I am so glad I get to tell you how RU Koda has been doing this month. He has made me very proud numerous times, just this week. On Monday, March 28th, we weighed the horses on the scale in the Red Barn. We had been struggling with Koda with the scale at the Ryder’s Lane barn, but on Monday he walked right onto it and stood, waiting for a cue to walk off. Also that day, in his session with one of his Ag Field Day students, he figured out how to play soccer with himself and was pushing the ball around the barn with his nose.

On Wednesday, Koda and I had a session with Jose. Koda had been turning in front of the person leading him when asked to stop (halt). Jose addressed this problem, showing me how to ask him to stop through my body language. At the end of our session, Koda halted immediately beside me when I stopped walking. We also worked on changes in pace while walking so Koda pays attention to my body- that way, he senses when I am about to stop. We also desensitized Koda to the spray bottle. Jose was able to spray Koda’s nose, ears, face, body, and legs without him flinching or becoming tense. Koda is so advanced; we have put bags, balls, ropes, traffic cones, and umbrellas on his back, over his head, etc.

Koda and I had another session with Jose on Friday. Since it was raining, I dried him off with a towel and was able to rub him down all over. He was okay with me wrapping the towel around his legs, and putting it over his ears. He’s still not too keen on having the towel over one or both of his eyes. We also worked with him in the wash stall, and he learned the boundaries of being on crossties. After he tried lurching forward on the crossties once, he stood nicely on them. We found that he is scared of the hose, if it is turned on or off, and we will be working with him with that in the upcoming weeks.

Koda has grown into such a sweet, wonderful horse in the five months I have been working with him. Granted, he still has an attitude and will sometimes be rude, but we’re working on that. He will be such a fantastic horse for whoever is lucky enough to buy him.

Written by Sam Rodgers

    Koda has been working every Friday with Jose, who has been working on getting Koda to give to pressure, as well as working on his turns. Koda has a hard time turning to the right, which is his weaker side. However, I have seen Koda improve in a few ways since the first time I worked with him. He is a little more willing to follow his handler without protest ot biting.  On the morning of November 9th, Dr. Ralston conducted a preliminary behavior test on the horses as part of the research on the effect of diet on behavior and trainability. The behavior test included having the horses walk down the aisle of the barn, stop and stand for thirty seconds, allow their handlers to touch their faces and ears, rub the length of their bodies, pick up their feet, turn them in a full circle in both directions, and walk with their handlers on their “off-side” (leading on the right). Koda was a perfect gentleman walking down the aisle; he stood still for thirty seconds and let me rub his entire body while standing quietly. He only moved when I ran my hand down his left hind leg. He followed me into the “weigh room” with only slight hesitation-he had only been to that side of the barn a few times. He struggled with turning in a circle to the right, which was expected, but did well turning to the left. He was not very comfortable with me leading him on the right, but since it was our first attempt, he did fairly well. We also performed a novel stimulus test, during which Dr. Ralston took Koda into the round pen and turned him loose while a student opened an umbrella and hung it on the closed gate. Koda walked right up to this “scary” object, investigated it, and started to bite and play with it. He is such a character!

    Koda is a two year old bay gelding with a big personality. He was born in the summer of 2008, and captured in Callaghan, Nevada on January 6, 2009. Since his arrival at our facility, he has progressed tremendously. He allowed his other student, Rebekah and me to touch him all over his body, and run our hands down all four of his legs within a week of arriving at the Ryders Lane barn. He responds to pressure on his halter, and is currently learning to back on cue. He is definitely strong minded and strong willed, but he loves attention! He has a little problem with nipping, but it is mainly because he is bored and wants attention, and that problem is being addressed. Jose Romero-Bosch, the trainer working with Koda, has helped Rebekah and me learn how to work better with Koda and give him the firm hand he needs. Koda loves the roundpen, and every time he is taken out, he runs and plays with whatever toys he can find. When he is being worked in the roundpen, he trots out beautifully and responds very well to cues and commands. He is also learning how to lead outside of the stall, and, although he was a bit pushy at first, he has gotten much better at leading and learning to respect personal space. The only thing he is having an issue with is the transition from the rubber floor to the cement floor on the way from the barn to the roundpen, but he is beginning to learn that there is nothing to be afraid of. He still likes to crowd a bit, but he is definitely progressing. Koda was introduced to the curry brush as well and just loves to be groomed! He is a very free-spirited, opinionated horse with unbelievable potential.