tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743416867781673656.post448592497525336508..comments2024-03-04T00:09:29.299-08:00Comments on Time in the Saddle: Riding Diary: 35Louisa Valentina;http://www.blogger.com/profile/03635679863212377114noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743416867781673656.post-52446135300044005722012-12-16T20:04:30.473-08:002012-12-16T20:04:30.473-08:00Thanks Robin - as always, your comments are so ins...Thanks Robin - as always, your comments are so insightful and wonderful, I always appreciate them.<br /><br />They also, generally, are a reminder for me to breathe... and I do try haha, sometimes I just get on this blog and blab about how my horse is a demonpony who would love to kill me at any moment. But, for the most part, I know this isn't true and patience is keyLouisa Valentina;https://www.blogger.com/profile/03635679863212377114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743416867781673656.post-30133190601726004552012-12-14T06:40:12.172-08:002012-12-14T06:40:12.172-08:00Sounds like a discouraging ride. Two thoughts:
1:...Sounds like a discouraging ride. Two thoughts:<br /><br />1: Progress with horses is never linear - they learn, they backslide, then learn again. It takes months or years for new training to fully solidify. So don't take it personally. :)<br /><br />2: One thing you could try to help the problem with going fast is to go to the opposite end of the spectrum and focus for a while on controlling individual feet. Like, stand still and practice moving the front left one step to the left. Wait a few seconds, then move the right hind one step to the right. One step, one foot at a time. No more, no less. <br /><br />This is SO challenging at first, but it's the start to having complete understanding of where your horse's feet are, and it's a great way to get a spazzy horse to slow down and THINK. It sounds like Jingle has a lot of anxiety, which is the same issue I have with my Paint. When Steen gets anxious, the only way to get him realigned is to break things down into tiny pieces that he can understand in his "my brain is half shut down" mode, and then build him back up through itty bitty accomplishments. Sometimes that means half an hour of slow, focused exercises before we try to lope again. Sometimes it means an entire long ride where I never even pick up the trot.<br /><br />Mostly though, don't forget about what you have accomplished! You've got a horse with some deeply ingrained fear responses and you've not had him in this environment very long. You are making headway, even if it doesn't seem like it some days.<br />Robinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05318359901770452986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743416867781673656.post-27886465352109667802012-12-13T18:31:45.489-08:002012-12-13T18:31:45.489-08:00Hi Marissa, thanks for the insightful comment! Unf...Hi Marissa, thanks for the insightful comment! Unfortunately, Jingle's bit issues originally come from pain associated with being ridden in a bit with a fractured jaw that was left untreated by a vet. So, he comes by his fear naturally. He is okay to ride in a bit on the trail, but once any contact is used, he falls apart mentally and physically. I work with a well-known and respected dentist who worked on his teeth and jaw, and suggested I continue with a bit until Jingle "tells me" he doesn't like it. He told me. and We switched to a side-pull due to his behaviour, which isn't a pain response, but is now a learned behaviour that, after working on and with for over 3 years, first on the trails and now in an arena, it has become clear that it's not going to go away anytime soon. So, Jingle is a "bitless" horse, but it never hurts to try a bit again - we did on Monday, and clearly from my post, he'll probably remain bitless until he dies.Louisa Valentina;https://www.blogger.com/profile/03635679863212377114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743416867781673656.post-69872079227391183532012-12-13T18:15:03.844-08:002012-12-13T18:15:03.844-08:00That's so odd about his bit problem. I think i...That's so odd about his bit problem. I think it would be good to slowly accustom him to having a bit, by giving him good experiences with it! You could try and ride him once a week with a bit, an make that a super easy ride, work on walking a lot of circles and stuff, using mostly your legs so there's no pulling on his mouth. I think it would take a while but once he's figured out that a bit doesn't mean pulling on his mouth I think it wouldn't be a 'punishment' but a solution. Or (I don't know if this would work) but you could put the side pull on over his bridle, an disconnect the reins from his bridle, that way he still has a bit but no pressure. I think it would help to slowly let him know its nothing to be afraid of, it's just a lot of tough work. Keep sugar cubes for when your bridling him, let him know when he's done a good job :) Marissahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09209197198281908402noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743416867781673656.post-72004511825932927012012-12-13T12:16:49.453-08:002012-12-13T12:16:49.453-08:00haha, I seriously question what is going on in Jin...haha, I seriously question what is going on in Jingle's head sometimes... I don't think much.Louisa Valentina;https://www.blogger.com/profile/03635679863212377114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743416867781673656.post-75788475841225726262012-12-13T12:14:59.447-08:002012-12-13T12:14:59.447-08:00When I was in college, I rode at a barn where I go...When I was in college, I rode at a barn where I got to trail ride two paint stock horses (think foundation QH body builds). They were both the most amazing trail horses on the planet, but in an arena, they had literally ZERO sense of their bodies. My point is, Jingle is not the only retard on this planet. ;) (jk, jk...)Carlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17308477892024999793noreply@blogger.com