Just finished our confidence building-groundwork session and taking a break (for both Poptart and me!) before saddling and riding later this afternoon. Poptart knew the games from last night-- he backed right up to the tire and on the 3rd or so try he backed up straight (LOL!) and put both back feet on it. Same with the hay bale-- he was even trying to step backwards up on it rather than just touch it. We then squeezed backwards b/t the bale and wall again and he had that one down too! Backed into the wall due to poor steering a few times but no big deal :) Then we moved the bale outside to play more with sidepassing and after climbing on it and knocking it about a few times with both front and hind limbs (and of course eating it!) he became sick of baby steps and just side passed over the whole hay bale, like he knew what to do the whole time! Then a grazing break while I played 'extreme' friendly with the carrot stick/string and broke out the hobbles again. Hobble the front feet for a few minutes just so he doesn't forget what they are, then played with the back feet. He was so confident and his porcupine was so good with the hobble rope on the back feet I thought he was ready to try hobbling the back legs. He did great! I set the hobbles fairly long and he was grazing. He tried to take a big step, but felt the hobble and gave wonderfully to the pressure. He then tried the same with the other back leg and once again gave to the pressure. I then removed the hobbles and turned him back out with Rogan.
Okay and for riding... Saddling is still slow. I am saddling at the trailer to practice for real life smile emoticon I am not sure if he is concerned about the saddle/cinching or if he is just worried about where Rogan is, what is in the bushes, etc? No problems saddling at all, but I would like for him to be more relaxed and for it go quicker (which just requires more relaxation at each step) rather than on/off, rub with the stirrup, flop the cinch around, put pressure on the cinch and release, etc, etc before actually completing the process. After saddling Rogan was put in the stall so he wasn't a distraction and it is good for Poptart and I to work together without any other horses around. Poptart is becoming much easier to relax without Rogan, I have found a few exercises that help establish my leadership and thus his feeling of safety. -- mostly involving a pattern of squeeze or sideways next to barrels, disengage HQ, back up and repeat. This seems to work much better to focus him rather than moving his feet at a trot/canter in figure-8's or falling leaf, etc patterns. My husband was wonderful and came out in the cold drizzle and 'played' with the green ball off to the side while Poptart did his ground warm up. It was very scary close up, but not a problem a little further away, definitely something that needs more repetition. He, in general, is much more relaxed for mounting and his HQ yields are becoming quite good, almost no rein required. Rogan then squeeled and we used my 'focus' pattern from the groundwork which also worked excellently under saddle and he relaxed again. We played with sidepassing from 1 upright barrel to a 2nd upright barrel about 6' away. My husband obligingly put a treat on each barrel so Poptart sidepassed over to the barrel and got a cookie. We repeated about 3-4 times each direction. He was much better moving to the right than to the left. Much more 'attitude/resistance' to the left including backing up, head tossing, and surging forward. To the right he was a pro. More practice needed, but he liked the exercise! We ended after a few trot transitions and trot circles each direction. Very productive ride, but what cold, wet weather!!
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