SABINE - GERMANY
Profile: Like many guests, Sabine has been a ‘regular’ at the Ranch. Sabine, along with a group of friends she met here, now come to Canada as the ‘gang’ aka “Slicker Dudes”. As well, they often meet once or twice a year in Germany and/or the UK! (NICE Eh?!!!)
Sabine is a calm and quiet, very observant Horse Woman who really absorbs ALL things Positive - which helps her and her horse (any horse) have a warm, friendly, happy, understanding relationship!!
Enjoy her story of her horse, Alesko.
Sabine's Story - Alesko, the 'Pushy' Haflinger
It was in 2001 when I bought my very first horse. Even though I dreamed about a black horse with long mane I came to a decision to buy Alesko the Haflinger. I shared this horse when he was 5 years old. He was 10 in 2001 and the previous owner offered him to me because of health problems (health problems of the owner not of the horse). I knew that Alesko has grown up very well. He had never a bad experience in his life. The previous owner bought him when Alesko was 24 h old. He was in a herd for the first 12 month of his life. After this he went for 18 month with other stallions to the mountains. Alesko was gelded with about 2.5 years. They started him with 3 years. He is trained to pull wagons (in a team or alone) and furthermore he’s a pretty good riding horse – but he’s a haflinger ;-)
So he came in 2001 to me. That means to an organic farm into a herd with 8 other horses. The horses are 24 hours on the field. He has fitted into the herd without any problems. There is just one higher ranking horse in the herd.
When you read about Halflingers you’ll find always following things:
- Nice horse for kids- Easy to handle- Very robust- Very cleverThat’s more or less true but there are a few more things to keep in mind about Haflingers:
- Very pushy- Absolutely hoggish- Bullheaded- They learn really fast (especially absurdities)- You have to close everything very carefully (Haflinger can open every tin, box, gate…..)Alesko was always a very nice riding horse. I’ve never had any problems with riding him. But after my first Lazy M visit I realized that I had big problems in handling him on the ground. He ran over me (direct to the next spot of grass). He stepped on my foot. He pulled me through the arena. He stopped whenever he wanted a snack. No pockets were safe from him. He didn’t backup.......
I realized I had to change lots of things!
First all all, I made my position clear and went back to groundwork. I stopped feeding him by hand completly. He gets no more horse cookies or carrots by hand - only in a bucket. Due to this he stopped searching through all reachable pockets within few days. When he tries to go into pockets I just have to ‘block’ him…NOT Hit Him!! That helps within seconds! He doesn’t come any longer into my space! With consistent use of the block he accepts my space and doesn’t dare to step on my foot. Furhtermore I stopped cuddling and snuggling him. Yes, it was hard in the biginning but I had to realize that he doesn’t like cuddling at all. Due to this it was clear that he didn’t miss anything! He’s definitely not headshy (never problems with bridling) but he just doesn’t like it to be touched in the face (propably quite normal for horses). I had to accept that he’s a horse and not a dog. NO more cuddling!!
These were the first steps. Getting his eating issue under controll was much more difficult. When I went for a walk he stopped for a snack whenever he wanted. Although I used a leading rope with a chain (just in the beginning).,he just ignored me and I had no chance to pull him. Instead of pulliing on the lead rope I began to use a stick and pushed his hind end or ‘smack’ his rump. Due to this his head came up, and he faced me, then I just walked on and he followed nicely. This worked without any problems. But it’s very, very, very important to be consistence without any exceptions. Eating while walkiing or riding is under no circumstances allowed. In the meantime I can now lead him over grass and he walks relaxed behind me. He still stops to test me every now and then. But he always does this with some indication. Now I have the abillty to diagnose his plan. So I just have to tell him, "Don’t even think about it!" and he accepts my position. Leading him over grass must be for Alesko like walking over crisps for us. He suffers when he has to walk over the grass and isn’t allowed to eat but he now does so willingly! Anyways like a good Haflinger, he’s fat enough!
I’ve never beaten my horse. All I needed (and still need) to use is a light smack on his hind quarters, it is all that is necessary for him (I know other horses that need much more ‘reinforcement’) – but it works once they know the owner is CONSISTENT). This ‘smacking’ was not easy for me. I learned by asking him nicely 3 times to do something. Then the 4th time, it was a light smack and then he reacted promptly. No, I don’t feel guilty about this at all. It WORKS!
After CONSISTENT work for the last 3 years I can say I have now one of the best horses I can imagine. Alesko is very happy and he does everthing I want him to do. He is relaxed, friendly .... just a nearly perfect horse.
But this is not the end of working. I have realized that I always have to be concentrated on him when we work, walk, ride, etc. Otherwise he would start doing ‘stupid’ things immediately I find that ‘no chatting with friends’ or something like this….as soooon as I loose my focus on Alesko, he knows it!! Don’t underestimate the cleverness of Haflinger (or any horse for that matter!) They will use every opportunity to be ‘a horse’!
Use Lanes ABC and they don’t have these opportunities for doing ‘silly things’!!
