So, Ringo loves horses.  Horses + Guns/Gun shots = BIRDS!!!! 

If he sees a horse he is immediately alert and thinks we should start looking for birds.

GOOD GRIEF...  I guess this is the modern fast-food equivalent of 'horsemanship'?

The wrangler I know that does it rents out horses that are often times not safe for the average weekend warrior rider, or especially for really green riders. He had my son (who is one of the best horseman I know even at 16) try out a new horse he had bought. If my son weren't one of the best riders I know I wouldn't have let him, but I've not seen a horse get rid of him in years. Anyway, that horse was so loaded on ace that he was falling asleep when they stopped to watch bird work. Besides what I said before, that's really dangerous because we are usually in some rough terrain and you need the horse awake and aware of what he is doing with his feet. That same wrangler put one of the judges on a horse that laid down three times during the day. He's the only one I know who does it and while I really like the guy, I do NOT agree with his practice of sedating horses.

Jean

05/26/2009 5:47 PM	Quote Reply Alert
What's the best way to accustom a one-year old (GSP) to horses?

This is how we do it.

Early and often with any dog is what I recommend.  You MUST have the right horses though to do it this way.  Hank is a 4 yo Walker/Trotter cross and stands about 16:2 and 1200lbs or so.  He's been raised his whole life though with dogs and honestly he just thinks he's a big puppy.  I  will frequently let a litter full of puppies actually eat out of the same big bowl with Hank and/or Louie early on.

If you don't have such an opportunity I suggest you get with someone who is very experienced with both dogs and horses together who has introduced numerous pups to horses over the years.

Doing this right, is extremely important because if the pup has a bad or scary experience it's first time out with horses he/she could very well never get over it.

I agree with you completely.  On four different occasions at trials and hunt tests I've seen pups react very badly to their first horse experience.  One of them got a judge bucked off pretty bad and could have resulted in some very serious injuries.

Part of training for hunt tests and trials is getting your pup/dog a proper introduction well before the first trial or test.

NO KIDDING.

I actually worked with a horse that had been ODed on anesthesia when he woke up and started flailing around in the middle of his gelding operation. He could NEVER EVER be trusted- he'd just do random things right out of the blue with zero warning. He was a beautiful animal but I think they finally sold him for meat which was terribly sad but better than a kid accidentally getting a hold of him for a 4-H project.... *shudders*

Our breeder had a couple lovely walkers that would let whole litters of pups chew on their tails and otherwise abuse them with total impunity. Clay said the only problem was that the pups then assumed all horses were like this, and eventually they had to have a more onery charicter prove that they weren't all just big chew toys.

Boy I have to agree here.  I will NEVER knowingly get on a sedated horse.  It's the equivalent of getting into a car with your drunk buddy driving.
 

Will do. And I see that they are now in Gray GA, which is indeed near Macon - 2 hour drive. Bummer, Winder was so much closer.

Dave is a good trainer and a great guy.  Give him a call before he heads off to summer camp as I'm sure he'd be willing to help you with this.

Pass along a howdy from me. CR

Same things he has been teaching them since they were 8 weeks old just getting more advanced.  I guess if you view a FT dog as one that runs over the hills and away they don't need any training, but if you understand what a FT dog is then you understand they do get training from day 1 just as any other hunting dog.  Sorry you have this awful view of FT dogs even with no basis to form it, but I have seen quite a few just regular old wild bird dogs that would have made pretty good field trial dogs if put in the venue.  They weren't runoffs but covered a lot of ground and found birds, and they would stand until you got there no matter how long it took.  I've seen some 10-50yd dogss that might as well stay home as we could just flush the birds ourself in that range and all they got to do is back the dogs that could ranged and found birds.  It amazes me that someone who has never been to a FT can continue to bash everything about them and those associated with them everytime time the topic comes up.  I have only been to a handfull as I am new to the trial world, but have many many more in my future.  Hate to break it to you but the trials are the closest thing to real hunting you can do without shooting birds.

Now back on topic.  I hope you are able to take Tessa down to meet up with Dave, Im sure it will be worth the 2hr drive.  

Right now I am only shooting for JH_SH_MH not sure about the field trials, depends on many things, but I will give him a call and talk to him and hopefully he has some nice horses she can meet. Wouldn't hurt to get some other type of training in I guess.

Maybe it is because everytime I read this board and anything is said about a FT, someone who runs FT, or a FT dog you have a negative comment.  I refuse to derail another thread with you like you have done so many times trying to bash FTs.  We get it you don't understand them, and you don't like them.  Give it a rest we are all tired of it.  I have bit my tounge multiple times to not respond to a few of your post in the past but here you go again trying to derail another post where we are trying to help someone out.  If you want to hunt with a dog that you could run on a check cord that is fine go ahead, but quit bashing everyone who doesn't do it your way.  

What does a FT dog learn when it is 1yr old?  They learn to be a BIRD DOG!!!  It is pretty simple.  Every dog goes at different speeds just like every trainer.  

This board would be better off if you did not comment on anything about FTs since you know nothing about them.  Based on your post you don't want to know anything about them you just want to start agruments with those that are involved with them.  Just give it up and let us help the OP with their question! 

I am not going to derail Tessa's thread, but I do have a question about FT training. I will start a new topic.