Oct. 31, 2010 Principles in Practice

Putting Principles to Practices
Approached today with principles in mind: put the relationship first. The goal - build her confidence. How? By watching for thresholds, being particular without being critical.
Being Critical? How does it appear to the horse? To Zaina, maybe: staring at her as she tries; keep asking without waiting; ignoring thresholds.

Set up four cones as a question mark, and the foam pole. She was still worried about being "in the cone zone" so didn't go in, lots of walking around, but also getting her to pay attention to playing "stick to me." MORE particular when she swung away from me at the halt, playing "hide your hiney." Interesting - she did not get emotional when the string hit her hiney, but she did improve her halt, and when she didn't she seemed to understand that she needed to come back and stand beside me!

NICE sideways movement towards the right along the wall. I was more particular about MY directions, stopping the sideways movement and ensuring instead she wasn't going backwards. Also, more persistent.

Back to the question box for lots of approach and small retreats every time her ears went back or she hesitated. Stayed beside her head, slowly slowly she entered the "zone." First she would then walk through fairly quickly but with repeated approaches and retreats, was less emotional. Then the bigger test, sending her into it. Yes, it was okay. Then come to me over the ground pole. More approach and wait wait wait, persistently ask, wait wait wait, ask wait ask wait, her she comes and waits for instructions, all the way over. Then go the other way, comes over and stops with me, relaxed in the zone!

Excellent yo yo into her stall, no hesitation. Happy horse.

LBE Dominant Play

Had a short play session with Barb's Ben today. He hadn't been ridden this week, and people were riding in the arena. I didn't have enough savvy to recommend we not do anything. After a few minutes of being very very good standing still, he started to get fretful. I played friendly game with the carrot stick in his mouth a lot, which he liked. When I played the driving game to get him to move his neck, he did, but then I think he thought this meant "playtime!" as he does with his horse pal, Alex. He was rearing and pawing the air. Also did a couple of runs away, but didn't pull the rope taunt. He really did want to move around and play. Too much horse for me in that restrictive setting.
When in his stall he showed his tension for awhile, swinging his neck and moving around. Maybe he thought he was being punished. Barb and I stayed with him for about 1/2 an hour, goofing around with him, especially letting him mouth stuff. When he was playing with her I rubbed his head and ears to get him used to that kind of stuff, as he doesn't like it much.
A lot of approach and retreat, as he'd go from being friendly to pinning his ears. But overall, a very good boy.
Note on safety: NEVER leave a horse unattended or loose with the rope halter. Ben caught the rope on his door latch and if he had panicked would have broken his neck. 

Oct. 29, 2010 Rapport Day

Read a 2006 savvy times article on the liberty horse behavior course, and how for the first while the students were just to be with their horse and not try to direct anything. This is what I did today, to repair the damage done by last day's direct line thinking.

Spent a long time just sitting on the grass while she grazed. Later,  I took her into the outdoor ring so I could watch her without the line. She then let me walk up to her, and untangle her mane. I gave her a banana as when I wanted to take her back inside, and she then let me halter her without running away. It was a nice feeling.

Oct. 26, 2010 direct line thinking

Rode today to see if I could use my thin no-slip pad with the saddle further back. I could use it without slipping, but it was really irritating Z. Plus she's in heat, so that might have been bothering her as well. She was very good at the walk, but just wanted to run at the trot.

I had setup cones to ride the question box game, but she was very worried about being "in" the box, so did a lot of approach and retreat. Also had ground poles set out, which she didn't want to walk over on-line but was fine with under saddle, even the foam ones. At one point she caught one between her leg which was a brief freak-out, but she quickly understood she was okay. Plus after that she FINALLY picked up her back feet going over them, instead of dragging, AND was less concerned about them.

She wasn't happy by the time I got off. I should have not ridden her today. Later on read a parelli blog post about figuring out what your horse needs for that day instead of going with the "plan". Point taken. Need to not just pay attention to how she is feeling, but use that info to decide what we'll do. Direct line thinking is still winning out.

Oct 24, 2010 on line and mounted

I saddled up with the theraflex pad today. Very nice shoulder movement and room. Z immediately stretched down and snorted. She wanted to move low forward to clear her throat.
During passenger lesson at the walk she offered to go over the ground pole again!

Played point-to-point at a walk; she knew what I was thinking.
Sideways from pylon to pylon was excellent, almost no use of the reins or legs.

At the trot the pad started to irritate her big time, as it was rubbing her hip. She started to get emotional so I got off (no slipping pad!), and we did trot walk transitions on line. They are starting to come. But then the pad really got to her so we ended the session. I'll need to get a round one.

Oh, and when playing on line before riding, she did a nice sideways using the wall, toward the right, and I was able to keep a couple feet away from her - yeah!

Oct. 23, 2010 LBE

Played with Barb's Ben, this afternoon. A very LBE. Playful, dominant, mouthy, dominant, big, dogminant - did I mention dominant?

This was our fourth play session. The last one disintegrated into Ben's winning big time by pulling the rope away and running.  This time me and Barb savvied up and stayed inside. Plus she had ridden him before I arrived, which also probably helped a lot.

I spent a lot of time chatting to barb while Ben stood out on the line. Did some walk and trot circles with change of direction at walk (very nice changes). He was very pushy for many of the circles, then kept his head turned away from me, but after awhile would peek over and check-in. Was able to have him move his feet into the hoop, despite all his wanting to do was chew on it. Did some porcupine and driving games toward his neck - very hard to move away. Called it a successful day rather than pushing him over the edge!

Oct. 22, 2010 harmony play

Beautiful relationship today, on line and mounted. Change of direction on walk circle to left (change to right) was done with phase one, Z gave eye contact, and smoothly walked in new direction. Sooo nice. Not as smooth in other direction, but that's okay!

Mounted, remembered sooner and more often to use my upper body. Z is moving into trot when I use my shoulders now, is backing when I use my legs, without being pulled back. Walked a circle with very few corrections.
Best of all - first passenger lesson at the trot! Only when going to the right (I think - maybe the opposite!), but felt so very good.

When I was sitting the trot and she was anxious I finally realized I was being a clothes peg, like I used to be all the time at the walk and posting trot. When I released my thighs she released her stress.

Tried to go into a canter but she got stressed and spooked at the door. First time for that in ages, but a quick shift to relaxed again.

Shelley was visiting - so nice to show off Z. She held her while I practiced mounting from the ground on the off side. Ugh, I really had to drag myself up to the saddle. Didn't try to throw my leg over as I knew I'd thump her. She stood like a soldier through all the struggle and moaning and groaning, and the less than gracious "lowering" back to the ground. Need to get in better shape.

Z backed into her stall with phase 1, then came out nicely toward me when I was looking softly at her. I didn't ask, but took what she offered since this had become difficult. Interesting, how after just a few times of taking away my eyes and belly from her at this "ask" she's now offering when I am looking at her. Horses are sooo interesting.

When I arrived home I learned my theraflex pad is waiting at the post office. Can't wait to try it.

Oct. 19, 2010 Mounted

Hope my theraflex pad arrives soon, as my pad slips when mounting when I put it in the right position behind the scapula! When I finished riding I could really tell how much the bars are pressing on Z's bone. She greatly appreciated being rubbed hard in the area, and tried to do the same on my shoulder with her teeth!

Forgot to move my shoulders when trotting for most of today's ride. Sigh. When I did, really nice relaxed trot.

Trotted over a pole between two cones, by thinking "it's not about the pole" and going over it obliquely as I circled a cone, rather than straight on. Made a big difference to my thinking, and thus relaxation. BRAIN NOTE: REMEMBER.

Rode inside, but the wind was flicking up the dressage letters, so Z was jumpy, but didn't freak out, and my new savvy smarts helped us both keep going and get relaxed.

I think I found my balance point today. At the passenger walk I could feel her hips swinging right through mine, and she started to blow and blow almost as soon as we got started. This is such a good feeling that it's all I want to do!

Oct. 17, 2010 On Line

I really need to be less direct line when playing on line. I'm much better at this when mounted.

Brought the hula hoop today. All the horses EXCEPT Z snorted and went to the back of their stalls when I walked down the aisle. Z kept her head out of the stall with her ears pointed right toward me. Good Girl, made me feel wonderful. 

We played around it a lot, and she did step on it.

Went to the local play day meeting on saturday and got some ideas about increasing Z's tolerance for the savvy string. 1) turn completely away from her when doing friendly game with stick and string; 2) swing savvy string AWAY from her always, rather than toward her; 3) increase intensity of friendly games to desensitize her. Worked on each of these and everything helped. Did lots of friendly game with the 22 foot line on her butt - she didn't like this, and pawed the ground, but she remained okay.  She was happy in her stall afterwards so I don't think I overdid it.

Before played I did head stretches. She really liked this; her neck cracked.

Oct 14, 2010 Trailer Simulations

Today we played with trailer simulations. I hung the tarp over the two tall parking cones, about 5 feet away from, parallel to the fence. I sure watched for those thresholds, and she seemed to realize that I was taking care of that, because she had fewer and fewer of them. So instead of trying to get her desensitized by holding her in an area when afraid, I only move her closer when she's not afraid. GOT IT! Played lots of friendly game throughout. She was showing curiosity and some confidence. Next time I'll move the barrier closer to the fence.

Played friendly game with the shaker hoop, ultimately having her pull it on a 22 foot line (via a savvy string around her neck).  She got afraid when it was dragging behind her on her left (bad eye), so I went back to me pulling it, then her pulling it first close then further. Did all of this with as passenger game, so that she chose where to go and I followed, at her pace. She became happy with me to remain at Zone 3 both sides! Amazing. Next I'll try something heavier.

Played around a jump obstacle with no attempt to have her go over it. This seemed to surprise her. She did sideways game very well, and much better disengagement.

With the goal of being more particular (see oh boy - trailer post), I concentrated on moving to a phase 4 when she did not respond, especially when she stopped to eat grass.

Played sideways game without a fence as we moseyed to the ring. Difficult because of the tempting grass but she slowly got the idea. This seems a great way to get her to accept my leadership as we go to the ring to play.

A beautiful fall day. Sunny, lots of colours are out. I quit after success with the squeeze game instead of doing more. Today we did less "stuff" but the challenge was greater. Very much fun.

I think that today we began to be in harmony. What a soft happy feeling I have, and grateful to my horse.

Oct. 11, 2010 Oh Boy - Trailer!

What a special day. Arrived to find Anne had rented a trailer for a couple days so I was able to play the "it's not about the trailer game" for three hours. VERY interesting. Challenging. Had to use every arrow in my quiver during this play time. Very glad to have been going through the level 2 blue pack, as the thresholds material was probably the most helpful. Also: do not release on a brace; retreat approach retreat retreat approach etc etc; tit for tat; of course friendly game throughout, the squeeze game.
Played various games near and from from the trailer, touch it going to and from it from various directions. Mirrored her when she became anxious.
She went from not wanting to be near the trailer, to find with being near it and touching it, got anxious part way through, decided to play the yo yo game herself - back and then to the side of the trailer. She was surprised when I let her do this, and after a few times I began to yo yo her back so then she stopped doing it! INTERESTING!
At hour 3 she put both front feet on the ramp. She was a bit emotional about it, but that was enough. She was anxious afterwards eating grass but chilled out in her stall.
Very proud of myself for being able to manage my energy appropriately for the most part. It was really nice when she stood next to me, sideways to the trailer and ramp and let me stroke her all over.
I learned that I need to be clearer in my hind end disengagement technique.
Oh - and when we were not thinking about the trailer we did some circling and change of directions, much better coming to me now that I am directing my navel and eyes away from her instead of at her!

Oct. 9, 2010 Inside Mounted

First time riding in a week  but Z was very calm. Worked at fluidity concepts again of moving my shoulders with her. Didn't go as well today, rhythm wasn't steady but afterwards discovered probably why - had managed to get a knot in her saddle string pressed against her body when I girthed her. Mannnn - when I rubbed that area she stretched big time. Jeepers, of all the things....

Played the passenger game at the walk. The saddle was further back, so suddenly I could see her withers to put my hands on, before had been doing this on her neck, which did not feel secure - duh! She volunteered to walk over the ground pole a number of times - ta da!

Oct. 5, 2010 On line Outside

Feeling wretched due to antibiotics so today was lots of moseying and simple games. In the outdoor ring we watched some construction trucks, then she offered to walk and trot over the cavaletti. This after days of being unwilling to go over obstacles!

Big learning deal today - when I ask her to come to me I've been driving her away with the energy from my navel or even just by looking right at her. So I dropped my gaze and made sure my navel was turned away from her, and she came right to me.