I mounted by the barn and rode up and didn't have to deal with tenseness or silliness. In the ring I started with the warm up by the in gate and we ran into the same issue with going to C. So I repeated everything that I had done yesterday. It was hard work- the area between R and C was the 'rest zone' and the remainder of the ring was the 'work zone'. I had to make it 100% clear. I would ask her to stand in that zone and as soon as she turned away I would take up the rein to complete the turn and dig my heels in her side and go down to the other end where we got to work. If she spun and bolted I went with her and encouraged her to go. We even galloped at some points.
And in the end we were able to walk calmly and quietly in that area. I was very happy and I was going to finish with a halt and a rein back. But when I halted there was a sudden noise as my neighbour used a hose on the side of his house (I think it was his house). Carmen flinched but didn't move even though we were in the 'really scary area'. I hopped off right away and gave her lots of praise. By then we were both soaked.
As I was cooling her off Royce called and asked how it was going. I explained what I had done and he said that I had been doing completely the wrong thing. Which got me upset. I understand what he's thinking so let me see if I can explain it.
First here's the idea in a video:
With everything that Royce has done and taught me I can ride Carmen up at C but I can't get her to relax there. I need her to not 'tolerate' being there but be willing to go there. So I'm trying to get her to think that this is the place to be. What I believe Royce's objection is that I am teaching her it's okay to run away. I tried to explain that I need her to change her attitude. Essentially he said that her issues up there are because of the way I ride her. I pointed out that I can ride her everywhere else in the ring without those issues but that end is her freaky spot. So I'm not necessarily buying that it's me. I believe that Carmen has it in her head that she doesn't go there and no amount of relaxing her elsewhere is going to transfer there for her. We discussed what I should do and I agreed that I would ride her again tonight and let him know how it went. But I wasn't convinced that I was going to do what he wanted me to do which is to avoid that area until she was relaxed and then ask her to there. If she got tense I was to leave and relax her again. I was afraid that that would teach her that the other areas were the places to be.
I hung up frustrated. I'm sure he was too. I probably didn't explain it well.
We had a great afternoon with the family and when the left Caelen and I got the horses ready to ride. I did some ground work up at C and then mounted. I did some warm up at the walk at the in gate and then I asked her to walk up to C.
And she did. I halted her between R and C in the centre line and she breathed out and cocked a leg. I slowly walked away and we did some work in various area. I think I did maybe 2 mins of trot work, the rest was walking and bending and leg yielding. And her ears were little satellite dishes. there was one spook when a crow flew up out of the grass down at the other end of the ring - it startled me too but she went right back to work. After the 6 or 7th time of going up to C her walking calmly by the grass while checking in with me with her ears constantly instead of locked on the dangerous grass I hopped off. I think I rode about 20 minutes.
I do love data- I'm always going on about it at work. I don't have much data but here's what I have:
Day Time to get her relaxed at C
Saturday 90 minutes
Sunday Morning 45 minutes
Sunday Evening 0 minutes
I will see what happens tomorrow but I am encouraged.
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| you can see how tall the grass is. Her ears are up but her hind leg is cocked. If I touch a rein her ear will swivel back 'what do you want?' |
She and I hung out by the mounting block while Caelen and Irish played in the ring. She nibbled on grass and relaxed. At one point she brought her head down to my leg and gently nuzzled me. I rubbed her forehead and she sighed and relaxed.
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| relaxing and enjoying the evening |
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| can I have cookies now? |
Ha! So, Royce thinks she was good today because you did what he said and you KNOW she was good at C because of all the work you did yesterday and the day before. I'd put a lot of good money down that you are right. Trainers are invaluable but in the end, you know your horse better than anyone. Continue to trust your gut. You nailed this one.
ReplyDeleteI hope so. We shall see if it continues on this path. But I am cautiously optimistic.
DeleteSo glad you found something that works for you, even if Royce isn't 100% on board (yet) -- ultimately, you know Carmen best!
ReplyDeleteI do think that this is what will work to change her mind.
DeleteI've heard and tried both options...the make them work harder in the scary spot and the make them stop and relax and think. Honestly, I understand royces point of view but with my mare that used to bolt, your answer was the one that eventually worked for me because with the first option mare quickly figured out pretending to be worried = more standing around not working :)
ReplyDeleteWhat I need Carmen to do is to change her mind that end of the ring is a much better place to be. Then we can start to work there
DeleteWell, Carmen understood and that's what really matters. Way to go.
ReplyDelete:)
DeleteAs to whether it's you or her, how is she with other riders in the scary end? It's nice that he called you - I've never had a trainer do that!
ReplyDeleteI don't really have other people ride her other than Royce. Funnily it wasn't there before the grass came in and then it was there. So it's not just me but it might the two of us (if you know what I mean).
DeleteTrainers are a great help but they aren't always right either. You figured out the way that works for Carmen so give yourself a pat on the back. ;)
ReplyDeleteHe has been a great help and I hope I don't sound critical- I'm still assuming that i didn't explain it well.
DeleteWhen one of my trainers was working with me on getting my spooky horses to behave better at the scary end of the arena, I had one of my famous brain farts and did the opposite of what the trainer told me to do. It worked. I told the trainer about my success and she said, "That's good, but next time do the opposite." I thought I had done what she told me to do. Whoops.
ReplyDeleteMy scary end of the arena really is a scary place, because all kinds of wild animals and strange people hang out down there and pop out of bushes. That particular trainer said that she didn't want me to think about why the horse was scared, but to just be black and white in my thinking, and deal with spooks in a systematic manner. That simplifies it, but I can also come up with examples of when you can't solve a horse's issues without knowing why it behaves that way.
As long as it works for the horse then it works.
DeleteI'm glad it worked for you. Sorry Royce didn't get it, but as long as it worked, just go with it.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking that I didn't explain it well - it wouldn't be the first time we had a communinication issue. but it feels like the right path- I shall carry on and see how it works.
Deletei'm basically a lesson junkie and rely very heavily on my trainers for advice and guidance. simultaneously, tho, my most successful trainer relationships - and the ones from which i've learned the most - are those where the trainer also trusts and relies on me a bit too.
ReplyDeletesorta like "ok i have shared my wisdom with you and trust you to apply it in ways that work for you." or, in other words, sometimes ya gotta cut the cord and see how things go. the best trainers are generally on board with that. seems like it might be working for you too!