What a complicated horse day! Arrived (after 4 days away) to a LBI who thought I was not interesting enough to catch. After my wondering around for 10 minutes I realized I needed to get her interested enough in me - so I did her stretches (rather than provoking her to move) and gave her a treat, and she started to then move toward me when I moved away. Had to stay close to her, but then she came with me, and instead of me going to the gate I did a bit of a pattern in her paddock. She stayed with me, then we went to the gate and I bridled her. Yahoo! A liberty session!
In her stall she was interested and confident. When I kneeled on the ground she brought her head all the way down AND KEPT IT THERE while I bridled her - no need for reminders, first time!!!!
Then into the arena. I planned to work on touch it, focusing on feet. But as soon as she got in she looked at the mirrors, ropes and pylons in front of it and FROZE, RBI. Trying to lead her in different directions didn't work, she just wanted to freeze at the gate. After a while, I took of her line, thinking maybe she'd like to move around on her own - usually she walks right toward the mirror, ears forward. Nope.
So I walked around the arena, not in straight lines, went over to the ropes, then back. Used my carrot stick in various ways. Didn't help.
Then I sat across from her (40 feet) on the mounting step, did exercises, and generally tried to relieve all pressure. Helped a bit, in that she pawed the ground, and looked at me. But still would not move.
So then I decided she needed more leadership. Put her back on the line, and variously did forequarter and hindquarter yields, but it was very very difficult to get her to move away from a 12 by 12 area in front of the gate.
Finally, what seemed to work was the yo yo game (I only had her now on a 12 foot line). Remembering Pat's words from level 1 - without a good yo yo game you have nothing. She would go in and out of RBI mode but at least she was moving toward me, and away from me with some confidence. After a few times, I was able to play stick to me and direct her toward the letters on the wall and have her touch near them. Usually she will touch them with enthusiasm, but I accepted a try that hit the wall. Clearly she was still distracted and unconfident. We did this down the wall, toward the ropes. At the ropes she stalled.
Then, knowing that she really was confident with the mirrors before the rope barrier, I went between the ropes and it. Her ears perked forward and she came toward me. She almost touched the rope (probably afraid it would shock her). I yo yoed her, and then walked backward down the rope line and she happily followed me. Did this a number of times, and it clearly relaxed her. How interesting.
Now that she was more confident and attentive moved on to friendly game with new kidz carrot stick. She was happier with it as helicopter and extreme friendly than the larger stick. Still moving away, but not as quickly or far. I left my hand open so the rope could slide through and she wouldn't feel as much pressure. Given that she was still unconfident with these tasks I decided to do more extreme friendly game rather than touch it.
Picked up the tarp and crunched it. She was RBE. So lots of this, and moving it around, and having her follow it, putting it on me and walking toward and away from her etc etc etc. She was in RBE quadrant all the time, to various degrees. I couldn't touch her with it, but she got more confident over time. I let her circle around me when she got more stressed, and then she got quieter, but not RBI.
Moved on to the foam poles. Even though we ended on a good note with these previously, she was now RBE with them coming toward her. So, just started all over. Took her a long time to be confident with them near her, then with me holding them up lengthwise, then touching her with them. Having them on her back was okay after awhile, but when she moved she went RBE extreme. Maybe I'm seeing old old baggage. This tells me that no way should anyone be on her back, if something like this makes her panic. I'm glad I'm now taking the time - of course also wishing that I had known years ago what I know now. Eventually, she was calmer with them.
Cause I had the time, and she wasn't RBI or extreme RBE I did one more game. This time with her fleece quilted saddle pad. When I've saddled her outside her stall but with a line, she is RBE with the pad coming toward her. Same today. Did lots of approach and retreat with it coming to her and away, then touching her. She wasn't as extreme as with the poles. Then, when I put it on her from the near side, with a hug, and immediately took it off her, she showed such surprise and gratitude. Then she was fine with it being put on and off.
Now to the off side. A new day. Very worried. Lots and lots of approach and retreat. Finally okay with putting it on her, but still worried, even when taking it off right away. Then finally okay.
Then I had her walk around with it. Worried, ears back. Lots of stopping. Yo yo game with it on seemed to help. Finally seemed okay, and took her back to the stall with it on.
Will need to repeat, and add having it slip off her to her feet. She'll not like that, but maybe that is part of her worry. She seemed happy that she was "asked" if it was okay to put it on her back, and to have her worries appreciated. Wouldn't be surprised if so much of her panic goes way back to first being saddled, as I don't imagine her opinion was asked. And of course, for 9 years, I never asked, either.
We seemed to have ended fine. Rubs and apples afterward.
Oh, and my new approach with syringing her supplement is now paying off big time. She has learned how to drink it as I syringe it! And she's okay when I come into the stall with it, etc. etc. !!!!
When I took her back to her paddock, she was okay following a feel to be released - well, at her level of learning.
What a lot of learning for me today.
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