A Camelidynamics Success Story - Jimmy Mac

[rose@almapark.com]

----Originally posted on my blog - Nov 26, 2008-----

Alma Park Jimmy Mac was one of the cutest crias we ever had with his heart shaped nose and big personality, but he was a naughty boy. He did not like to get shots or touched or much of anything. I thought for sure he was not a show prospect in attitude alone. He did have all the other hallmarks of doing well at a show (confirmation, head, fiber etc). He is late to mature (small for his age)- but I thought, lets get him out there and see how he does.

We halter trained him as a cria - but he liked to jump around and do this funny thing with his neck that made him look like a camel. So about 4 weeks before the show - Laura and I decided to start sessions with him once a week and this would include taking him and a friend out of the barn for a walkabout on the farm. He looked around alot, stopped at the fence to check out the girls and thought the ducks were going to kill him, but all in all, he was slowly getting better.

I did nothing with him a week prior to the show and did not mess with him at all before his class. I see some folks endlessly walking around their animals before the show and I think it can make them tired and cranky. The morning that we had to load up, I put his halter on and walked him to the trailer. Of course he did not want to jump up, so my husband picked him up and loaded him into the trailer. He and his buddy and several other hummed, but eventually settled down and we were off to the show.

We arrived at the show and walked the boys in, of course Sebastian is easy to handle and stood there regal and distinguished. Jimmy Mac as soon as we stepped foot into the show arena, stood proud, posing with an attitude of "yeah, that's right, look at me !" This was quite a transformation. He was like a little man. He behaved very well in the show ring for both me and Laura and took a fifth place in his class, mostly due to his smaller stature. He made me proud of him and the way he behave the whole weekend. He had his father's attitude of calm confidence and never did the neck thing.

He is now settled in back at the farm and acting like a goofy teenager - but I know he will be a well behaved little gentleman at the spring shows.

So I tell you all - if you have a juvenile or yearling that behaves naughty at home, that is not necessrily the way they will act off the farm. Take a shot - they may just surprise you.

[Marty McGee Bennett]

What a great story Rose. I swear I think taking alpacas for walks is the best thing you can do to have them show better I really like your comment about not wearing them out. Good for you!

[rose@almapark.com]

Thanks Marty! I remember your advice of not "over doing it". I used to start training too early (1 month old). Now I start at 5 months. Also - the taking them for the walk is GREAT. I put 2x4 boards in their way as a mini obstacle course along the path around the farm. It works great. All ideas I got from the Advanced Training in Oregon with you.

I have about 20 to train before spring show season --- wish me luck !!

Rose

[Marty McGee Bennett]

at a recent clinic I haltered and did a leading lesson with a young female who was about 4 months old... I don't normally do this but it was during an advanced training and I wanted to demonstrate how quickly it can go... and it did. However what a difference in teaching a 4 month old and a 5 month old to lead and if you don't need to take youngsters to a show lead training goes way faster at 7-8-9 months old.

[rose@almapark.com]

Marty - I never take 6/7 month olds to a show - they are closer to a year because I wean so late (usually 5-6 months or longer if they are slow to mature and based on moms condition). Do you think I should push my lessons to later than 5 months? Or do you think I should base it on the individuals personality? I actually have not even touched my spring babies yet because I was simply too busy (they are 5-6 months now), and wont be showing until the spring 09. I was going to start sometime this month.

Let me know your thoughts -

Rose

[Marty McGee Bennett]

that is great! I am a really strong advocate of late weaning for boys and really letting the mom's do it in the case of girls. I think for older animals it is not a problem to take them to a show and then put them back in with their mothers. Left to their own devices the mothers usually wean about 2 months before the next baby is due. If you don't breed back right away they will typically nurse a baby longer than if you do breed back right away. It has more to do with the imminence of the next birth. In any case the older the better to both train and show... I really like getting serious about teaching a youngster to lead at about 8-9 months and if life gets in the way and you do it later it is really fine. A few sessions with TTouch during weighing and a few experiences in the catch pen with the mid line catch and balance is a good foundation.