My lesson last week was with Beau. I wanted Kendra to meet Beau and Guinness to see where they are in their lessons. I meant for her and I to only spend a few minutes with each horse, then go on to Jester. We ended up spending the entire time with Beau. It was really good. It started with me driving him into the middle area pasture then towards the arena. He kept turning in (like Jester). But, it wasn't LIKE Jester. His turning in was fear problems. Saying, "I am not so sure I want to leave my herd."
She talked about reading the horse here and his emotions. She had me HQ him then. Then, she had me go backwards with him towards where he was comfortable (driving him there) then turn around and go again. She stressed how since he has the fear (packing the suitcase syndrome) that he needs to know he can move his feet. That I should not MAKE him go forward. To let him know he can move his feet, and give him the opportunity to say "no." This gives him more confidence in me. We did finally make it to the arena. He was pretty good with his transitions on the line, and his HQ was really good. I then showed her what he does when I take him off the line at Liberty. This is where he gallops off like a loon. He did this. But, she said he isn't galloping off in fear here. He is galloping off and saying "I don't have to listen to you" attitude.
She then said that the way to repair this is by having the horse move around the arena and not letting him turn in to me. Because, this then makes it his idea, he owns his feet.
So, every time he would stop, she made me resend him for a total of three laps. He galloped at each lap. I didn't ask for galloping he was doing this. By the end of the lesson you could see that a lightbulb kind of went off in his head. Like, "I think it is more fun to be with mom than me running around like a crazed guy." A lot easier too. Kendra said this will help in the saddle and his bolting.
At the end of the lesson, and when I had his full attention I asked him into me. He then followed me everywhere in the arena.
The next day I took him back to the arena. Did ground work and then let him loose at liberty. I had to ask him to move off. He did at a WALK. Then, he started to trot for for maybe five seconds then back at a walk and made his circle around me HALF of the arena (his idea) and kept an eye on me asking to come in.
I guess it worked. :O
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