+ TVhorsetalk: Gaining Respect and Control - 2!!!

Friday, September 23, 2011

Gaining Respect and Control - 2!!!


(I posted this out of order.  It happened before the previous post…Progress on the Ground)

We officially started Gaining Respect and Control on the Ground-Series 2!  We’re still working on yielding forequarters and Sending on Gaining Respect and Control on the Ground-1, but we’re moving on to Series 2. 
We worked on the first couple of exercises, Changing Directions and Run Up and Rub.  Max is already doing these pretty well.  I really only did changing directions in the barn.  We’ll do it in the arena tomorrow.  He knew what I wanted him to do though.
We worked on Run Up and Rub in the arena for several minutes.  I probably “ran up and rubbed” about 8 times.  He was standing still by the 6th time.  He didn’t really get too upset about it and only moved back a step or two right from the beginning. 
So, Yea!  We’ll review tomorrow.

Next Day:

Today we did about 30 minutes of groundwork.  We worked on yielding forequarters, lungeing, sending and run up and rub.  I didn’t have my list with me, so I forgot to work on touch and rub. 
Note to self:  Leave list at barn…

In the saddle we worked on yielding hindquarters at the standstill and I could see that a little work on touch and rub on the ground would have helped.  But Max must have remembered a previous lesson because he didn’t do too badly.
I drew his head around, put my foot back.  When he didn’t move, all I had to use was my hand, so I tapped his hip and he took a couple of steps.  I released my foot, then released his head when he “gave”.  We did this several times on each side.
When I draw his head around and he starts to move his hindquarters before I put my foot back, I just wait until he stops moving, then put my foot on.  And proceed with the above.
Okay, I’m really getting more relaxed while riding.  I cantered a few times today! Yea!

Two Days Later:

I did some barn chores today.  I got out there rather late.  We only did Yielding Forequarters, and he had improved.  We’re at 360 degrees with consistent crossover steps to the right 99% of the time.  He’s pivoting on his right hind foot.  Way to go, Max!
I rode just a bit today.  It was too hot to do much.  I’ll have to get out earlier tomorrow morning.

Late Evening, Same Day:

I went back out to work with Max.  We lunged for just a few minutes.  He’s doing pretty well! 
We did some Sending.  I gave him a bigger gap and I kept the pressure on.  He oomphed! it up into a little trot for a few steps.  He yielded hindquarters on the other side of the gap.  He was more reluctant to trot back the other way (away from the gate).  We tried it a few more times each way and he was trotting pretty consistently through the gap each way. 
I should have stopped then.  Clinton Anderson says to stop when they’re being successful.  But I decided to let him do it the right way a couple more times. 
Mistake.  He refused to go through in the direction away from the gate.  I kept bump, bumping the lead rope and putting pressure with the stick, and he stayed stuck.
I resorted to just backing him up and trying the Sending again. 
Didn’t work.  He was finished.  I don’t blame him.  He had done it right.  And I had pushed it.  It was a bad call on my part.  It was getting dark. 
I backed him one more time so we wouldn’t end with him getting his way and we lunged a couple of circles to the left, then right, then quit. 
Far away from the gate…

We’ll try again tomorrow.  It’ll be interesting to see how he handles the Sending tomorrow…

(So…Progress on the Ground…the post below…happened next.  Then, I’ll be back in order…)

Have a good ride,
Greenhorn

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