# Great Recall



## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

Someone left the yard and I did not notice since I was stupidly vacuuming and I can't hear well even without the added noise. Luckily my husband came home and alerted me to the escapee. I went outside, called and whistled - he was no where in sight. I went into the garage to get some things and suddenly I could tell him was coming home at full speed. He'd gone up the hill to visit the neighbors and mooch. Down the road, almost missed our driveway and then came storming up to me to see what I wanted.
Treats were given and much praise.
Here's the rest of the story - a picture of my escapee. He's 21 and quite the character. If only I could convince my dogs to come as well as he does.


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

Great picture and great story.....no matter why they wander...when the dear ones return - always treats and praise!


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## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

That was funny. Glad he has great recall. I was expecting a dog in the picture though. :


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

I expected a dog too. Even better that your horse has such great recall. Maybe he has to have a talk with the dogs.


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## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

It is unusual for a horse to come running when you call and (of course) that's why I didn't put in the punchline until the end. Quite a few are actually hard to catch!
He has returned when I call before, but never at full speed! There is only one person above me and Cotton likes to go munch on his lawn. I'll have to make sure no one is coming up the road before I call him again. Luckily he is extremely food motivated so the treats will have reinforced the recall. I bought a new bag yesterday.:


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

That is great! Is he an Arab? What a good looking boy!


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## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

thanks fostermom - he's a Polish Arab as best I can figure his pedigree. He was a riding stable reject (learned to throw his rider and return to the barn alone) and I bought him to keep him from going to an auction. I retrained him as if he'd never been ridden before and we get along great. He will still try to buck me off periodically though - usually if he is startled or when I'm trying to pull him in from a run. Once a bucker - always a bucker IMO.
Here's an Arab "look".


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## S-Dog's Mom (Jan 9, 2009)

_(learned to throw his rider and return to the barn alone)_ 

LOL... I used to have a pony that did that.... Except he didn't bother throwing the rider, he'd just ignore all else and head for the barn, rider intact or not....


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

I used to have an Arab. We got him at 5 after he flipped over and broke his rider's back. He was ring sour and had never been out of a barn/ring in his whole life.

We took him home, walked the fence line with him, turned him loose and he ran for an hour straight. Once we got him settled in, I started doing competitive trail riding. He was a natural and usually a blue ribbon winner. The only times he didn't win, it was my fault for my riding him improperly or not conditioning him correctly.

Arabs to me are the goldens of the horse world. They are great animals as long as they are not abused.


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## K9Lover (May 6, 2009)

Gorgeous AND well trained! :rockon: 

I owned a dapple grey years ago. Coloring looked similar. 

You look so happy in that photo!


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## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

We were riding in a hunter pace last fall in that picture. It was the first time we'd been out in a while and a wonderful day! We both had fun. Cottonball was admiring his reflection in the water and didn't want to leave the water hazard.
Hunter paces are timed events that has an optimum time to complete an 8 - 12 mile cross country course. Closest time to optimum wins. I believe we were way too fast that day (on a 10 mile course) and were out of the ribbons. He wanted to go! Not bad for (at that time) a 20 year old. I pretty much let him set the pace. He's older and I don't want to overdo him. We've gotten a couple of ribbons this year (2nd and 5th), but if we don't it's no big deal.
Fostermom: _Arabs to me are the goldens of the horse world. They are great animals as long as they are not abused. _
Sounds like you had a great arab too. I thought about trying competitive trail, but I don't think I could handle the distances so we stick to hunter paces and occasional fun shows. Arabs don't accept abuse like some horses do - I wish they all refused to be handled abusively!
Cotton's a big pet. That's why he was loose in the yard (mowing for me) and could wander off. I'll keep my eye on him in the future. The neighbor's wife doesn't want him mowing and fertilizing her lawn.:


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## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

The booger got loose again last night.

The fence was not down at all and the charger was on. I can only guess he is crawling under it to go eat the neighbor's grass.

I added a middle strand of tape after he got out a couple of weeks ago and went next door at 5am. The older lady thought a racoon was in her trash. She screamed when she saw Cotton so he got scared and took off. Right to me since I was already out looking for him (his pasture mate is a tattletale thank goodness).

I just got back from Tractor Supply with more tape and a new battery for my charger. It has not been sunny here for a few days, but it supposed to hold it's charge for 2 weeks.

Once again hje came running home as soon as I called and whistled for him - of course it was breakfast time.


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## timberwolf (Apr 1, 2009)

What a great story!!!
I would have loved to have seen him running home


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## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

He did it again.
I was having hay delivered and they took out the gate post.

He went next door and wouldn't come home this time. I went over with a bucket of feed and he still wouldn't come home. By the time I got a halter and headed back over, he was in my yard with a puzzled expression on his face.

The neighbors were gone, but I'm pretty sure he left a calling card. I guess his recall isn't quite as good as I thought.


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