Today I finally got around to watching the video of my ride on Scout on Sunday. It didn't look near as bad as it felt from the saddle. I think I'm being too critical and impatient. I also think I'm not quitting when I should. I might take a short ride tomorrow if the footing isn't too slick.
Thanks for the suggestions in the comments! I'm going to try sitting quietly and visualizing what I want. I did do that but I think I was impatient there too. I suspect he might just start fussing though - trying to eat the reins or the saddle. Also, when I ask him to go forward I'm trying not to mess with the reins, just leave him his head, but when I watched my video I found I'm moving the reins more than I thought I was. I'm going to change that. But part of the problem is he's dorking around trying to chew on everything, so I try to redirect him with the reins. I wonder what he would do if I ignored him instead? I did try slapping my leg to get him to move before I got off and found a whip. It didn't seem to help after the first startle factor wore off.
Today I waited until the horses looked thoroughly bored, then I went out to see them. Tonka came right up with great interest. I lunged him about 8 circles in each direction and then took him back to the pasture. I haltered Scout for a couple minutes and moved him around.
The real fun came when I rolled a plastic barrel into the pasture. I pushed it around for a while. Tipped it over under Scout's belly. Scout was kind of interested. He nosed it and licked it, pawed it a bit. He was more interested in my pockets because I had given him a treat. Tonka pawed it around a bit too, and I'm pretty sure he was trying to stand it up by grabbing the lip with his teeth. I rolled it up against his front legs and backed up, asked him if he could come here. He had his super cute, intense, interested face on. He put one hoof over and it flipped so it was between his front legs. Then he maneuvered himself to where it was under him and scooted it back toward his back legs with his front legs. He did this for a while. When it would get off center he'd move sideways and around to where it was straight across in between his front and back legs, then scoot it toward his hind legs again. It was great to watch! He was having a lot of fun, I think he was trying to show off for me, and his back was up and his core was engaged. I'm thinking I'm going to try to encourage that game. If I can get a video and figure out how to edit it, I'll post it. I don't have the software I had before.
Anyway - it was a good day. Thought provoking. I still have lots of learning and playing to do!
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4 comments:
I'm trying to rack my memory to what was done for Cia. I think Billy did have a crop that he used as extra reinforcement, but I think that was mostly to keep her off the rail. I believe he started her off by moving the hip first in order to unfreeze the feet, and I did the same. I just read through Countdown to Broke, pp118-121, and that is pretty much exactly how Billy and I did it. We pulled her head in toward the hip, when she moved the feet, we released and pretty much let her go and encouraged any movement we got at first. I'm looking forward to an update. Is Scout making any movement? Does he seem comfortable with you up there, or is he bracing? I really wish we lived nearer each other so I could come over and give you some support. Good luck!!!!
Linda, I did that too. It worked to move his hip over but not to move him forward. He is moving around, and if you watch the video, it looks pretty good, he's just a little slow. But when I'm on his back I can feel the "stop" in each step. And it's a lot of work to get, and to keep going. He is definitely bracing.
I think I just need to stick with it and stay consistent, as well as try to make it more fun for him. He really enjoys walking to a person at the rail. I was trying to discourage him because he'd get kind of stuck there, but maybe I can enlist the whole family and get him to walk to each person in succession.
The ground is so slick with mud and snow right now that I'm just going to have to wait to ride again. Meanwhile I'm going to work more on his go from the ground and watch to see what gets his attention.
Did you upload the video onto your blog? I'd love to see it.
It's slick around here, too--not ideal conditions for working young ones. I didn't even tie BG to the new tie post--I tied her in the barn instead--because it's so muddy out there. So I guess spring isn't really here yet.
No. I have to get some software to compress it. I've been working on that today.
Yeah, I guess spring isn't here. At least most days aren't too gross to go outside. I've been having a lot of fun, but I can't wait for spring to really get here.
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