Partial Disengagement

 Watched February 2010 Mastery Lesson with Linda, Relaxation with Partial Disengagement. Goal was to use the concepts and techniques on-line to maintain relaxation  - Linda's words of wisdom, "have to teach in calmness", rather than having Z stay tense trying to eventually get calm.

Catching game - I think Z is having fun with the disengaging follow me pattern in the paddock!

She was far less RBI today. Did not get stuck at the door. Lots of licking and chewing throughout.

When we went into the arena, seeing that she was calm, and interested in the mirrors, I started playing the circling game rather than our usual walking around checking things out. She was very okay with this plan. 

Then touch it from longer distance - not good because I later realized I was not in the proper position. Then to the ropes, and played with her from the opposite side. While walking around did the helicopter, and she's now much better, able to walk beside me instead of moving back, although this took awhile. She took herself sideways against the wall, and I was able to stay at the end of the 12foot line and move with her, very nice.

Then back to toys and playing extreme friendly game. Used a cone, because when I picked it up she was worried. This is her big thing now, afraid of me coming toward her with stuff.

Practiced partial disengagement, having her walk down the wall, with me turning her head but keeping her feet moving when she stressed out at the cone (which was immediately and continuously). Eventually remembered that her ribs needed to be pushed in, so worked on that as well. All very difficult to do on the ground, but it certainly did start to work! Eventually she was calmer, so then went to smell the tarp.

Then played friendly game with the saddle pad.  She started stressed again just from me coming towards her, but kept repeating the actions of lifting it toward her, then with partial disengagement. Slowly she got much much better and gave me permission to put it on her back. Walking with it on stressed her, so more disengagement, and pretty quick success. This stuff works! She kept getting stressed again though when I would again move toward her with the pad. Stopped instead of trying to solve the problem today and raising her anxiety level.



Returned to circling game, using tarp as obstacle and later as squeeze game. Great at walk, at trot started to get tense, so I did lots and lots of trot walk transitions to "teach in relaxation". Soooo neat, she calmed, and we stopped for the day. I'm showing more self discipline. Have to accept that I can't "fix" this stuff in a session even though Pat and Linda can.