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| " So I'm a working girl again this morning? Well, okay but don't forget the treats!" |
It’s been a while since I’ve posted. We’ve been busy with barn and
property projects. The horses are all doing well. Rosie and I have
been doing some training and hopefully forging a relationship with each other.
Rosie is a very willing and talented gal. There’s rarely a time she
refuses what is asked of her except when she doesn’t understand the cue.
Then she just stops and we figure a way to let her know what I want. Once
the light bulb goes on, she’s fine and we continue on with the lesson.
At first anytime I took a slight contact with her
mouth she would stop, so I assumed her previous training required her to go
with no contact whatsoever and we rode on the buckle for a while and gradually
inched up the reins in subsequent lessons. Now she can be ridden with a
light following contact. We’ve done a lot of walking and circles with a
gentle opening inside rein to teach her how to bend and use her body
properly. I know some people subscribe
to the training principle of pulling the horses head around to their side and
think the horse will then learn how to bend.
I’ve actually been at one barn where they tied the horse’s head to his
tail overnight thinking that would do the trick. It doesn’t and it’s cruel. I’m more about starting
with a soft flexion at the poll and letting the rest follow, so that’s what
we’ve been working on.
Asking her
to trot at first produced a western jog and we figured out that a second
pressure from my legs would get a response and a smoother more flowing
trot. I recently found out that she was
a western pleasure horse. So it’s taken
some time with her figuring out what her way of going was previously like and
how to change it gradually so she understands what I’m asking. Everything we’ve
done together so far is designed to reteach her to my way of riding and not to
cause her any stress. I’ve tried to make
each teaching moment a good experience and so far I’d say we’ve achieved
that.
We’ve done a lot of groundwork on the longe and
she’s learning how to open up her stride and loosen her musculature. The other day we free longed for the first
time and that went pretty well. She even
cantered a bit and looked great.
Small steps and gradual understanding of each
other is our way of getting to know each other.
It doesn’t matter how long it takes. It may sound impractical to some
but I believe in letting it take as long as it takes to have a happy well
adjusted horse who is willing to work with me. And for both of us to enjoy our
time spent together. I’m happy to report
that Rosie will now groom me back while I’m grooming her and she will let me
kiss her nose and hug her.
Quote
for Today
If the horse does not enjoy her work, her rider will have no joy.
