Putting the Plan into Practice

Thursday was a rainy fall day, so I didn't get a session with Gambler. I did, however, get a tack chest! I don't remember exactly when I got it, but it was sometime this last week. My mom found an add on craigslist: an antique chest that a woman was giving away for free. We drove thirty minutes to pick it up. I was not disappointed!

It isn't fancy, or extraordinarily beautiful, but it is well-built. I don't doubt that it will keep my various horse supplies clean, safe, and contained. It's better than a 20 dollar plastic bin from Walmart any day!

Today I tried out my "old new plan." I don't have any pictures, but my brother might take some tomorrow. I know that if he's behind the camera I'll have several good pictures and videos to show you. 

I started out with desensitizing exercises. I tossed the stick and string over his back and smacked it on the ground several times on both sides. This is old stuff - I've been doing it since day one - but Gambler is still unsure of it on his right side. That is his weak side; he is unsure when seeing things out of his right eye. I started a new phase of the desensitizing today, one that I haven't done before. I led Gambler forward (or asked him to circle me) and tossed the stick and string over his back while he was walking. It became immediately apparent that Gambler doesn't understand the difference between motion and motion with energy. This is probably my fault, I am guilty of laziness and lacking energy. Though it will take time, I want to teach Gambler that the stick and string are equally harmless at the walk and the halt. 

Sensitizing is just as important as desensitizing. If your horse is completely desensitized, he'll never do anything. I want Gambler to know that when I give him a cue (with energy) I want him to respond and quickly. So I played with moving the forequarters and hindquarters, paying specific attention to when I gave him the release of pressure. If my release is immediate, his response will become immediate. 

I also spent a lot of time on the circling game. I used the 12' lead line as a longe line, because I wanted to establish boundaries. I want Gambler to circle outside of my bubble, but I want slack in the rope. I also want him to bend on the circle. No counter-bending or haunches-in allowed. There is one other thing. I've noticed that every time I ask Gambler to stop while circling I let him come into me. That has to stop. I have always made him stop a few steps away until I invited him into my bubble, but now I want him to wait out on the circle until I ask him to come to me. He is used to just coming in, but by the end of the day, he was starting to understand what I was asking. 

Then I brought out the mounting block. I stood on the mounting block with Gambler facing toward me. Step by step, I asked him to stand closer to a position where I could get on. At first he pulled all the tricks that he was used to using when Mom was holding him and I was leaning on him (or vice versa, it doesn't matter who is holding him, that method just doesn't work), however, when he misbehaved, I sent him out to circle at the trot. We ended the day with him standing calmly while I rubbed his back - something I couldn't do with someone holding him. 

I want to make it clear that it isn't Mom's fault. The problem is that when someone is holding Gambler, he is being forced to hold still. This makes him feel claustrophobic and panicky or grumpy and obstinate. But today I held the line loosely. If he wanted to leave, I drove him away. In the end he decided that he would rather stand than trot. Because it was his decision, he didn't bite, or move around. 

Note: I also introduced disengaging the hip while flexing laterally, which is one of the first things I will do when I start riding him.