This is one of my favorite parts of the website, as i get to write about what i really enjoy doing, getting the horses started with stock and making a more solid horse.
Once i knew Syd was going to live at a big Beef farm, i concentrated his work on cattle, and got him prepared for the jobs he was going to be doing in his new home, so he would fit right in and feel at home.
This is covering the beginning of Syds training, and what a great pupil he was...
He may look pretty here, but how many of you have experienced a horse doing this on a public road because some well meaning curious cattle want to play on the other side of the hedge, cows have a very bad habit of coming up to you when you are riding and then galloping off with thier tails in the air, leaving your horse wondering if he should run too, this work we do isnt just for those people who buy horses off us for work, it helps them be a better horse out and about,
Although Syd has been working with the sheep, they always act differently with the cattle, and even though he has been with us since he was 4 months old, he had never had a lot of cattle around him as he was growing up, at that time all the cattle were at different grazing areas,
His reaction (above) wasnt suprising, when he was put in a paddock next to the cattle field, he didnt want to be anywhere near them, i dont worry too much and i stay with them for about 1/2 an hour until they settle, and realise that the cattle cant actually touch them,
This is the same as i do with all the horses, but what happens after that depends on the horse, thier temprement and time permmiting to work with them every day. After about 10 minutes, he has calmed down enough to have a good look at a safe distance, and realise that they only want to look at him and not eat him. Within 20 mins of being turned out in the paddock, he has dropped his head and is happy to take a little sniff, he has made friends!,
Once i know he is totally fine about them making any sudden movements, i go and leave him there till the next day where he was happy to graze the other side of the fence.
The next day he is so chilled about them, that i open the gate for him to come for a walk with me in with the cattle, and Syd being Syd, he lets them all come up and start licking him and within 2 minutes he is covered in spit from the nosey cattle and has made firm friends, and isnt really bothered about them at all.
It is important not to rush them at this point, and i leave him for another day or two.
Once he intergrated as part of thier group, its time for him to start a bit of work with them, as it happened they needed moving to another farm, so now was his chance to prove himself. I like all the horses to stand quietly without any worries, no tying up, just a loose rien,
Syd is happy with his ears pricked, while i do the cinch up, and doesnt even mind the cows licking his back legs while i tack him up. Poppy looks on with interest as she is not allowed to join in on this group meeting,
I just walk Syd around and see what he is like to ride around them,
Unfortunatly the cattle liked him so much that they followed him around like glue, which wasnt really the plan, as i wanted to get them out of the field, so the dogs helped me get after them a bit and after a few escape attempts which Syd dealt with well, we had them upto the gate. Syd shadowing the cattle as they run around in a circle looking for a break in our defences, We hold them tighter to the gate until they see where to go out. Syd backs up to get the gate open enough to go through. And once out of the yard, they go from one farm to to another to fresh grass,
The cattle are quite naughty really, if you move them from one field to another, they go pretty quietly, but as soon as they come out onto the road they can get a little over excited and start to go at a good pace, luckily Andrew goes up in front of them to stop any cars and to rate thier speed. Once in the field, we need to move them another 4 fields down to thier grazing, so we need to keep up with them, the dogs go and get them back on course to go through the right gateway.
Syd is really enjoying himself, and by making it a bit more fun for him, he wont mind going out after the cattle again. Finally at thier last gate, The cattle are safely in. Time to give Syd and the dogs to get thier breath back and chill for 10 mins,
Poppy, always one to enjoy a fuss and be reasured that she has done a good job. One of the nice things about taking the cattle away from home, is that we get to have a nice relaxed lope home with a loose rien and a happy heart, and i was thrilled with how good Syd was, and how much fun he always is to ride. His next job was to take powdered minerals around specific containers dotted around the farm, these are for the ewes and lambs to take ad lib if they need to top up on thier vitamins, minerals and trace elements, on a three daily basis, he loves that job too, and having 2, 10 kg bags each side of his shoulders doesnt bother him in the least, and just shows how good a temprement he is and how well suited he is as an allrounder,
willing to have a go at anything with good grace.