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- See below on this page for tips to successfully download video -
We are just beginning with video here, and without better know-how and equipment, filesizes do run large. So, if using a dialup like mine, (picture the blazing speed of an oxcart) just initiate the download and go do something else rather than sit waiting for it.
Key thing - these videos *ought* to display about five inches wide - but some computer's media viewer settings will need tinkering else it will display far smaller.

Photos/discussion/video below from Feb 2006
On his page I mention "basics". Video is the best possible aid for conversation about that in general, or this animal in particular. For instance, it is "basic" that any horse, but especially a stud, have good manners around other horses.

But - video is a deadly slow download. So, if you have big fat DSL-type bandwidth, have a look -it's 9.6MB, and plays a minute & 15 seconds. Fairly nice quality.

If you have cruddy dialup like mine, 9.6 megs is truly unrealistic, though if determined, you might consider getting lunch, turning the drums on your truck and cleaning the garage while it loads in.

This video has some revealing details.

Throughout, he works his ears a lot, and much of the time is tracking me with his left ear, either "general awareness" or pinpoint on me - that focus is a good early step toward him becoming a "pro".

At the moment on the right he's instructed to come away, and it takes several discreet but firm nudges. He is decent, but this must improve before he should consider live cover. *
* Sometimes a mare is receptive until the last moment - he rears up, and she chickens. A stud not trained to come away instantly is a bad risk for getting kicked, perhaps seriously injured.

One sequence plays out so fast it needs a close look to see what really happened.

He comes away, and I take in the rope so quickly it might look as if I pulled him the whole way. Not so: There is just a *little* slack in it through the entire move. As in most of the video, if looking closely.

But - at the end of that we see a thing going directly to the heart of whether a person could succeed with this horse or not.

He darts in and gives my hand a kiss with his big horse lips. Possibly the rope was his objective - he will suck about a foot and a half of halter rope into his mouth if you don't watch him.

Well, whichever, I warn, but do not smack him, because this is an overture typical of a stud who wishes to interact, but does not know where he stands or what reception he can expect. It is not inherently hostile, it is exploratory. How things of that sort are handled determine future behavior.

He immediately dodges back from the warning "finger of impending doom", and with repetition, he'll fall into better habits. I gave him more lattitude earlier because he came back from "training" totally alienated and pretty rank. It's a fine line - teaching a horse to feel at ease and give him confidence while simultaneously having to get tough and hammer down the roughest edges. He's made enough progress that it's time to address this detail.

But - in the right way. A lack of confidence is driving at least 80 percent of this behavior, so I go easy when possible.
Many respond to these exploratory gestures/inquiries with a whack, and they give studs a bad reputation. All this does is teach the animal that it's a hostile relationship, and of course the animal replies in kind. He's exploring the relationship, and yes, one thing can lead to another. It must be addressed, but if the horse makes an essentially innocent inquiry, and gets hit for it - what's he supposed to think? He asks, and the answer tells him something.

When this guy worries his lips get busy. If he's relaxed, there is far less of it. This is a good example of a need to manage, and an opportunity to mis-manage. An ounce of prevention is highly effective with this one, a timely warning word or gesture is enough 99 percent of the time. He'll take a whack without resentment provided we don't abuse the privilege, but in this particular it won't improve the relationship or show him how to interact in a better way. One difference between those who make winners and those who ruin potential is knowing when to whack and when to not whack. (Not that I've got much record to run on, but have been around enough to know the difference.)

-And yes, I realize full well - there is a contingent out there who will read this and think "Oh, a problem animal - damaged goods". (Let alone what the bleeding hearts think.) I most sincerly invite them all to head on back to their own hopeless little world. Apart from rare clinical conditions affecting behavior there are no problem animals; only problem people, speaking of damaged goods. As suggested above, understanding the obvious allows for appropriate responses, as opposed to stupidly causing and/or perpetuating trouble needlessly. Some pay the dues necessary to understand this about life, some won't, and never will.


At the same time, he needs a persistant task-master. He gets casual in his efforts without dilligent consistency on the details. Starting down the alley here he's a little behind, so trotting to get in position is the right choice. But - one thing leads to another, and excited to go somewhere, he ignores my little nudges telling him when to walk.

I belatedly make him stop and step back with both front feet.


After that he snaps into position beside me and stays there.

I should have done that at least 20 feet sooner, because he will (and *does*) take things like that as a proceedural template. To get the best out of this guy a person needs to be "spot-on" with all the little details, or his attention and effort fall off noticeably. I am too easily distracted, often looking at/thinking about something else entirely. He's green, has fair to good retention, so he shouldn't need as much maintenance after a better pattern becomes well established in his mind.

The video under saddle:
This is also linked on his video page
Taken Sept/November 2005
I really hated to cut out as much as I did, but to get it down to just over 3MB filesize, a lot had to go. He moves nicely, and maybe I'll do more video soon, having finally gone modern with DVD. I never could convert VHS to look good in digital, and this one is especially gray and grainy, but it clearly proves that this colt could earn some dollars provided the right training. Have a look - when fully loaded (eventually) this one should play one minute 10 seconds.

It pretty much speaks for itself except to mention that he's a little hesitant to approach at the end because I pushed him more than I normally do. The day was fading, we had little tape remaining, and I wanted to prove what he can do before running out. As mentioned above, he's not entirely sure where he stands with people, so he wasn't too sure just what this meant. He's actually a fairly brave guy, and even with doubts, will usually face things rather than run from them.

 

Caroline can be contacted at caroline@redshift.com or 831-659-3355 mid-mornings/early afternoons. Some e-mail problems, if no timely reply, try me - galen@haystackhill.com, or leave a message on the machine at 831-659-2625 any time.

 


Video how-to:
I've often been disappointed when trying to see people's online horse videos - click the video link, wait for ever for the download to complete, and then it won't effing work. Mmm. But, there are ways:
If hitting video link fails to open Media Viewer:
One possibility is to copy'n'paste the target address directly into the media player. Windows Viewer may need some tinkering, but one setting will appear as below, with the drop down menus - select/click "open URL":


This pops up the panel seen below - enter the
video's address and it should start downloading,


-or- Save the video to your computer:
Right-click the video link and select/click "save target as". First, the file download panel will pop up, then almost immediately a "Save As" dialogue box will appear on top of that - probably very similar to below. If appreciably different there will be a "browse" button on it. Hit that button for essentially the same function, clicking "up a layer" or into files, and bravely onward to ultimate video viewing success.
Whatever, slog on through to a folder you'd like to store the video in. For instance, double click "My Computer", then double click "My Documents", then double click "My Videos". Then hit "okay" or "save". Simple as that. You can change the file name, no problem, but don't change the stated type of video file format, .wav, or whatever - the computer has already identified this, leave that item alone.
Viewing the video:
The Windows Mediaplayer is a universal option, (Mac users are on their own) although some versions of Windows include "Windows Movie Maker", which allows a frame by frame examination. This allows far better evaluation of the animal's actual moves and ability. (Program Files/Accessories/Movie Maker)

The benefit of frame by frame - we see him setting up a right turn in detail that is hard to see otherwise. It all happens too fast to catch and evaluate every small nuance, which make all the difference between innate ability in one animal versus another.


Whatever program it's the same drill: Either hit an "open file" icon or drop down the "File" menu, click "open file", and navigate/browse/click to where the file was saved. Click the file and hit "Open" or "Okay", or just double click it. The video should play - this machine will occasionally choke at that moment, rarely even requires a re-start, but it's old and weary, and it will nevertheless download/play video this way.
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