today, there were only 2 mares out, mine & steve's; we went down together... Steve was back up at the yard (a hike up a hill!) and nearly tacked up by the time i got molly there.
I'd not expected her to plant when she could see that Tia was being led off and she knew she was the only horse left in the field, but plant she did. ggrrrhh
BUT, i do wonder if in fact it is the going down hill? whichever field we are in , one goes downhill to the gate in the valley, then up the other side to the yard. going out to the field, she moves on, but then of course she's going somewhere she wants to go..i dunno, but it's getting very tedious.
I might take up tash's idea and take my pressure halter and 12foot line out and work her in the field....dunno.
anyway, after she was in, and had her massage, still a shade scabby down the side where the saddle flaps woudl be, i decieded lunge and poles
2 poles on the ground one side of the arena, 2 poles on polepods on the other side.
she did both very nicely.
i then set up a very small jump which she jumped nicely from the right but not quite so nicely from the left...
then we called it a day.
it was VERY hot in the arena, no breeze - because it was blocked by the copse, soon as you left the arena and came to cross the road, lovely breeze blowing up to cool us down.
and finally, completely OT, the water lily in our pond has flowered:
6 comments:
Here's an odd idea - what if, when she stops and refuses to move, you turn her around and back her towards where you want to go for several steps. Do you think if you were to then turn around and ask her to move forward, that she would comply? Assumes she backs in hand, but most horses would prefer to walk forwards than back up - she gets to choose whether to get there forwards or backwards. Assumes terrain is OK as well.
did try that last night, kate, but wasn't particularly successful....may well try again, though!
Pressure halter may be the way to go. Molly needs to learn to respect you as her leader. Right now, she does not.
You could also work her in hand on basic leading skills in the arena. If you carry a long dressage whip in your left hand, and the lead rope at Molly's head in your right, you walk off. She needs to stay at your shoulder. If she lags behind, tap her with the dressage whip by reaching behind your back--without looking anywhere but forward, and tap her on. She may at first be startled, but keep your focus on "we are walking forward," and don't let her behavior distract you from your purpose.
Also, teaching her to stop when you stop. (Kenny has you stop, then tap the horse's chest to ask for one step back--this so the horse does not learn to move past your shoulder when you ask for a halt.) Get her as well to yeild to the halter to back up a few steps. Get her to move off your hand to the right or left with her hindquarters.
In hand work like this should get her to become more and more obedient to your leadership. Right now she is testing you.
IF going down hill bothers her, but she does it on her own, I would be sympathetic and allow her to be slower and more cautious, but she still must believe you are her leader.
While it is a matter of trust, it is also a matter of respect.
been using the pressure halter for weeks, jean, only went back to the ordinary this week ... it occurred to me that she might associate the pressure halter with work, so the ordinary headcollar may get more result....
think maybe the schooling whip is a plan - for a change of attempt!
what i really don't understand is why, after all these years, i am having this trouble now? even when i first got her, she was never a bother to catch and bring in!
Oh, you must be grinding your teeth at her by now, how frustrating! She's not sore to be coming downhill is she? I like the idea of taking the whip. Have you tried zig-zagging your way down the field?
Glad the pole work went well on what sounds like a stifling day.
On a completely unrelated topic, you're going to France sometime this year aren't you?
gong on Thursday, Danni ... to Trudi's :-)
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