizzy... Laughing

I must admit...its rained here every day for about the past 3 weeks, so there is getting to be a lot of mud pools here..! Its not even worth washing her at the moment cause she is just as bad again in 5mins, and ofcourse ity means I have less time with her when the weather is so unstable and she gets less use....All together a miserable how do you do..! I just hope we get some of that heat wave you guys are going to get next week thankyou...! Laughing

The snow really cleans the feather great though in the winter...!
sorry...not couping the thread here...

Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 12:21 pm

Love the photos of the shire and the Shetland! Its always great to see the shire and the shetland side by side so that you get the contrast in sizes.

The photos of the shires and your children and dogs are lovely too - so natural and very uplifting. Very Happy

Ours also live out 24/7 unrugged even though we live on the coldest, windiest farm in Derbyshire! They grow huge coats.

. This is Ruby in the snow!

George did come to us with a rug which he wore last winter - because he'd been working in the colder weather he'd been clipped and had also been used to living in with his previous owners, so he needed to keep his rug on last year. It got wrecked and he won't be getting a new one this year (but I haven't told him yet!) Wink

They do have a big field shelter, but tend to use it less in the winter than they do in the summer - in the summer they like to go in to get away from flies and for shade.

Ours get washed and groomed in the summer for showing or working (for George), but no grooming in the winter - the less disturbance to their coats the better for keeping in warmth and resisting moisture! I believe living out is best for shires, keeps them stronger and healthier. All the ones we know that live in have ailments, mainly respiratory.

Lizzie - we talk alot to ours exactly like you - usually a load of rubbish but very softly and quietly. They respond well. Anyone listening to me would think I was completely bonkers!

Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 1:06 pm

Oh what a LOVELY piccie Ossie - this is like a "best photo" competition now Laughing

Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 1:24 pm

Oh look at her in the snow. What a fantastic Christmas Card that would make.I don't think I have ever seen such a wonderful photo.

Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 3:52 pm

The full moon in the background too.. Smile

Just waiting for Santa's little workers...haha... Smile

Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 3:53 pm

I think that is a magnified snow flake Nick. I thought it was the moon at first but I dont think you would see a moon with that much snow falling. Wink

and it is in front of the trees too. Sorry Laughing

I know no-one likes a smart a@@e Embarassed

Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 3:58 pm

Oh well....that was that bed time story over. But they all lived happily ever after anyway Lizzy... Smile

Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 5:00 pm

Aw bless yer heart Nick. I thought it was a magical story and we can still have it but without the moon. Laughing

Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 5:05 pm

What great photos yet again flyingshire. It's great to see a small pony with a shire it just makes me giggle. Very Happy

Ossie what a beautiful photo of Ruby in the snow. Very Happy

Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 4:34 pm

Nick, interesting to hear about your place and horses!

In the autumn and spring it get a bit of mud here to in the field, but iam very careful making the foodplace clean and dry. We have prepared whit a big gravel pitch around the haybars. I think that is very important when the horses are outside 24/7

Elli and Gideon never have had problems (sickness in “hoof hair”) do you understand what I mean? Please tell me what the English word is for that?

Foodplaces

I really like when the snow comes, everything get clean, especially the horses hoof hair!
One pic whit muddy hoofs and one pic whit clean!
Some different isn’t ?

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s13/JKL-19/_8769kopialitenkopia.jpg[img][/img]

Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 4:45 pm

Ok Lizzy, thank you! I am bit worried that iam writhing something crazy Rolling Eyes

, please tell me if I do Very Happy

!

Ossie! What a wonderful picture Very Happy

!
It is the same here; the horses tend to use the shelter less in the winter than in the summer!
Do you have another pic on Ruby?

Tracey! Yes it is so cute whit one big and one small horse!

Some more pics from last winter

Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 5:10 pm

just rolled thru this post to look at the smashing pics brill xxx

Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 6:20 pm

lovely lovely pics. Are you thinking of mud fever flying shire?

Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 7:36 pm

More great photo's. I wonder why your horses don't get mud fever, could it be tempreature Very Happy

Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 7:27 am

could be temperature yes, and the fact that they get snow, and not rain rain rain, which makes it all muddy and slushy - still with pig oil and sulphur, I'm hoping that mine will have a better chance this year!!!

Especially since I'm probably going to show Charlie a bit more next year Smile

Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 9:17 am

andrwseav wrote:

Hi Tracey, i should be getting a four year old bay shire mare , with four white socks, within the next two weeks.

Did you ever get your mare?

Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2010 2:48 pm

Hi shirelovers!

A little hello from us!
Here in Sweden it is a brilliant winter, a lot of snow! A little bit cold, - 30 C in the beginning of January. Now it is -5, a good temperature!
Gideon and Elli is fine and we are out riding almost every day. They have built up a good condition, it is hard to work in the deep snow.
Here is some pics from us!

Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 8:49 am

Hi, your pics are great. Glad you have put some more on the net. Have not seen you on the forum for ages.I am still looking for the right horse. The mare that i was hoping to get last year was out of my price range in the end. We also have had a lot of snow this year, but the tempretures have not been as low as yours , thank god!!. Am glad you are all ok, and look forward to some more pics.
Andy.

Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 8:03 pm

Photo's are beautiful. Thank you for sharing them and you look to be having so much fun.

Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 9:09 am

Beautiful Photo's. I like the one where your dog is looking up to the shire Very Happy

Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2010 9:18 am

Andy I am sorry that you didn't get your mare. I am sure there is one out there somewhere for you.

Senior Friend Joined: 30 Dec 2009 Posts: 107

Wow!! I have just looked at all of your beautiful photographs and I am speechless!! Your horses are amazing!

Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 12:07 am

Wow, amazing photos Very Happy

I too am studying natural Horsemanship, sticking with Parelli at the moment so I don't confuse myself. Jack is being very patient with my efforts and our relationship has improved no end since I started it. The dream is to take him for a gallop bareback and bridleless on our local beach, can't see it happening for a few years yet! Think I will keep comming back to your photos for inspiration!