Very productive session today. I caught her in the small pen no problem and changed her lead rope. (I put a 24" lead on her overnight. I really want her to stop stepping on her head.) Panda watched from the tie-up on one side of the arena.
In the round pen I worked on lunging for respect (lunging with lots of quick turns/rollbacks without coming through the center) and sending. Sending is starting to look very pretty and soft, with a loop in the lead the entire time. I also led her in and out of the gate a bunch of times. A lot of the session was spent doing rope work. She is getting better about her head and chin now, so I can keep her head bent while I do desensitizing work. Right side better for everything today, including disengaging the hindquarters. From the near side I did the turn and go exercise a few times. She took it hard the first couple of times, but followed her nose around her hindquarters every time. I am flipping the rope well around her barrel now but have not grabbed it to pull it up yet.
I repeated these exercises in the larger arena, which thanks to Brian now has stock panels all around. She did much better today. We went back to the round pen and I climbed on the fence and did some sending. Couldn't get her to come real close but I could rub her with the stick.
I finished by saddling up Panda and ponying Maddie for the first time. What a blast! Panda was perfect perfect perfect. I rode Panda one handed the whole time and could back and sidepass and spin to keep cutting off Maddie. I had to use the stick to catch Maddie's lead line, but once I had it I could lead her all around and also push her away by sidepassing Panda into her forequarters. I was able to lean over Maddie and give her good rubs on both sides. She did not seem nervous or aggressive, but I did not completely understand her motives when Maddie went to sniff on Panda. So I kept things moving and did not let her have time to think much. What a fabulous fun session. Now two horses that I have trained (Star, whom I started a month ago, and Panda) have been instrumental in the training of Maddie!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
into the stall
Today was Maddie's first trip out of the round pen. I felt she was becoming a little too comfortable in the round pen 24/7 and starting to use her confidence against me. So I started with a good round pen session that ended with a lot of face rubbing. The only part that is still electric is right under her chin, interestingly. She struck out a few times and got me once in the forearm. But no harm done. Brian also rubbed her in the face but experienced the same ambivalence. This is great progress, though.
Brian brought some extra panels to keep her from running into the junk piles if things got ugly and I led her out of the round pen once they were set up. She stuck right at the gate of the round pen and did not want to leave, which I thought was interesting. I led her in and out about 4 times and then went to work her in the larger arena. First I led her around a couple of times and then tried some sending and lunging. She did not send well and kept pulling towards the round pen and Panda. The lunging was also pretty ugly. I want to repeat this again tomorrow morning.
Next Brian pulled Panda out of the small pen and I led Maddie in and out of this a few times. She did well and I felt safe in the smaller area. Then Brian led Panda down the barn aisle and I led her into a box stall. She took her time but went into the stall OK and ate a bit of grain. I repeated 3-4 times and then we took her back to the arena. To change things up we put Maddie in the small pen and Panda in the round pen. Wow!
Brian brought some extra panels to keep her from running into the junk piles if things got ugly and I led her out of the round pen once they were set up. She stuck right at the gate of the round pen and did not want to leave, which I thought was interesting. I led her in and out about 4 times and then went to work her in the larger arena. First I led her around a couple of times and then tried some sending and lunging. She did not send well and kept pulling towards the round pen and Panda. The lunging was also pretty ugly. I want to repeat this again tomorrow morning.
Next Brian pulled Panda out of the small pen and I led Maddie in and out of this a few times. She did well and I felt safe in the smaller area. Then Brian led Panda down the barn aisle and I led her into a box stall. She took her time but went into the stall OK and ate a bit of grain. I repeated 3-4 times and then we took her back to the arena. To change things up we put Maddie in the small pen and Panda in the round pen. Wow!
a little progress
I worked with her for about 45 minutes late yesterday afternoon. She is still more defensive about her right side than her left. I am getting hands to her face much better now, but it is still electric and can go wrong at any time. I started her on backing using the stick on her lead line. I felt I needed to be able to touch her on the head first to do this exercise so that I could rub her on the forehead in between backing. Need to alternate sensitizing with desensitizing, always. I also feel strongly that any tool needs to be rubbed on the horse so that they do not learn to fear the tool. Anyway, she progressed to a couple of steps back very quickly, and I hope this will help the nipping issue. Here is a little video Maria shot:
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Finding my legs
Feeling a bit more relaxed and confident when I worked her today. Had a nice group of friends out to watch, but I just ignored their questions and focused on getting a good work session in. Things went well.
I started out with some strong lunging in both directions. Canter is difficult to get--I could only get up to 1/2 of the round pen in canter. But I wanted her to look forward to resting in the middle today. After some strong turns on the rail, I started dividing the pen and doing lots of turns. I worked up to sending her between me and the spectators, where I had also hung my saddle on the rails. She was getting very soft in this, although she could run around behind me and get sticky. But it was pretty good. I was using the stick and string for this.
In the middle I ran through all the toys for desensitizing and added the lead rope today. I could throw the lead rope all over her body, rump, and all 4 legs. This is real progress. She accepted the bag well on the face and I moved on to a rolled-up saddle pad. I was able to rub this on her face and then use my hands, which was basically the first time I could rub her well on her head. It was easy to keep her head tipped towards me and her poll was probably 10" lower today than when I did this yesterday.
I quit on a good note and gave her 30 minutes to relax. I repeated the same progression and did not do as well. She made it difficult for me to stay next to her shoulder this time and kept turning towards me with a high head. She also nipped a few times at my arm, which she first showed in the earlier session. I did some lunging for respect with the rollbacks in preparation to help this issue. Some of the rollback were very pretty and soft, but one side was better than the other. I want to work up to backing very soon to address this nipping problem.
I started out with some strong lunging in both directions. Canter is difficult to get--I could only get up to 1/2 of the round pen in canter. But I wanted her to look forward to resting in the middle today. After some strong turns on the rail, I started dividing the pen and doing lots of turns. I worked up to sending her between me and the spectators, where I had also hung my saddle on the rails. She was getting very soft in this, although she could run around behind me and get sticky. But it was pretty good. I was using the stick and string for this.
In the middle I ran through all the toys for desensitizing and added the lead rope today. I could throw the lead rope all over her body, rump, and all 4 legs. This is real progress. She accepted the bag well on the face and I moved on to a rolled-up saddle pad. I was able to rub this on her face and then use my hands, which was basically the first time I could rub her well on her head. It was easy to keep her head tipped towards me and her poll was probably 10" lower today than when I did this yesterday.
I quit on a good note and gave her 30 minutes to relax. I repeated the same progression and did not do as well. She made it difficult for me to stay next to her shoulder this time and kept turning towards me with a high head. She also nipped a few times at my arm, which she first showed in the earlier session. I did some lunging for respect with the rollbacks in preparation to help this issue. Some of the rollback were very pretty and soft, but one side was better than the other. I want to work up to backing very soon to address this nipping problem.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Second day
I got out to the barn by 8:30 and divided my work into two sessions of 30 minutes or so. I felt that yesterday I pushed a little too hard and lost some ground overall. I left the 14' lead rope on the ground overnight and just walked in and picked it up with my stick. She was standoff-ish but remembered what she had learned. I could rub her on both sides and neck (with my hands), but the face is strangely sensitive. I went from the chin to the front of the nose once and she struck out good with her left front hoof. Unbelievably fast! Fortunately those Clinton Anderson tapes had drilled into me "always stand at a 45 degree angle" and I was safely out of reach.
The approach zone around her is very electric. At about 3-5' away she gets really tricky, and once I'm inside that with my hands on her, it's OK.
From here I alternated sending with the stick and string a few times in both directions and then rubbing with the stick in the center of the pen. I worked up to swinging the string over her back, belly, front legs, and haunches, which I felt really good about. Towards the end I was getting into a better synch with her by watching her eye and ears directly, and retreating immediately when I got licking. I think yesterday I was approaching for too long and not retreating quickly enough.
By the end of the day I had the plastic bag (on a stick) on both sides well, and also on her face. It's still difficult to get hands on her and the face will have to wait for another session. On the lunge I was sending her for a maximum of 1.5 turns before yielding. When I was focusing well I could send her with just a point and no click. There were many times with prolonged licking and she put her nose well to the ground also. I'll go back later today and keep building on this.
The approach zone around her is very electric. At about 3-5' away she gets really tricky, and once I'm inside that with my hands on her, it's OK.
From here I alternated sending with the stick and string a few times in both directions and then rubbing with the stick in the center of the pen. I worked up to swinging the string over her back, belly, front legs, and haunches, which I felt really good about. Towards the end I was getting into a better synch with her by watching her eye and ears directly, and retreating immediately when I got licking. I think yesterday I was approaching for too long and not retreating quickly enough.
By the end of the day I had the plastic bag (on a stick) on both sides well, and also on her face. It's still difficult to get hands on her and the face will have to wait for another session. On the lunge I was sending her for a maximum of 1.5 turns before yielding. When I was focusing well I could send her with just a point and no click. There were many times with prolonged licking and she put her nose well to the ground also. I'll go back later today and keep building on this.
The setup
The setup I have is a 40' round pen inside an indoor arena, with a couple of panels attached to the outside to keep a buddy horse in. I did not want Candela to be completely alone, and the round pen was the only thing I had access to with 6' panels. My intention is to house her in the round pen until she is well halter broken and can be put in a stall easily. The 40' size works well for me, although I know many famous trainers recommend at least 50'. I don't have much to compare it to, though.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Day One
Unbelievable day. We picked her up in Mequon at 10:00 am and had her in the round pen by 11:00 at the Pink Barn. We made a last minute decision to start working her without a buddy around, so it was just me and the mare. The spectators left after about 30 minutes and I was alone with her. I had no trouble getting inside turns 100% of the time, and I rested her often. I did not push her hard--focused on the eye and stepping off the rail.
Anyway, it got a little ugly after that. I roped her but she stepped through and I had one leg plus her neck--it was more around her belly than her neck now. I kept working her by pulling and releasing when she faced me, but there was no way I was going to get that lariat off. Aaaargh.
I went to catch my trusty mare Panda to help as a buddy, but when she ran off I grabbed Star instead. By the time I brought Star into the barn, Brian showed up and he came in to help me.
Brian used Star as a blocker and soon we figured out how to hold the mare in between Star and the rail. We could then reach over Star and start to rub her. At some point in here I put a second lariat around her, too, this time getting a clean loop around her neck. Anyway, using Star to block and to calm her, we took both ropes off and then got a rope halter on her. Brian was a godsend--incredibly calm and helpful. Star was amazing. There were ropes everywhere and she just stood still. She did not feed off the mustang at all. What a great mare.
With the halter on (and taking breaks during all this, btw), I taught her to step over behind well on both sides and start to lead. Using the stick, I began rubbing her and by the end of the day I was rubbing her with my hands well on both sides. The face and belly are still ticklish, but the withers and neck are very easy.
It was an amazing experience! Wow.
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