GOT IT...

I watched Leading Behind again.  We practiced it at a walk.  The trot wasn’t happening for us. 

Soooooo, I took that as a starting point and we practiced LB at the walk for two days.

To get the trot, Clinton Anderson says to move their feet in a circle then just turn and start jogging and let him come out of the circle behind your jog while his feet are still moving.

We walked with LB then I leaned forward and jogged – no trot from Max, so I spun around and moved him off into a lunge then changed directions, then changed directions again – then while his feet were moving I jogged off.  He stopped. 

Right away I moved him into a lunge, changed directions, then changed directions again. While his feet were still moving I turned and jogged off and lo and behold he trotted right behind me!  Hallelujah!  I kept trotting so he would get the idea that this is what I wanted then we stopped and rested. (I more than he.)

We rubbed and Good Boyed! 

Then, we did it again – Hallelujah! He trotted behind me.  We kept it up.  Whenever I led him around we practiced first walking then trotting. 

WE GOT IT!

Just let me tell you right now – If you weren’t in shape before you started teaching this exercise, you’ll be in shape after a few days of the LB exercise.  It is definitely exercise. 

I rode for an hour.  We trotted and posted lots, and cantered several times.  He got a little snarky and tried to get all crazy and show me he was ready to stop.  So I ORS-ed him and then turned him in circles one way then the other –then rode for 15 more minutes.  It was the best ride I’ve had since the new year!!  GID-DEE-UP!!

Have a good ride,

Greenhorn

Longer Sessions...

            See how Max and I got to this point using Clinton Anderson's methods by reading the first few posts.


LONGER SESSIONS...

             Max and I had a good, long session on Saturday.  On groundwork, we’re well into Clinton Anderson’s Gaining Respect and Control on the Ground-Series 2. 

We worked on backing with me lifting the clip under his chin and him backing.  He’s doing well with it.  We also backed with the touch and rub on the nose exercise.  He’s doing well with that one, too.  They’ll both require steady practice to get near perfect, but we’ll do the practice and make the grade.

We did changing eyes, we lunged a little.  We practiced side-passing slowly, slowly along the fence all the way down, then the other side all the way back.  (My arms were killing me half-way down the fence line.)  Again, it’s not perfect, but it’s a start.    

We practiced the touch and rub on the ground.  I’ve got it now.  I’m glad I stuck with it.  I was feeling so awkward in the beginning with this exercise.  No wonder Max wasn’t getting it.  But I’ve got it now and we’ve made great progress.

Our groundwork session lasted a litttle more than an hour.

Then, we had an hour-long ride.  It doesn’t sound very long, but it was for us.  I’m trying to slowly increase our training time both on the ground and in the saddle.  It'll take us a while to get into better shape and do really long sessions.  When under saddle, Max has a tendency to want to stop before I’m ready to stop, so we’re going to have to get over that.  And right now I'm thinking slowly increasing riding time is the way to work on that.

We practiced trotting and posting, we cantered and we practiced backing. 

We also yielded hindquarters at the standstill.  Since we’ve been doing the touch and rub at the hindquarters on the ground, we’re making much better progress with it in the saddle.  It's definitely worth doing on the ground.  The connection from the ground to the saddle is happening. 

While he usually gets it to the left, he doesn’t want to yield his hindquarters to the right when I’m in the saddle.  He tosses his head like crazy.  (It’s a bit unsettling.)  I’m not exactly sure what’s causing him to toss his head so much.  I try to make my signals clear and direct so there’s no confusion about what he’s expected to do.  I’m hoping this is just one of those examples of, “sometimes it gets worse before it gets better.” 

We both could use more long sessions…

Have a good ride

Greenhorn 

More Time To Work...

If you're new, click back to the first few posts to see how Max, my first horse, and I came to use Clinton Anderson's methods so I could get control on the ground and re-gain my lost confidence in the saddle after an incident last autumn.

MORE TIME TO WORK...

Yes!  Today we made more progress on the ground and good progress in the saddle.  Our groundwork is coming from Clinton Anderson's Gaining Respect and Control on the Ground-Series 2.  Our work in the saddle is from Riding With Confidence-Series 1.

We had quite a workout on the ground first.  We backed.  We yielded forequarters.  To the right we’re doing great.  To the left…still not so great.   We lunged just a few circles each way.  (We’re still not ready for Lungeing for Respect-Stage 2.)  Then, we sidepassed all the way down the fence, turned around and sidepassed back.  It’s still rocky.  But we’re getting there…slowly.

In the saddle, we backed, trotted and posted and cantered. 

We also yielded hindquarters at the standstill.  I had forgotten to practice this on the ground today, so I really wasn’t expecting much in the way of Max remembering our practice yesterday. 

But he did remember. 

We yielded a couple of steps on both sides.  Good Boy!  This was major for me because, if you remember, I’ve had such an issue with the teaching of it on the ground.  My problem with it was that I was slow to catch on to the movements I needed to do to teach it, which made it confusing for Max.

I guess it just goes to show, when I got over myself and just did it exactly like Clinton Anderson said to do it, it works.  Anyway, now that I have these small results, I’ll be practicing it consistently until we’ve got it down.

We definitely need to get back to more nice, long workouts…

Have a good ride

Greenhorn

Progress After Katy...

After the trip to Katy for Clinton Anderson’s Walkabout Tour, I was re-pumped, ready to get home and make progress with my groundwork and riding.

I bought his halter and 14’ rope while I was at the show.  I was thinking that I can really use the extra control that this halter is supposed to give.  It uses stiff rope and four knots across the nose.

I liked the 14’ training rope because it had a nice big clip that’s easy to open.  The one I have been using is a pain in the neck.  It’s the kind of fastener that’s not even a clip.  You have to twist it around to open it.  Most of the time it won’t twist.  I finally had to clip another clip that opens easily to it so I can get it open and off and on the halter quickly.  It made a really heavy, bulky hunk of metal under Max’s chin, and it was hard to manage.  It worked, but it was far from ideal.

I began using my new halter and rope this week.  It works great.  I do think I’m getting better results with the stiffer, knotted halter.  The clip on the rope works easily.

Max and I, again, have taken a step backwards in yielding forequarters to the left.  I know I said I was going to leave it alone for a while, but it’s hard to leave alone.  One thing Clinton said at the tour was, “Sometimes things get worse before they get better.”  He said many people quit when they get worse and don’t work through to the “better”.  So, I’m going to keep working on it.  I’m not leaving it alone…yet… 

We are making good progress with the touch and rub exercise.  We worked on it for a couple of days this past week.  I’m still a little awkward with it every once in a while, but most times I’m giving clear signals and we’re getting it. 

We’ve got one step across pretty consistently.  Now I’m working on more steps.  Max doesn’t like to cross his feet over, so it’s always a challenge.

I had a very short ride today.  I needed to ride though, no matter how briefly, to keep my confidence going.  It was a good ride.  We trotted, backed, cantered a couple of times, practiced the one-rein stop and that was about it.  I need to get some long rides going again to make real progress in the saddle.

Have a good ride

Greenhorn

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 6^th 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

Progress On the Ground...

Max was great today.  He lunged at the canter more smoothly.  His canter seems a little less clumsy.  He knows to accelerate from a trot to a canter when I lift my hand and point.  I love that.  He takes the correct lead when he takes off 99% of the time.  Good Boy!

We worked on Sending.  I pointed, clucked and waved the stick with energy near his head and neck.  He didn’t move. 

So, I rotated the stick and string as if to start lungeing.  And whattayaknow?  He moved.  He trotted across and yielded.  Yea!  I guess he didn’t remember our struggle last night, or else he doesn’t hold a grudge! LOL –

What I discovered is this.  In the segment of the Gaining Respect and Control on the Ground-1 dvd about Sending, Clinton Anderson says with most horses you don’t need to move the stick in that big rotating motion to get them to move across in the Sending exercise.  He says usually, unless they’re really lazy and hard to get going, you’ll only need to create some energy with the stick near the head and neck.

Well…that’s us…lazy and hard to get going. 

I happened to remember this part of the instructions out in the pen when I realized Max needed more pressure to get moving.  And he did it. 

I also have to wiggle the rope for him to back up when he goes too far around me or gets too close.  I’m very proud that he moved his feet at the trot during the Sending.  It was great to know I was trained well enough to get him to do it!   

We worked a little on yielding forequarters, of course.  I don’t think there is ever a day that we don’t.  But I heard something interesting about Max.  The friend who guided me to Max in the first place mentioned that no one had really been able to get him to cross his feet over.  Wow!  That made me feel better.  No wonder it was taking so long.  But now… he’s pivoting on his right hind leg and crossing over his front foot to the right. 

To the left…still not so much…but it’s getting a little better each week.  I think he knows I’m not going to let it slide.

I continued to work on Clinton Anderson's "Run Up and Rub," and I did a little “Slap and Tap”.  These are both on the Gaining Respect and Control on the Ground – 2.  Neither of these exercises bothered Max at all.  He just stood there.  Good Boy.

Too hot (100+degrees-again) to ride today by the time we got through with groundwork exercises.

We continue to make progress on the ground…

Have a good ride,

Greenhorn

No More Excuses...

              
             With lots of help, I moved the arena (Still a verrrry loose use of the term, arena.)  Now I have no excuses for failing to progress from cruising at the trot to stick to the fence at the trot and on up to cruising and stick-to-the-fence at the canter, all riding exercises on Clinton Anderson's Riding with Confidence-1. The ground is a bit unlevel in some spots so we’ll walk it several times to get used to it.

Next Day:

Max and I took our first ride in the new “arena” location this morning.  It’s not quite as level as the other arena was, but Max seemed more relaxed.  (Therefore, so was I.)  We walked the perimeter first and then trotted it.  We rested in the only scary place left and he didn’t bat an eye.  So I can’t do anymore whining about the “spook” element of the arena.  Maybe I’ll be able to make some progress in the saddle at last…

Next Day:

Max is pivoting on his right hind foot when we yield forequarters to the right!  Woo-hoo!  We’ve worked on it just a few minutes, most days for a couple of months, and he can finally do it to the right!  Good Boy!

To the left…not so much…  We’ll keep working on the left.

Love the new location of the arena.  We had a relaxed ride today.  We mainly trotted. 

We also did yielding hindquarters at the standstill.  He’s a little sticky, but with a reminder (a tap on the hip) right at the beginning he gets it.  I seem to be getting more coordinated with the teaching of this skill, and the timing of it, the more we practice. 

At first, I had to really slow down and think about each individual step.  I had to think through each step as I did it:  draw his head around, correctly place my foot, release my foot when he moved correctly, wait for him to “give” and release immediately.  It’s becoming a smoother movement now.  The smoother I get with it, the smoother he seems to move.  We’ll keep working on it.

And get this.  I cantered about three times today.  One was a really long time!  I was so impressed with myself for letting him go with it that I forgot to count how many strides I hung in there for.  I was really trying to get the feel of it.  I’m trying to build up to a few strides more each day.  I didn’t have much control, but I was so wrapped up with the fact that I was cantering, I didn’t think a lot about it.  Max stopped anyway.  Good Boy!  LOL!

His canter is still a little too fast for me to be totally relaxed with it.  But I think we’re making strides (no pun intended) with that, too, on the ground.

I’m going to have to re-watch the cruising and stick-to-the-fence episodes on the Riding with Confidence-1 Series.  Not really to learn the method of teaching it so much as to use the episodes to build up my confidence. 

It helps me to review the lesson and remember things that Clinton Anderson says in the lesson like, “Any time you get uncomfortable, do a one rein stop.”  I really need to get that embedded in my head for when I can finally take on cruising at the canter. 

And we’ve worked more on the ground lately than we have in the saddle, so I may have to relax, slow down and just review trotting with Max in the “new” arena, then work up to the canter. 

Uh-oh, was that just an excuse???

Have a good ride,

Greenhorn