Train Your Horse to be a Model

December is a fun month to make beautiful pictures of you and your horse. There might be snow, you can put on a Santa hat or take a picture of you and your horse in front of a Christmas tree. How about teaching your horse to play Jingle Bells? So many ideas, where to start?

December pictures

A few years ago I wanted to make pictures of Kyra and me. We got it done but it took way longer than anticipated and it was quite frustrating for me. Kyra didn’t want to wear the hat and keep her ears forward, she shook her head or kept her ears to the side.

Luckily with some clicker training this was solved, but it took longer. I envisioned to walk to where we wanted to make the Christmas card pictures and get it done. I didn’t envisioned that it would take way longer than one hour before the first ‘good’ picture was taken. (I made a mental note to be prepared next time.)

This year I am prepared!

Training plan

I planned to make a cute December video of Kyra and lots of Christmas themes pictures I can use the next few years. I am currently training her to ring a bell so she can “play” “Jingle bells”, wear a wreath around her neck and hand me a Santa hat. This year I will train her so it won’t be as frustrating as last time. When the person with the camera is ready, we will be ready too!

Maybe you have the same issue making December pictures of you and your horse?

Since it’s always nicer to play with friends I want to invite you to join me in this month HippoLogic Clicker Challenge if you think this will be fun.

Imagine the first day of snow and you can immediately make the perfect December video and Christmas card pictures.

In one training session Kyra already learned to ring a hotel bell and ring Christmas bells. Take a  look and get inspired!

 

 

Join me in the online HippoLogic Clicker Challenge

Join us!

If you join the HippoLogic Clicker Challenge (HCC) you get the Challenge emailed to you. I made 4 different levels so if you are a beginner or seasoned clicker trainer, you will get challenged.

I provide you with 14 days online help in our FB support group so you have accountability to get it done!

The HCC runs from December 1-14, 2018. On December 14th you can upload your final video. I am looking forward to it. There are still spots available! Sign up ends Dec 4th.

(If you’re not too busy decorating your tree and buying gifts, you can enter the one that runs from Dec 15th-Dec 30th. Send me an email hippologic@gmail.com)

Click here to join

Want to make a DIY horse wreath? Click here (less than 30 min, no mess)

Share your l♥ve for horses

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I love to hear from you, so please add a comment or let me know if you have a question. Share your December video in the comments! If you liked this blog, press the like button.

PS Do you know about the HippoLogic membership?

Happy Horse training!

Sandra Poppema, B.Sc.

I help horse owners get results in training they really, really want. Getting results with ease and lots of fun for both horse and human is important to me. Win-win!

Sign up for HippoLogic’s newsletter (it’s free and it comes with a gift) or visit HippoLogic’s website and join my online course Ultimate Horse Training Formula in which you learn the Key Lessons, Your Key to Success in Clicker Training.

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10 Winter Barn Hacks for Horse People

Here are some barn hacks that will make your life easier at the barn in winter. This winter is one of the coldest in Vancouver, BC, Canada since decades. We had a lot of snow too. Not the nicest weather to work in if you work at a barn.

#1 The joy of using de-icers

I have discovered the joy of de-icers in water buckets for horses. The only drawbacks are that you need a power point nearby and they are expensive with $70 – $100+ apiece. If you can use them, they are definitely worth it.

The horses had to get used to them, some horses preferred the icy water above the warmer water at first. It took some horses up to a week to get adjusted to the weird things in their bucket. But it is worth it!

All the horses had access to water due to the de-icers. Something very important for horses that are already compromised with a body score of 2 or 3. I work at the SPCA, so most horses are not (yet) in the best shape. If you feed more hay, see tip #7, horses need more water. If they don’t drink enough they can get colic.

It also saves a lot of time, not to peck ice out the buckets multiple times a day. Frozen buckets are more likely to break.

#2 Insulate your water buckets

For some farm animals de-icers are a hazard. For instance bucks and goats with horns. We put their buckets into a bigger bucket and insulate the space in between with straw. You can also use shavings or whatever bedding you are using. As long as it holds air and provides insulation. If the water bucket is outside, find a spot out of the wind. This is not foolproof, but every bit helps.

#3 Don’t provide warm water in order to prevent it from freezing

Don’t provide your horses with warm water in their buckets. Warm water can freeze even quicker than cold(er) water. This is called the Mpemba effect.
It is a good idea to offer horses that won’t drink luke warm water.

#4 Provide more bedding for the horses

I find flax the best bedding, but only if you use a really thick layer (15 cm or more). Take out only the manure and leave the wet spots as they are. The bottom layer becomes stable and provides warmth and good insulation. Don’t poke around in the wet spots as the ammonia will come free.

This kind of cleaning will work with other bedding materials as well, although flax absorbs moist the best. Better than shavings (too dusty) or straw (this will be very heavy to remove after a while and doesn’t make a soft bed).

#5 How to deal with slippery ice patches after spilling water

You can put some bedding on it (shavings work well) or use some Stall Dry or cat litter (some cat litter is made of clay and can become very slippery when soaked!).

If you have an arena with sand, keep a wheelbarrow with sand in a spot that doesn’t freeze at night so you can use sand.

#6 Stay warm at the barn

The other day I read the best trick ever to warm your cold hands in a few seconds. Totally safe too. Just put your hand in your own neck (or someone else’s LOL). I tried it on myself and it really works like a charm. It is only cold for a few moments in your neck but then your hands are warm. I read this tip on Pure Cottongrass, one of my favorite blogs.

Another great tip is to keep your head warm. Wear a toque or ear warmers. You don’t want to risk  frozen earlobes. On the other hand, if you are working you will stay warm.

Wear lots of layers. Especially when you are working. Once you’re warmed up, you can peel of a layer.

#7 Make sure your horse stays warm

You are not the only one who wants to stay warm in winter. The best way is feeding your horse enough roughage (fiber). Slowfeeder nets prolong the time your horse eats, it keeps the hay clean (horses don’t waste it) and they are easy to fill if you use this trick. If you have really big ones it can even save you a feeding round.

In some areas the winters are so cold you have to blanket your horse. Do your research before buying a blanket. Make sure the blanket fits  your horse properly.

And a no brainer: provide shelter from the elements for your horse.

#8 House-train your horse

Scooping poop in snow is like searching for Easter eggs (only equestrians will understand the happiness of finding manure in snow). If you house-train your horse to poop in a certain corner of his paddock or pasture you know the Easter bunny’s secret when it has been snowing overnight. A big pile of manure doesn’t freeze as quickly and is easier to remove than frozen, rock solid dung.

House-training your horse costs time but think of all the hours you save in the next 15-20 years if you can half your poop-scooping time.

#9 Snow shoveling made easy

Keeping the pathways you use often snow free is essential. Spray cooking spray or horse detangler on your snow shuffle to prevent the snow from sticking to it.

#10 Have fun!

Not really a hack, but still important. Have some fun!

Build a snowman in the pasture and stick lots of carrots in his head. Then let your horse investigate this weird intruder.

Take your camera with you to the barn and make dozens of snow pictures of your horse. Here in Vancouver snow is not a common thing in Winter, so I made sure I have enough snow pictures of Kyra to last a decade.

If your horse is used to driving, you might look into skijoring or letting him pull a sleigh.

Read more:

• Time Saving Barn Hacks
• Old-Fashioned Barn Hacks

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Sandra Poppema, B.Sc.

Helping horse people to bond with their horse and get the results they want.

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