Tricks
Workout Pony
If you follow us on Facebook then you may already know that Minnow has been working on learning some new tricks. Most of these are in preparation for Pony Penning 2012 as I’m teaching him some new skills for a brand new performance.
Now, you may remember Workout Barbie – well this is Workout Pony! And Workout Pony is way way cooler!
We’re still in the planning stages of our performance and I have lots of ideas for new tricks, but I thought I’d share a video of our first training session with Minnow’s barbell. It’s important to note that this video was shot after I had spent about 10 minutes working on the skill with clicker training. Yes only 10 minutes!
As you can see on the video he has two skills he’s learning – “lifts” and “curls”. I was actually quite shocked he picked it up as fast as he did and he already knows the cues for each skill. As we continue on in his training we’ll work on duration and I just finished making him a more permanent barbell that looks a bit more realistic.
I’m really excited about all the new tricks we will be working on and it will be so much fun to showcase the new performance during Pony Penning.
So, anyone else teaching their horses new tricks this spring? Have any ideas for new tricks for Minnow? We’re always open to suggestions!
Boomerang pefects his Bow
Back in June of last year I started teaching Boomerang to bow. We were getting close to perfecting it (In which I tap his leg and ask for bow and he drops his knee to the ground with ease), when I got slightly sidetracked because Boomer in a way taught himself to laydown on command.
Fast forward nearly a year later and I realized I never “finished” the trick. Boomer simply knew to pick up his leg and lower himself to the ground as I help up his foot for him. Not exactly a polished trick, as I really want him to be able to do it himself just like Minnow.
So after a particularly vigorous ride the other day I knew Boomer was sweaty enough to be enticed to put himself in the soft fluffy screenings in our arena. After one or two attempts to ask him to lift and hold his leg himself, he pretty much figured out what I wanted. I started rewarding him even longer while he stayed bowing and eventually started adding a release word for him. Soon I hope that he’ll stay in the bow until I give him his release word.
Not bad for a quick 5 minute training session.
Hero Juice
Rumor has it, Minnow has been drinking a whole lot of this lately:
Which would explain why he’s been constantly seeking telephone booths we’re down in Chincoteague performing for the 2011 Pony Penning!
We LOVE Minnow, but SUPER MINNOW is quite the showman.
He’s also quite the comedian…..
Oh Minnow, what would we ever do without you?
It’s a Super Life
Super Minnow has been performing his super duties around the farm lately. And as you can see, he plays the part VERY well! He’s been working on a super special new performance for pony penning this year, so you’ll just have to come visit us down in Chincoteague at the Chincoteague Pony Centre to see what it is!
Minnow’s Latest Trick
We are getting close to pony penning time! Which means it’s time for Minnow to start working on new tricks! Admittedly I tend to get so busy with other things I always seem to wait until July to start training Minnow new tricks for pony penning. Lucky for me he’s super smart and it doesn’t take him too long to master a new trick.
We’ve come up with a new act, that we’ll hopefully be able to debut at pony penning this year at the Chincoteague Pony Centre, so we’ve started working on some of the new tricks Minnow will need to know.
We’re going to keep our new performance under wraps for now, but we do have a new trick to show you.
Here’s a quick video of Minnow learning how to hold a rope and drag it to me. It may look like a pretty simple trick, but your horse also has to be very comfortable with ropes in and around their legs – you’d be surprised how scary that can be for some horse.
Hopefully you will be able to catch up with us at Pony Penning this year, so you can see all of Minnow’s new tricks in action!
