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.
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