A Productive Day

I finally found a sizable chunk of time to devote to Gambler's training. Taking a break may have been the smartest move (though unintentional). Over the last few days I have been feeding Gambler, scratching his itches, and then leaving. He has taken to following me around the pasture and watching at the fence as I drive away. I guess time away really makes the heart grow fonder.

I started out with fly spray. Gambler has been afraid of fly spray for as long as I've known  him. I worked with him last year until he learned to stand (mostly) still. But after a winter of not being fly sprayed he needs to get used to it again. When I first tried to spray him, he tried to walk or trot away in a circle around me. By the end he would stand for a spray or two, as long as I rubbed him with the bottle before and after. Not bad for our first fly spray session of the year.

After that, Gambler practiced being ground-tied while I brushed him and put the saddle on him. He stood much more still for the saddle than he usually does, which is a good sign. 

At the trot, I looped a lead rope through the stirrup and waved and bumped it around some, because Gambler's issues with a rider usually appear at the trot. I hoped that shaking the stirrup would get him used to something the rider might do. Going to the left he didn't have a problem with it, but going to the right he certainly did. I tried to push him through it, but he was only getting worse. It was clear that he just wasn't ready on that side yet. So I took the lead rope off, found the problem area (circling to the right), and focused on that instead.

He bucked a few times at the trot, but I haven't put the saddle on in a while, so that didn't surprise me. I realized that Gambler's "Woah" is not solid when circling so we switched to walk-halt and trot-halt transitions. 

Then I removed the saddle and led Gambler around to cool off. I continued to work on "Woah" while leading as well as turns and backing up. For Gambler, leading is something that always needs practice. If I don't practice he falls back into old habits. 

And then the real fun began.

Asking for lateral flexion.

Gambler is on a loose lead, without a handler. So he's calling the shots. If he wants to he can leave or bite me. I don't want him to, but Mom isn't there to keep him from it.

Scratching his itches while laying against his back.

And here he is yawning!! A green light if I ever saw one. Excuse my posture, I am super off-balance in all of these photos. 

I'm scratching his mane, which is why he's craning his neck.

I mounted from the left too, but I don't have any pictures of it.

Jumping up over his back.

He threw his head a little bit here, but not as much as he has in the past.

I'd say that was a good way to end the session! It was the first time Gambler ever let me on his back without a handler. He was relaxed the whole time and I am encouraged to see how he is progressing.