Chiropractor

I know it's been a while since I've posted. I recently decided to get Gunny to the "body balancer" which is essentially a chiropractor. We discovered Gunny's right shoulder was over an inch out of place, as well as her poll and various places on her spine. She was adjusted and I haven't really had a chance to ride her to see a difference, but I notice now the muscle tone in her right shoulder is very minimal compared to her left. We have to work on retraining her and getting muscle tone built up in her right shoulder as well. I certainly hope it helps. This might have been the root of her behavior all along. I never thought she was out of alignment...but she started being resistant to the right, not bending, nor taking the right lead. When she was adjusted, her eyes got soft and she seemed to be relieved. I hope it helps!!

Flying lead change

Well, I rode outside today, despite that it was cold. The outdoor arena is much larger than the indoor, and I wanted to work on loping work. I put a log/ground pole in the center of the arena...and worked at cantering across it and switching directions after she crossed it. She did switch leads one time, and I was very proud. I know with loping work I need to practice sitting up straight, getting my legs back further and using gentle aides. I was proud of her today and how far we've come. I cut the session short and let her have a big bowl of grain. :) I would like to get a new saddle...as the saddle I'm using is a synthetic and it's 4+ years old...I'd love a leather saddle, but every one I find and try on, she seems to react to. I put on my friend's Circle Y saddle, and before even cinching it down, I tried pressing some weight down on the horn of the saddle..and I got an ear-pinning reaction. I tried the same test with my synthetic saddle, and had no reaction. So my horse is wider than I thought! :) I have to take that into consideration when purchasing a new saddle. I have to be patient and I know when the time comes, I'll find the right saddle for us.

Wow!

Alas, I am so sorry it's been so long since I've posted.

I have been riding pretty regularly, and I felt as though I was making very slow to nothing in terms of progress. Well, I had my girlfriend finally get some videos of me riding Gunny, and I realized we have improved LEAPS AND BOUNDS. The small things I see under saddle are very unnoticeable to others. Gunny's movement is so much more relaxed, fluid, beautiful. I'm not doing too bad either. I'm making a conscious effort not to lean forward and to try to stay relaxed myself. I really think we're getting somewhere. Ryan's program of just teaching basics has helped wonders. I look at old videos and I realize that I was being inconsistent and going too fast. Gunny just didn't understand what I wanted... And I guess, I really wasn't sure how to teach her any other way than trudging through it. But I have finally had a EUREKA! moment and I think we've got the wheels spinning. Although I am not making her lope a ton (we're both out of shape), she does pick up her lope with leg aids, without a ton of fuss. She doesn't have leads or much control with it yet, but we're getting there!! I'm so proud!

Here's a video of us at work -- see? Different horse. (And a different me!)

Before

Almost a year later...

After!

Enjoy!! :)

Saddle makes a big difference

I did change to a wider saddle, and although it's a junkier saddle, it fits her better. So I'm going to ride her in that from now on. I've been doing basic things with her, like go, stop, back, head down, etc. Making small goals and achieving them, trying to be very patient. She's doing wonderfully. I have to make sure to be CONSISTENT with my cues and make sure there's an obvious difference between the cues. I did have trouble with her putting her head up when I stopped her, for whatever reason. She wasn't doing that before, but I thought perhaps it was from the saddle pinching her...so switching saddles was a good idea. She still did it with the new (old) saddle and so I figured she was just anticipating it from before. So, I tried to get her to collect in frame when she stopped instead of stopping on her forehand with her head in the air. It didn't work very well under saddle so I went back to in-hand bridle work. That helped a bit...but not totally. I got on her and worked with it a little at a time, then asked her to step out...go a little work, get her feet moving, then asked her to stop and back immediately. She didn't have time to shift her weight to the forehand..she collected up and immediately got light. From that moment on, she did it correctly. Not sure what I did, but I'd like to think it's progress?

I have to still keep working on the head-down cue, backing with her head down, rhythm (extending and collecting different gaits, mostly walk/trot for now) and line (following a specific path and not deviating from it until told to do so). I have been working also on different leg cues...sidepass vs go forward, etc. I have been able to get her to sidepass and half pass without hesitation...I'm getting somewhere -- I am teaching my horse to be compliant through non resistance and therefore she is doing anything that I ask of her (within reason). She doesn't resist being mounted anymore, and she comes up/nickers at me in the pasture. She seems to enjoy being with me. The only problem right now is her girth issues.

The neoprene girth that I use on this saddle has little "bumps" for grips (it's a roper cinch) and it seems to grab and pinch her, and make her sore. So all in all I have to resort back to my smooth worn-out neoprene cinch that fits her better and allows her some "give". I'll keep an eye on it and try to be gentle. I've been using a mounting block for both our sakes...and that way I can keep her saddle from slipping when I mount...since I'm too big and I can't jump up there right now (especially with my knee bothering me). I keep her cinch a little looser that way, so she's more comfortable. But I'll see if the different cinch makes a difference in her behavior. It's either she's got an internal (rib?) problem, or she's just resentful from the past...memories of getting pinched when I accidentally pinched her here and there. I did touch her in those areas and she responded with ear pinning. I didn't push very hard, so it leads me to believe her girth area is just tender from not having been cinched all summer...and she's not "callused" yet so to speak. I'll keep being gentle. I put some liniment on it..hopefully to help it relax and heal a little while I'm not there.

Tomorrow is my last day working with her for a few days as I'll be away down state with my girlfriend.

My horse and her pasture-mate didn't have salt for at least a week, so I went out and got a block for them. I don't know if they don't give them salt sometimes or they just forgot, but I figured getting a block wouldn't hurt. I've also been giving Gunny some minerals...since the other day I saw her eating dirt and licking rocks...since she's gotten salt and minerals, that has stopped. :)

All in all, very happy with our little bits of progress.

First Ride

First ride was successful. I just did walk/trot stuff and although she's a bit rusty, she didn't do badly. I just need to work on refining her head-down cue, transitions, and getting me back in the game of being consistent and concise with my cues. We both need work. I believe I need to get a saddle that fits her better before we can get into any serious cantering training...I put her saddle on and from the ground pushed down on the saddle horn..and she started to pin her ears and raise her head. So, it's definitely pinching or pressing badly on her withers. It's just a matter of finding the right saddle and being able to afford it. Anyways, not much else to say for now, just gotta keep plugging away at it!

Goal of the day: Cross water, basic control on trail

FAIL!

I went way too fast today. I thought she would be alright by going out on the trail in hand, having us work on go forward, stop, and back up. Once we lost sight of the herd, however, Gunny went nuts. I learned a valuable lesson today, and I am glad I didn't push her by trying to RIDE her out there. She's barn/buddy sour and that needs to be addressed a little at a time, in gradual increasing increments. I realized I pushed her too hard, too fast, and expected way too much from her.

The rest of the session she was wound up and pushy. We didn't accomplish much today, but after I finally got her back to the barn (which was a challenge without her running me over), I started some basic control, with both halter and bridle in the indoor arena. She did calm down some, even went on the block for me. She likes the block...she knows she gets treats if she stands on it!


Ellen (my girlfriend) is coming up to visit this weekend, and I hope to get out to the barn at least one more time this week. Our goals need to be small, and as Ellen said, I need to realize that I spent 5 months away from my horse. I need to reconnect with her, assess where she is at in her training, and bond with her again. Things aren't going to be exactly how they were before, immediately. Just like in school -- you can be great at certain math problems, but after summer vacation, you need a little refresher to remember everything. It isn't that you're incapable of doing it, it's just a matter of getting back into the swing of things. I did notice that even after this reprieve, Gunny still seems ouchie around the girth area when I pull up. I don't know if it's because she's been pinched there in the past, or perhaps there's an underlying problem, like a rib out of place or something. Her reaction when I take my hand and gently pull up with the skin in that area is to bring her nose to my hand. I don't know if that's a threat to bite, or just "Mom, I don't like what you're doing" or "Ouch, stop!" or "I'm just curious?" I'll have to keep an eye on it.

If I can find an equine chiropractor in the area that doesn't cost an arm and a leg, maybe I'll get her adjusted. She's never been her entire life, so perhaps that could be the cause of a lot of different behaviors.

I did place the bit in her mouth today...I sat on her bareback to assess her cues, and she was very rusty and very heavy on the bit. It was like she wanted nothing to do with me or anything else. So I got off immediately before I got hurt. I knew I had more groundwork/basic controls to do. She was also still wound up from our "trail excursion" earlier, so that could have been part of it, too.

She does need to get her feet trimmed, but I must say, for not having anything done with her for almost 5 months, her feet are still in great shape!

All in all, I have to take things slowly, even though I want to get rolling again, and take off where I left off before. But I know I can't do that. "Slow and steady wins the race". I have to gain her trust and bond with her and really think and assess the problem before tackling it.

Eventually, when I get back out on the trail in hand, I have to figure out the spot at which she goes from "Green zone" to "Yellow zone" or, where she goes from being relaxed to pre-flight mode. I have to mark that area somehow, if not just mentally, and try to push that boundary little by little, every day. If she gets flighty, I have to get her back into the green zone by allowing her to go backward to where she was comfortable, and begin again. Just by having her take a step past her comfort zone is progress. I have to remember, this is a long, drawn-out process, and it's going to take a lot of time and PATIENCE.

Today felt like a failure, but I know, everybody, including horses, have good days and bad days. I'll just count today as an attempt and a learning experience, and I can be better prepared for the next session.

My goal for the next lesson is doing basic control in the bridle. Not jumping all over me, backing lightly, turning lightly, focusing on me, and eventually, rhythm. Extending her stride and then shortening her stride (in hand to begin with). There's so much that I can do...and although it gets boring and repetitive, it is essential to having a safe, reliable partner. I'll be proud that I did all my "homework".

Goal of the day: block

When I got to the barn, I said Gunny's nickname (Ponyta) and she whinnied and ran up to me. I suppose she missed me a little. :P

I decided to groom her and then test her basic control work. Still at where I left off, fantastic. I've decided to start working on various ground exercises until I'm confident and she is too. I worked with her slowly, keeping her calm, and got her to step both front feet on a box/block, and down again. Rewarding her with a snippet of grain every time she did what I wanted. It was fun to watch her stay in the "green zone" and be interested in pleasing me. I think the more we're successful together, the more we can have a partnership. I have to get her feet trimmed and up to date. She got her teeth floated over the summer while I was away...and she's put on a lot of weight. Fabulous. She was a bit thin (for my liking) when I left in the spring. Perhaps the teeth issue was what was causing her problems there.

Anyway, I'm just going to work slowly on ground work and basic control for a while. Maybe working on bridle work, but for now, just the halter. I want to keep things interesting, and I want to train MYSELF to be more patient and not expect too much from her. I want to observe her behaviors and reactions to different stimulus. She's a good girl and I'm glad to be back home and "horsin' around"!