More Relaxation

Poptart was the most relaxed he has ever been today! He did great saddling and riding and is figuring out sidepassing (it is very hard to do without going forward) We are also adding in more trotting under saddle and he likes to get a bit of attitude, but responds immediately to hindquarter yields. He has successfully hobbled in my neighbor's backyard and today I let him graze hobbled in my backyard while I went inside for a break (and I kept an eye on him through the window). He also high-tied by himself for over 2 hours yesterday when I rode Rogan to my neighbor's hair salon for cut/color. And he was mostly calmly eating hay when I spied on him on my way home! It is getting harder and harder to phase him with the tarp or pool noodles in any configuration on his body, and even at walk/trot/canter. He is still uncomfortable with touching things in zone 3-5 (saddle area to tail), and while I can touch him with an object there (no problem) he cannot move into and touch things himself (yet!) So we are building confidence with that area and also playing with backing onto obstacles (ie the horse trailer ramp, a small pedestal, over a pool noodle, etc). When I can safely and successfully play with the obstacles while riding (with a relaxed and confident horse!) we will be ready to hit the trails!

More Confidence Building

Poptart is now up to 10 minutes grazing in hobbles (and handled a small spook while hobbled too!). He also thinks that 2 pool noodles (1 in each stirrup) is okay, even when he trots and they touch his legs

Confidence Building

and more camping practice

Relaxation

Recently Poptart is focusing on relaxation with tasks (more so than the task itself) as he struggles
with a lot of fear, especially with objects around his hind legs and underside. Today he had a great moment when he jumped the barrels, but was lazy and caught them with his hind legs. However he did not panic (so huge!!!!) he kept cantering then came back and relaxed next to the barrels. After playing with the barrels for a few minutes he jumped them again confidently. We are also getting more relaxation with saddling, it is taking a while but each step is completed with a lowered head/neck, loose lower lip and lots of licking/chewing. Eventually the goal is to saddle at a normal speed with relaxation (all in good time). We rode for a short session, again concentrating on relaxation--- seeing if he could stand after mounting until he relaxed with a lowered head, we were successful and we got a whole series of yawns (adrenaline releasing) prior to dismounting. Then since we were both tired we went to graze in the backyard and play with hobbling. Yesterday he was hobbled for 1 minute and took 1-2 steps while grazing. Today he was hobbled for several minutes and took a number of steps. He fell twice to his knees on the grass but never became panicked or fearful, just pushed himself back up and kept grazing. To be continued...

Hobbles

Poptart has new soft cotton, homemade, rope hobbles. Rogan tested them out, as I hobbled trained him several years ago, and they worked well. Practiced leading all 4 feet with the hobble (Poptart has been doing this for several weeks with the lead rope and tarp) and then letting the hobble dangle from each leg while he walked. He did great and would easily stop when pressure was applied and would back up too! We are also working towards having the bareback pad 'slip' under his belly (and eventually the saddle sans stirrups) and this evening he accepted the pad completely sideways while he ate dinner and then we unsaddled 3-4 times sliding it under the belly rather than over the back-- a little flinch/nervy the first time, then relaxed the other times! Progress smile emoticon Thank you Karen Chaton for your blog on endurance horse training!