MARCH, 2012 ONLINE PROGRESS

MARCH, 2012 ONLINE PROGRESS

March 4, 2012

Carrot stick friendly game - rub legs with stick, twirl stick. She wants to move when I rub her back legs - probably thinks I'm asking her to go (from the use your whip to make them go days). After a few times of not stopping until she stopped she understood. 



March 7, 2012

Two hour online session today with lots and lots and lots of friendly games, plus games to see who was really in charge. Turns out I was, which caused my idea to be hers and lots and lots of BIG licking and chewing. 

Play with the tarp - made it into the stick to me game: how sloooooowww can you go forward, then go back fast fast fast, then sideways.

After blowing zaina's mind by not being direct line, she was very happy to just wait with her back feet calmly on the tarp!

Shut my eyes and sat down for walk and trot circling game. VERY neat. She came in at the trot to check on me once. Really reinforced "at ease". 



At the canter, when I asked for a transition down she DID IT to a stop, looked at me and major licking and chewing. Wow, something happened there, and I'm not sure what. 

Then spent at least an hour of friendly game with the saddle. She's started walking away when I lift it.

Oh man, my arms are sore now, but it was worth it. This was a real challenge of respect rather than fear, but I used the friendly game as the means to win her confidence in me. My saddling technique has still been rather clumsy so I can't blame her for being put off. But I'm also worried that she's still worried about being ridden. Finally, I got my rhythm with saddling - it's not the text-book parelli technique, but then again, there are no rules. Will be interesting to see how Zaina responds next time - she'll let me know if my persistence was positive.

March 10, 2012

On Line:  More leaps of progressive today. Focused on the tarp, and after every success I kneeled down, turned away from her and contained my energy - was in the moment, as a release. Every time she responded with licks and chews and a relaxed head, and then we made further progress.

Sideways, stick to me, yoyo, backing around and on and away from the tarp. Not only was she happy to keep her back fee ton it but the end of our session - but she was CHOOSING to go to the tarp at liberty and THEN to walk over it when it wasn't necessary, on the circling game!!! 



Driving Point A to Point B. Needing to be persistent as Z prefers to keep me beside her especially on a straight line, but it's coming along. 



Also today, more friendly game with the saddle. Took far less time than previously to have her stand confidently when I picked up the saddle.

Today we walked al ot with it, both eyes, and as with the tarp, I'd put it down, kneel down etc. When I put it on the tarp Z especially relaxed. I found out that the noise the saddle rack makes when I pick up the saddle bothers her, so played friendly game with the rack. Outcome - Zaina going to the saddle to sniff it without even being asked.

Standing confidently to be saddled.

I continued the saddle play by putting the girth on, and she worries about her left side, both at front and side of saddle. I pushed it further back and that seemed to help the front. Then kept my hand under the flap and pushed on her ribs before girthing.

After repeating this a few times she let me tighten the girth without getting anxious. 
Once she was saddled played the games online some more so that there was no meaning to the saddle in terms of riding.

March 13, 2012

Circling game downward transitions - Zaina always seems surprised that she's been asked to slow down, and usually comes to a halt. Shows me that when she's circling she's not really connected to me, so gets surprised by the requested. However, she is understanding, and is not TOO worried about the change.
Ran through drive Point A to Point B, touch it with tarp (not as willing to have hind feet on today) and stick to me along the perimeter playing with changing directions by yielding.

March 17, 2012

Online today videoing with and without the saddle to send for some insight into her left side asymmetry. She was reactive - snow coming off the roof, and probably spent most of yesterday inside because of the weather. Despite her RBE antennas being up and about she was connecting with me. Very different though, to be having to spend time with her doing 
something more goal oriented and thus not spending as much time watching and just "being" with her. Had a negative influence on her emotions. I tried not to be direct line, but of course that is very difficult for me at this level. This session confirmed for me how sensitive she is to my energy and emotions, so that she couldn't do tasks that last time were easy and fun for her. I'm understanding more how much savvy pat and linda have, to be able to maintain the horse as the priority while still getting things done, especially in front of audiences.

March 20, 2012

Focused only on one task today - sideways over a pole (log). Zaina worried at first about it, but I patiently persisted and had success (close range and just a few steps). I'm learning now that she is trusting me enough to help her work through her worries; and I have a much better understanding of how to go about this in a non-threatening way.


This is a big change. It used to be that it would be necessary to take a number of days to build toward the task in increments.


Another change today was I was able to get myself to do less online before saddling her, and then playing longer online with her saddled.

March 22

Online was carried out almost entirely with the saddle on. Happier trotting circles even with the stirrups dangling. Sideways over pole as a stick to me game is working!

 March 25, 2012 

Zaina very mellow today. Played Point A to B driving, then saddled up and did some circles, HQ and FQ turns. Tons of licking and chewing, and even chewing on the ground pole.

 March 28, 2012 

Driving point to point, squeeze over raised pole, and increased rotations of walk and trot circling. Zaina was worried about strings and ropes today, so a lot of persistent friendly game. BIG sighs when I repeated politely follow the feel around Z5. This has always been a worrisome task for her, but today I took the line and also played lead by the neck, and leg with it, then went back to it around z5. That process blew her mind, and she was SOFT with the feel afterward!

March 29, 2012

Zaina did a wonderful 75% non-emotional trot over a pole and 3 cavelletti blocks (2 side by side, one at the other end of the pole). This is our log simulation. I was so very proud of her, especially since it was going to the right. I didn't ask for it again, or from the left today, as this is a major breakthrough. 
Also played with strings/ropes again on Z4 and 5. Rubbed with my jacket as well. Lots of improvement over last session. Then later on asked for her to follow feel of rope around and it was super soft. 
GREAT driving from A to B, at end of 22 foot line both sides!!!!!!! Huge achievement.

March 30, 2012

Focused on friendly game today - friendly game with crunchy plastic bag in my hand, on my arm, and tied to carrot stick. Helping Z with her confidence from it touch her and having it flick around including above her near the wall. Success? she accepted it at liberty, and when later outside I picked up a LONG tree limb from the ground she let me scratch her back with it - this thing was 5 feet long with tentacles! Wow.