Friday, January 8, 2016

Ramping Up Into January


I'm pleased with how January is going so far. I've been really trying to make sure I stick to a schedule with all the animals, and get all of their planned things done during the week. At the holidays, I often fall waaaaaaaaaay behind on getting everyone worked and done, and that happened this year as well - everyone has a couple of weeks off while I scrambled around trying to get everything sorted for Christmas. Now that we're back into the thick of things, I'm getting everything I need to get done actually done! This update will cover the non-riding critters, as they were the ones who got worked yesterday and today. 



The old ladies got groomed yesterday - it was the first time in about a week that they've been out from under their blankets. It's been cold and rainy and gross here for ages, and it's supposed to tank again tonight, but for the past two days the mares have been able to be nekkid. Pmare is turning 20 this year, and I think she looks pretty great for still nursing a giant 8.5 month old AND only eating hay. 

Speaking of the 8.5 month old:

Spooking at the neighbor's horses. Cameo by Dylan in the background

I measured her today and she is 13.2 at the wither. She just seems so HUGE all of a sudden. When did she get so huge??


Not scary

Also not scary


Lendri and Uma both got worked with today as well - Lendri gets the gold star for the day. She has been extremely skittish and standoffish, but now is starting to get friendlier. Today I was able to catch her easily, groom her, and even pick up all four feet. The last time I worked with her, she would leap away when you'd go to touch her legs, so this is a huge improvement. I don't know if she knew how to pick her feet up before - seems like maybe she did - but either way she is clearly getting more comfortable with me and is responding well to handling. She also leads well, which is super, because Zuul is *not* leading well at the moment - so at least one of them is. 






I'm really unhappy to report that Zuul seems to have a particularly bad habit - he bolts when leading. If I had to guess, I'd say this is probably the reason he was dumped at the auction barn. He leads fine in his pen, and he ties fine. BUT, going outside of his pen, he leads fine for a little while, and then will randomly fold himself in half and just explode off in the other direction. There is no stopping him. He did it in a regular halter, a rope halter, and a halter with a stud chain - nothing stops him. This is a huge issue because he clearly knows what he is doing, and knows that if he just runs as hard as he can, he'll get away. He doesn't seem to care that he'll then run around with a lead rope and chain still attached, stepping on the lead rope and shanking himself in the face over and over. What a bummer... he was doing so well too. I was admittedly wondering if something was going to come up somewhere - there had to be SOME reason he was dumped - but I was so glad that nothing of the sort had happened so far. Well... now we really do have a major problem. I *may* be able to get him so that he can lead safely, but I don't honestly know that he'll ever be trustworthy again. Apparently, according to my sources, this is a really common thing for zebras and their hybrids to do, and even the tamest ones will try it. Ah well.... we'll do what we can. I have a Be Nice halter ordered, and we have some ideas for training - but if anyone has any other ideas, please feel free to share them. Remember that zonkeys are not horses, and they don't respond to the typical stuff that horses respond to. 

But he's so cute even though he's a little monster

I tried that halter on Pax today too - it's way too big for her but it won't be for much longer. It only just fits Zuul - it's a yearling size halter. Considering the fact that he's only maybe 11 hands, and she's nearly 14 hands, I find that adorably funny. 

14 comments:

  1. I just love your herd and your updates! Pax is a stunner!

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  2. The be nice halter looks interesting, but it doesn't look that sever. I don't know how much it would work. You might want to consider getting a chain mule halter. Packers use them on mule strings since mules are prone to pulling back too.

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    1. I may get one of those too! I was told by one of my zebra breeder contacts to try the Be Nice halter specifically, so we will see!

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    2. I may get one of those too! I was told by one of my zebra breeder contacts to try the Be Nice halter specifically, so we will see!

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  3. Glad most of the herd is doing so well - tho that's a real bummer about the bolting thing. I have no experience w that (or w mules really) but would something rigged up like a mechanical hackamore maybe help?

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  4. I watched a world champion show donk just bolt out of nowhere with a rider on his back too. And there was no stopping that sucker. He just does it randomly. So I can't even imagine what a bolting zonk would be like! Hopefully you will find a way to simmer that down. But it looks like everyone is doing incredibly well!

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  5. I can't believe that your baby horse is the same height as my adult pony!

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  6. Given Zuul's options (ie. figure it out, or be in a tin), if he solid ties well enough, can you try leading him around with another longer line attached to a good solid tree? If he gets up enough speed he might break his neck or otherwise injure himself, but it may be a way for him to learn that he won't be 'free' for his efforts. He has a good thick neck which probably helps him brace and run through.

    Otherwise, you could teach him to hobble (which is a useful thing anyway). I think Mark Rashid (in Ground Driving 101) teaches the horse to lead from a loop on the leg, which I will be honest and say I thought was surely going to end with injury when I heard about it. But as Zuul is able to brace his thick zebra neck, perhaps if he was taught safely (in enclosed area first) to lead from a leg then you could use a leg line as an additional way of controlling his escape?

    I have no experience with mules or zebras, you know your zonk best. If anyone can help him, it would be you! Glad the rest of the herd is doing well!

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    1. (I am not deliberately suggesting things that have potential for injury just pointing out, probably unnecessarily, that there are risks. Stay safe.)

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  7. Have you ever heard of the blog The 7 MSN Ranch? She has a riding donkey and two BLM donkeys. I see. To recall a special style halter she got for her donks to help with leading issues. I'll try to dig up the post. Carson ( the blog owner) seems like a super nice person and I bet if you contacted her about it she would let you know what she uses.

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  8. PMare is looking so pretty right now!

    I can't believe how big Pax is getting.

    I hope you figure out Zuul. I have no experience in the matter. I also read the 7 MSN ranch blog and she does seem like a nice person who would be good to ask about his bolting issue.

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  9. As much as I hate war bridles, in this situation it might be better than you or him getting hurt. Maybe try that?

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  10. www.madisonshambaugh.com Close friend of my close friend. Has a zebra colt, wins mustang challenges...

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  11. I'm glad everyone is doing well and looking adorable. That sucks about the bolting. I was actually going to mention the tree idea that onehindresting said but yeah it would be dangerous....

    The only other thing I thought of is maybe find a bridle and bit that will fit him (don't know if that's possible) and try teaching him to longe... Put the longe line through a surcingle so you have sideways leverage??? Maybe that would keep him going in circles so he can't go straight fast enough to get away??? I don't know if that is possible, but it would kind of be like using a one rein stop from the ground. The problem is the one rein stop works with horses because they are taught to give to pressure and flex laterally.... I have no idea if that can be taught to a zonk. I don't know. Just throwing ideas out there. Maybe even teaching him to longe in a round pen would help get him to thinking circles? I hope you can figure something out and I hope he didn't hurt you.

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