The Flag

So I had found a hole in my program that I wasn't quite willing to tackle for some time. The flag. I know it shouldn't be that big of a deal, but the saying "my horse doesn't to plastic" really applied to Duck. Not big flat blue tarps, she doesn't seem to have so much a problem with those or stepping on them, but smaller pieces of plastic and plastic bags. Especially if they come towards her at all. She can be quite reactive, striking out when startled. And one time when I was riding in the arena there was a small piece of tarp, it was about 1 ft by 3 ft on the ground. She was fine around it, but then it moved in the wind and I about came off. This was several months ago and despite trying to do tarps and stuff with wind swirly things I hadn't had much progress. That was back in June. Fast forward to about 3 weeks ago and I was riding in the hayfield. Since there is a road somewhat near the hayfield some trash makes its way to the field, plastic grocery bags especially. When I was riding one day I saw one stuck in the grass and thought (and paniked) to myself that if that thing moves in the wind I am a goner! That is how I finally came to terms with it that I had become an "avoid-a-holic" from plastic bags. I recently decided to change that.

So in comes the flag. I decided that I would use a grocery bag tied pretty tightly onto the carrot stick. Not to flappy for starters. And I made a program of it. We are on day 5 as of today. Every day I have played the friendly game with the bag. Rubbing (and now tapping) it all over her body. The hardest for her to tolerate is in zone one. Especially if the bag moves at all towards zone one, she had been leaping out of the way, quickly! We have made a lot of progress though beings how the first day I could hardly touch her with it. Today we can touch her all over, and are starting to get a little more confidence in zone 1. I had her follow it with her nose to it quite a ways to retreat. I even put a treat on the bag to see if she was confident enough to eat it from there and she was.

And today I finally got to ride on the trails around the barn (it has been a couple months) and she stepped on a plastic bag on the trail and didn't so much as look at it. Now, I don't think she'd like it if one came flying by still, but it is a good start. So I am pleased, and I am going to keep on with our program to gain her confidence with the flag.

We also have been doing circling game with obstacles at the trot, beginning to canter on the 22ft circle. We have gotten about 4 laps. She is struggling with her leads, but I am not being picky about that yet, just maintaining the gait. I would do it in the round corral as Carol Coppinger suggested, but I think with it's high walls and smaller diameter (60ft) it is just too much pressure for her. She goes totally RB. We have been playing a little in there and retreating out but certainly not anything too demanding!

I am also trying to use lighter phases and longer phase one. I tend to get jumbled and when things don't go right I go too fast and get harder which just loses her confidence. Somewhere along the line our liberty is gone again so I am not even going there right now!

All in all we've been having a good time and I really enjoyed riding on the trails today. It was a nice break from the arena. I would love to do it more often but I have to have people to ride with, and not just any people, people that understand that I want to keep mine and my horses' confidence both in tact!

Today there was a group of 5 deer that went sprinting through the woods spooking both of our horses. Duck did calm down enough to stop but then all communication was lost. I got off and sent her over a log, backed her a ways and then got back on. Things went much better and I played with disengaging her hindquarters while on the trails. See, the communication breaks down because she gets going and worried about what is going on around her and I simply don't exist. So we are playing with that!

In the arena things have been going pretty well. We have been doing lots of freestyle riding with one carrot stick, a few times totally bridle less with just the neck string at the walk and trot doing some patterns, and most recently follow the rail. She gets going at the trot and there is no rhythm in the trot, she gets rushy. So the last few times we've ridden I have done follow the rail at the trot focusing on her rhythm and relaxation. I have been seeing improvements there but still more to go. I would like to get to cantering and get her balanced at the trot and canter. Her impulsivness and forwardness have her with her head up (and emotions up) and on the forehand. I am trying to get her more relaxed, and reward the relaxation.

So many fun things we are playing with! Still enjoying the journey, and enjoying some new friends that have started on the journey as well.

Savvy on!