of walking her up to the mounting block, her turning away and round and so on - and trying to keep the rein out of her mouth, she's developed an awful habit of getting it into her mouth and chewing it, i can't even see how she does it, something with her lip when i'm leading her... - and i was driven past by two people who KNEW i'd been there for ages (they'd walked past me when I first started ... and some tears ... and stopped for a fag to calm down - someone else finally arrived at the barn so I went round and asked for help. I am SOOOOOOO hacked off with this. and later when i'd finished riding, scarlet's owner turned up - his helpful comments were
1. you need to do something to crack this
2. have you had professional help with this?
3. you need someone to help you for hours....
i could have spat... but i didn't, i asked what did he think i should try that i hadn't already, then he said, he had the same problem with his first horse that he never cracked because she had girthing issues - which as i pointed out molly doesn't have. some people.
anyway, i did 40 minutes ride in the arena - some times getting there, sometimes not. I was well warm, thank goodness (the new thermal trousers and the mega horseware jacket) the only bit of me that was chilly were my ears!
sometimes molly was too fast and I struggled to slow my seat down to slow her down. but sometimes we got it. i'm getting better at controlling her shoulders. still need to think of less being more.
and remembered on my way home (just after Paul rang me to ask if the schooling stick left in the middle of the yard was mine) that my hot water bottle is still on the wall where it was left....phooey. it's full of water as well, happily only half full but the deep freeze of tonight isn't going to do it any good. oopsy.
Keeping My Fingers Crossed
8 years ago
5 comments:
That must be so frustrating!
YO has a problem with her boy,he does it as he's nervous not being awkward,but she puts a bowl of feed on a chair next to the mounting block and gets on while he's eating.I works well for him as his problems stems from fear(for what ever reason)as it distracts and rewards him,depends how much she likes her grub?
My other suggesting is to create a tunnel with straw or hay bales..you can stand on one to mount and she is in the middle, other side 2bales high,so she cant swing her backend around,then you wont have to rely on other people for help!
The only method I ever learned is the one I mentioned before. Ask her to stand. When she doesn't work her in a small circle round and round and round until she wants to stop. Stop, ask her to stand. If she doesn't again over and over and over in the smallish circle with some backing, stopping, demanding MOVING obedience. Ask her to stand. Repeat and repeat. Each time she decides to move on her own, make her move and keep her moving. The only time you don't tell her to move is when she stands still. But even a single step from standing still on her part means she has to work in hand.
It's similar to trailer loading technique. Horse moves away from trailer--so he works. The only time he doesn't have to work is if he loads. (John Lyons techniques.)
Don't blame other people for not helping if you don't ask. They do not SEE that you are having difficulty. You need to tell them you need help.
Hot water bottles can make lovely ice packs. I've used mine that way more than once. *sigh*
i need my own mounting block in the arena to make that work really effective jean.
where our moutning block is, is where people drive through ....wide, but difficult!
my other trouble is, my foot being still broken, my safe and least painful way off the block is back down the steps i just went up, rather than carrying on over which is a very big drop = doable, but carefully and I usually end up with the broken foot landing first, something i try and avoid...
we can't do circles round the mounting block (it's next to a wall next to the muckheap...)
minky, nice idea re the bales, i've heard it mentioned before, a lead balloon would be more popular i think...in terms of taking up space without getting in people's way!
can't ask people to help if they're in car driving past...
the stupid thing is, she'll stand still before you get to it; she;ll stand still when i'm on the lower step. she'll even stand still when i'm on top of the mounting block and she's too far back .. but bring her that extra one step forward? round she goes.
maybe seeing what people think about me putting bales up next to it might be an idea, but i reckon my own in the arena would be perfect...
friend's partner was supposed to be making me one but hasn't happened... never mind, will do one day...
What'st eh floor surface next to the barn? If it's not concrete, perhaps it would be possible to put a few feet of fence tape between two temporary fence posts?
I know this is going to sound dreadful, but she knows what she's doing, doesn't she? Have you tried thumping her? You need to be quick to make it connect with her mistake, of course, so maybe that would rule it out anyway. Zippy got a couple of thumps when "proper" training didn't cure him after 3 or 4 days. He's never done it again since.
Big sympathies, it must be so frustrating.
C
oh and yes, caroline, she so does know what she's doing!
outside the stable is concrete, so nice idea but I'm not going there!
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