(Quick back track)
Saturday started with a beautiful day - him walking away from me when I went to get him. Then he refused to hold his feet up for longer than 2 seconds despite the fact that they're long and cracking and desperately needed rasping. He cooaperated part of the time for treats but still fussed, nearly getting me in the face 3 times with his front hoof. I finally gave up and finished up and turned him back out.
Anyways. I've been frustrated with D's lack of energy/will to do anything this past week or so. Sure following me around the ring is a start, but there is no spark, no nothing. He rarely focuses on me at all. I'll catch him watching me out of the corner of his eyes as he walks around the arena, but that's all the signal I get. And he mainly comes up to me because he's bored or wants treats. -__- *sigh* Oh how I would love to hop on his back and us gallop across the fields happily with him shaking his mane and grunting like he used to... I'm missing that right now.
In talking about his lack of attention to me that brings up another BIG point of frustration: the respect issue. I know he doesn't respect me, and despite me working on the windmill arms now when he gets in my space I can't do it all the time and he also doesn't always respond to that. Hoping some of the AND members and myself can figure this out... The gate is a huge point of contention and maybe the truth is I'm just not patient enough. (still?! You're killin me here ;p ) I've worked (what I thought was extensively) with him about the gate, waiting, not always grazing, etc. It just doesn't stay "good" though even after a good session. I don't know how I'm screwing it up though as I can't have 4 hands to deal with a cranky gate and a large pushy horse while holding onto him so he doesn't bolt etc. O_o'''' Maybe the answer lies in my own patience, making gate equitte the lesson of the day until we see true progress. I'm still kind of a mess with him: one minute it's non confrontational, non preassure body communication to ask for what I need (move away from me etc.) and the next when he crosses the line I do something that makes him throw his head up or I start applying preassure on the halter or his chest. Very frustrating, I don't feel like I have a proper "new habit" to replace each old reaction I gravitate towards when he does something I don't like. I've only replaced some of my habits, so I revert back to them when I don't have an immediate answer for his behavior, because oddly the last thing I feel like I should do is stand still and do nothing.
Some people did remind me on the MB about the head being held high releasing adrenaline and causing tension mentally as well as physically. With as much as D throws his head up or raises it to get it away from people, I imagine he's pretty tense even when I think he's not. Despite the domaneering manner and insistance that Adrian exerted over him this past winter, the ultimate product of having D lower his head for a person during haltering & leading had a nice effect on him. He was often very calm with little head swinging. He's never hit me with his head when it was wither height or below. *thinks about that* Playing with the head down response has started dancing in my mind again this morning... although I'm probably going to have to find a new way to get him to do it considering the somewhat firm poll preassure is something he'll most likely reject now that he's been able to say 'No' so much.
Also another random idea occurred to me: Chase the Tiger in the pasture? even if D didn't take me up on the offer (as he still seems to have very little interest in the thing on the ground) I'm sure Levi the colt would. Would watching other horses frolick and play encourage Diego to become more open to the idea? Will have to test this theory...
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