| Archive for It's About The Horse The Free Forum for those Doing Parelli - and a whole lot More! "Anything forced and misunderstood can never be beautiful." Xenophon (430-355 B.C.), |
| TrustMeNaturally |
Training Donkeys - Meredith Hodges?Hey there,Has anyone heard of the trainer Meredith Hodges? I was looking up 'donkey training' on Giddyup Flix and she was one of the top trainers. So I put her DVD in my queue and I'm anxious to see what she says. Have any of you experienced any of her training? What did you think of it? Thanks! Edited to add: Here is her website! http://www.luckythreeranch.com/ ~Lea |
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| whisperingwindfarms |
I have watched her on RFDTV. She seems to fit in with the horsemanship program we like. She's a little dry. She's apparently good friends with Richard Shrake whom I met in February and am very impressed with. | ||
| TrustMeNaturally |
Awesome, thank you! Her DVD has shipped out, so I'm anxious to get it and watch it. Especially knowing that Diesel has to start playing more and more with us after his little laminitis episode.
Lea |
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| Kim Cassidy |
I'm using clicker training  Here is Giselle's second lesson. It started out as a leading lesson and then I quickly understood, it needed to be a softening of the jaw which eventually will lead (badabum) to leading
I've only had her a month (BLM caught) and she takes her lessons in 10 minute increments http://www.youtube.com/user/irishcas?feature=mhsn#p/u/1/7Dok6UqsCnQ For fun, I'm sharing some work I've done with Wyatt my 5 year old Mustang http://www.youtube.com/user/irishcas?feature=mhsn#p/u/0/_CRIeZD13hg Enjoy |
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| becdubie |
Kim 
Giselle is so cute...... Wyatt.....awesome.... You.....are you barefoot? |
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| PasoBaby_CarolU |
Ditto. I laughed like crazy at Wyatt. Any more eager and he'll dragmyou to the mounting block. 
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| Clarissa |
Kim I liked the way your donkey volunteered that last yield in the first set. He is a quick learner & seems like a nice animal. That would have been my quitting point for that session. | ||
| Kim Cassidy |
Giselle is adorable
Wyatt IS incredibly Awesome and I'm wearing Vibram Shoes (google them, they are like barefoot with protection - I love them). Yes Carol, if Wyatt was any more eager I'd be beating him off the block. I had to run to get there so I could win the race to the mounting block. Yes Clarissa I liked that offering as well, I got that every other try today so I think the 3rd lesson will get even faster results and I can start focusing on the hip. Training my Donkey is training me even more. Love it all! |
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| PasoBaby_CarolU |
Interesting shoes. I wouldn't dare to go barefoot in Arizona...maybe next to a pool. | ||
| becdubie |
So Lea...we got a little side trackd with the cutness of Kim's donkey and awesome mustang.
How are things going with yours...Disel, right? When the BLM came through here last year with mustangs and donkeys, my husband wanted a donkey so bad...he kept dragging me there to see them. Now people who adopted them through the BLM back then are giving them away on Craigs list. Sad. We may end up with one yet. |
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| Kim Cassidy |
Sorry I didn't mean to sidetrack. Giselle is my first donkey and she is very different when it comes to training. I find with my mustangs getting the feet to move is not a problem, usually I'm looking to (in beginning lessons) to get the feet to stop moving so much
With Giselle, she just shuts down and pretends I'm not there. I've only had her and Fiona for a month, so I'm not expecting big things we are still getting to know each other. I can scratch her all over and she likes that, but put a halter on and she goes inside herself. The click marks the behavior and means reward. Whether it is scritch or food depends on the trainee. Anyway, I thought I was going to bring her out to lead but she had other ideas. What I'm training right now, is the beginning of leading and many other behaviors, I'm just asking for her to give her jaw. I keep my lessons down to about 2x a day, 10 minutes each. I spend more time with her than that, but this seems to help the lessons stay pleasant and sink in better. Yesterday's lesson I started getting the hip by asking for more of the jaw. I think tomorrow, I'll be able to move the feet without pulling on her head at all, I'll get it by softening the jaw and focusing on the hip at that the same time. I am enjoying training a donk, it is teaching me how to break my criteria down to smaller increments, something I'm usually good at, she just wants me to be even better
I've never heard of Meredith, but wanted to recommend any work by Alexandra Kurland at www.theclickercenter.com her work is wonderful. Becky, how sad for the BLM donkey's. I can assure you, mine will not be put on Craigslist, nor will the two mustangs. I'm finding Wyatt to be just amazing, a creative, thinking horse who has great feet and a great mind. My goal for Giselle, will be to pull a cart and also to be my pack animal for long trail rides. What I see in donkeys a lot is serious obesity and boredom. People don't do much with them and that is so sad as they are very "into everything" creatures. I have started leaving all kinds of "toys" in the paddock for Giselle, she loves to carry stuff in her mouth and play with everything. She loves to pickup sticks and dog toys too. Here she is playing 
And here she is a Hauling Ass
I say have fun with your donkey, they are different, so you have to become a bit of a different trainer. Have fun and share some pictures. I'm quickly falling in love with her and she is running the show out there with Wyatt and Fionna. |
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| gideon |
I don't mean to sidetrack again, but I loved seeing wyatt align himself at the mounting block - that is a very good thing to teach.
I just got back from Tom Curtin clinic, where his wife Trina showed how she trained her horse to bow down with the left front leg, so she can put her foot in the stirrup and mount off the ground easier. Gonna try that, just what this old boomer with a bad knee needs! A good way to get back on out on the trail if no handy grove of 3-step mounting blocks is growing nearby. |
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| TrustMeNaturally |
Oh, that's not a problem! Kim, your donkey is SO adorable!! I can't wait until we can have a whole herd of them for Diesel to be with!
Well, the video was interesting. It seemed like it was one long commercial for her products and it lasted about 15 minutes. Then she started talking about how to do simple things with your donkey and said that, "If he nibbles on you, that warrants a good slap." 
Obviously we turned it off and sent it back. Seems like so many people don't know how to direct behavior or fix the cause... They just think that slapping them will make it better. Ah well, Diesel and I had a wonderful play session yesterday - did lots of weave, stood on the pedestal and trotted around mirroring each other. What has helped me understand him the most has been watching Steve Miller's videos on facebook. I love watching him play with his donkey Murphy! ~Lea |
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| lizloveshorses |
For everyone interested in donkeys, this woman has a fabulous website where she blogs about her life in New Mexico with her 2 BLM burros, 1 horse, 1 riding donkey, pig, chickens, and dog. She takes beautiful photos as well.
http://www.the7msnranch.com/ |
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| Copious_Amour |
I love that she gives pedicures to her chickens! |