It's About The Horse

Cracklinrose · Member Joined: 25 Jun 2011 Posts: 26 Location: usa

On one of the DVD's Linda mentioned that Allure would kind of zone out and lower his head and suck on his tongue. He would usually do this after she gave him a treat. She then said that he hardly does it anymore but she never said how she got him to quit. I was just wondering if anyone knows how they did it or have any ideas about this.

My horse Ace, does kind of the same thing...and it is also after he eats his grain or a treat. He lowers his head, stretches his neck and starts this sucky sound. If I put my finger in his mouth or get him eating hay or grass, he will stop. Not sure why he does this. He was a nurse mare foal so he was taken from his mother when he was only a couple days old. Not sure if that had something to do with it (?)
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Shelly
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Chablis · Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 1:04 am Post subject: Re: Allure's bad habit

Cracklinrose · Member Joined: 25 Jun 2011 Posts: 26 Location: usa

Chablis · Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 5:56 am Post subject: Re: Allure's bad habit

becdubie · Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 1:22 pm Post subject:

Linda described this as him "going catatonic", going completely inside himself as a way to escape pressure.

She did not use one specific technique to get him to stop that one behavior since it was his way of dealing with things that upset him. Instead, she said that by treating him appropriately, knowing his horsenality, gaining his confidence and building the relationship is what helped him understand that he did not need to go to that place.
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-Becky
There is more than one right way!

Cracklinrose · Member Joined: 25 Jun 2011 Posts: 26 Location: usa

I think it is more of a food thing than a pressure thing... Linda mentioned that Allure did it after she gave him a cookie or when he was standing in the pasture. That's the same with my Ace. It seems that the food will set off a reaction, maybe endorphin? Anyway, I was glad to hear someone else had the same problem as Ace and was just wondering if anyone here had a horse that did the same thing.

I will do as suggested and try to get an answer from Linda.
Thanks.
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Shelly
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becdubie · Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2011 1:05 am Post subject:

oh Yeah you're right it is triggered by food now, but she said that he used to do that when he felt pressure but since she has worked him through that, it is only brought on by a treat.
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-Becky
There is more than one right way!

karmikacres · Member Joined: 14 Feb 2009 Posts: 1180

Maybe he is just lazy. That seems to be the answer to most of his problems of late...
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Peeperpuppy · Member Joined: 14 Feb 2009 Posts: 578

thebundychick · Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2011 9:09 am Post subject:

If you are on Parelli Connect, you can actually ask Linda Directly. I can vouch for the fact that she does answer.