Ground Work Help For a Abused X-RaceHorse, What ground work should I do with him?

[Horse Crazy 2007]

Ok So I've been working with an abused racehorse lately for a friend and he's great! I have him giving me his head, putting it down, I can pick up his feet without a halter on as well as brush him.
I've lead him around in the halter and done forhand turns and honch turns with him (and i hate to say it but he's better at it then my horse, who ive been trying to get to do it for some time now)
But anyway now Im not sure what to do with him, I cant lounge him because of the snow in the round pen~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Need Help

Thanks
Kk

[musiccraze777]

My friend should know...I'm going to try to get her to join the site. She worked with a horse that was abused and almost raced...I'll see if she can join and give you some tips.

[cursivenight]

Work with desensitisizing him, and getting him comfortable, and calm.
Good luck =)

[Horse Crazy 2007]

He is actually really calm, i go in and mess around with him without a halter, i can do his feet wrap his tail, just about anything with him, and now adays i have him giving me his face to pet.

he's progressing real well with what I've done with him and chews all the time, i just need some new stuff to try with him.

thanks
kk

[musiccraze777]

Haha, you're lucky. The horse I was talking about can be really stubborn and moody...but she is a mare. =)

[silverleprichuan]

-start desensitizing him to clippers
-teach him to yield to pressure at his poll
-work on stopping and backing off of body language alone
-voice commands
-stand still while having rope, tarp, blankets, etc thrown over and around him

[Horse Crazy 2007]

Those are some good ideas, i know he's very good at giving to presure, but the rest i really can do even with all this snow. Thanks

kk

[Air]

Sounds like you've got him trusting you now...Well maybe you should see how he acts with other people..Like if he lets you pet his head, try having your friend petting his head. Try letting your friend do some of the stuff that your doing with him..

As for work, maybe take him for a walk? How much land do you have for him? Because if you can't put him in the round pen, maybe just take him in the pasture and lounge him?

Good luck with him. :)

[DixieGirl]

Maybe Parelli Work??

[Horse Crazy 2007]

I like the idea of taking him for a walk, but with all the snow drifts just walking to his pen is an issue, that and theres no pasture to walk him around in. I will look up the pavelli work though maybe I can find something helpful from him

thanks

kk

[Horse Crazy 2007]

Hey, just updating my Buddy status, it's cool his real name is Freight Shaker and he won like 2 races when he was raced and those were when he was older. anyway the farrier came out today to do his feet, and i guess usually he's really bad and it takes them forever to get his feet done but he was great and he got all cleaned up, his feet are looking so much better from when he foundered early last summer. anyway the farrier is actually the guy that we're planning on sending buddy to come warmer weather and he did a little work with him and had him doing great dressage movements by sidepassing and he was able to desensitise him to the weight and height tape so we were able to measure him, he's 16.3 hands, we were also able to take some pictures that i'll share with all of you, thanks for your help, if you have anything else I'd love to try it with him.

oh i also was able to walk next to him and act like i was leading him without actually holding the lead rope, i had him doing honch turns and i think one almost forhand turn, we're still working on backing up without me having to tell him to with my hands. but anyway here's the pics for you , enjoy :D

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o277/luv_horses07/Buddysheadshot.jpg

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o277/luv_horses07/SS850808.jpg

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o277/luv_horses07/MEandBuddy.jpg

[silverleprichuan]

he looks great! I'm glad to hear that he's progressing so well.

[mandyicequeen14]

aww he has a baby face!

[alliekk]

He looks great! Check out my ground training tips in the western training section, there might be something of use to you there. Good luck, I'm sure you wont need very much of it, but still :). Have fun, that's the main thing.

[hurricane.harold]

If your up for it, walking through snow drifts will actually help your horse build up some muscle which will help once the snow is all gone, and you can ride again.
Desensitizing is a good idea. Even if he seems really calm to you, try getting him to walk over tarps, or have a tarp rubbed all over him. Spraying him with show sheen/ fly spray and/ or aerosol(sp?) cans. I know those things might seem unimportant during the winter, however it will help a lot if during the summer, while you can be riding, he is more cooperative.
Also, throwing blankets on and pulling them off, over the head blankets, and putting on a slinky if you have one. Also, get him used to clippers and hair dryers, so that once you need to use them, he is used to them.

Good luck with this, and wow he is a cutie :)

[Horse Crazy 2007]

Buddy Update!
Ok so Larry came out today and rode Buddy. It was so amazing watching him ride him and man can he move his movements are amazing and he has so much potential! I was asked if id be interested in doing a maintance lease on him come spring and after seeing this i think i will. I might even send him to larry to get some more work done. He at this point is a horse i could ride right now and feel confortable riding. I cant wait to see him keep improving and he's going to be amazing!

kk