Chat
05-24-2017, 03:42 PM
Phil and I had another awesome drive last Saturday, but I've been too busy to post about it until now (I'm actually too busy now too, but since I'm going to be even busier for the next week I'd better type this up before I forget entirely).
We went to the golf course as usual, and this time Phil suggested we drive our goats in opposite directions around the loop. I had forgotten our whips, so we had to make do with voice commands combined with clumsy rein slaps, but we managed. Sputnik got balky after a few dozen yards when he realized Finn wasn't going our way, so I got out and led him a short ways to get started. He stopped on a semi-frequent basis at first, but he usually got going with a little encouragement and I didn't have to lead him again. Phil tells me he had a similar experience with Finn. We wouldn't have had issues if I'd remembered our whips, but the problem with rein-slapping is that you lose your steering every time you slap and the goat tends to take that opportunity to turn back toward his buddy. At that point he realizes he might be able to pull a fast one on you and he starts getting uncooperative and balky. But we all got past the difficult part at the beginning, and once we were on the move we did alright.
Sputnik and Finn took opposite approaches to solo driving. Once we got underway, I had to constantly slow Sputnik down. He wanted to trot and canter almost the entire loop. Finn, on the other hand, preferred to mosey along at his leisure. Phil figured that as long as Finn was moving forward he'd take it as obedience even if it was no more than a snail's pace. For that reason, Sputnik and I were back at the truck long before Finn and Phil returned, so we did a couple of jaunts down different side roads to pass the time. Sputnik was being quite good by that time, and I only once had to get out and lead him for a bit when we passed a lawn mower going right next to the road. I also got out and led him past a yard with a very aggressive dog barking from amongst a lot of bushy undergrowth. That was scary even for me! So I got out and held Sputnik's hand while we passed. I successfully drove him past the dog and the mower on the way back (it helped that we were turned toward the truck).
One funny incident was that I asked Sputnik to walk across a puddle in the intersection. Since the puddle lay across our return route, Sputnik didn't hesitate to turn right into it. He was trotting and this time I allowed him to carry on instead of asking him to take the water at a walk as I've always done in the past. Sputnik acted as though he would trot right across, but just as he got to the water's edge he put an extra spring in his step and leaped across! It was about a four-foot span and he cleared it without a splash. I was pretty impressed! The cart jolted forward and landed smack in the middle of the water but the goat stayed dry. I got a good laugh out of that one.
Phil especially had a great time on this drive, which really makes me happy. He and Finn weren't in sync there for a while and this drive really helped Phil realize that training is a journey with ups and downs, but consistency eventually produces good results. Phil's favorite part of the drive is taking Finn up and over the narrow golf cart bridge, which he did a couple of times that day.
The hard part now is convincing our boys to be caught when they see us open the truck tailgate and walk toward them with halters in our hands! They don't like being dragged out and made to work, so today Phil and I loaded them up and just took them walking around the lake. We don't want every excursion to be a grueling workout. Driving solo is stressful for both of them right now, but I think if we keep at it they'll eventually figure out that it's not scary and the rewards are worth it.
We went to the golf course as usual, and this time Phil suggested we drive our goats in opposite directions around the loop. I had forgotten our whips, so we had to make do with voice commands combined with clumsy rein slaps, but we managed. Sputnik got balky after a few dozen yards when he realized Finn wasn't going our way, so I got out and led him a short ways to get started. He stopped on a semi-frequent basis at first, but he usually got going with a little encouragement and I didn't have to lead him again. Phil tells me he had a similar experience with Finn. We wouldn't have had issues if I'd remembered our whips, but the problem with rein-slapping is that you lose your steering every time you slap and the goat tends to take that opportunity to turn back toward his buddy. At that point he realizes he might be able to pull a fast one on you and he starts getting uncooperative and balky. But we all got past the difficult part at the beginning, and once we were on the move we did alright.
Sputnik and Finn took opposite approaches to solo driving. Once we got underway, I had to constantly slow Sputnik down. He wanted to trot and canter almost the entire loop. Finn, on the other hand, preferred to mosey along at his leisure. Phil figured that as long as Finn was moving forward he'd take it as obedience even if it was no more than a snail's pace. For that reason, Sputnik and I were back at the truck long before Finn and Phil returned, so we did a couple of jaunts down different side roads to pass the time. Sputnik was being quite good by that time, and I only once had to get out and lead him for a bit when we passed a lawn mower going right next to the road. I also got out and led him past a yard with a very aggressive dog barking from amongst a lot of bushy undergrowth. That was scary even for me! So I got out and held Sputnik's hand while we passed. I successfully drove him past the dog and the mower on the way back (it helped that we were turned toward the truck).
One funny incident was that I asked Sputnik to walk across a puddle in the intersection. Since the puddle lay across our return route, Sputnik didn't hesitate to turn right into it. He was trotting and this time I allowed him to carry on instead of asking him to take the water at a walk as I've always done in the past. Sputnik acted as though he would trot right across, but just as he got to the water's edge he put an extra spring in his step and leaped across! It was about a four-foot span and he cleared it without a splash. I was pretty impressed! The cart jolted forward and landed smack in the middle of the water but the goat stayed dry. I got a good laugh out of that one.
Phil especially had a great time on this drive, which really makes me happy. He and Finn weren't in sync there for a while and this drive really helped Phil realize that training is a journey with ups and downs, but consistency eventually produces good results. Phil's favorite part of the drive is taking Finn up and over the narrow golf cart bridge, which he did a couple of times that day.
The hard part now is convincing our boys to be caught when they see us open the truck tailgate and walk toward them with halters in our hands! They don't like being dragged out and made to work, so today Phil and I loaded them up and just took them walking around the lake. We don't want every excursion to be a grueling workout. Driving solo is stressful for both of them right now, but I think if we keep at it they'll eventually figure out that it's not scary and the rewards are worth it.