tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-647406862592675556.post4501937648926164144..comments2024-01-06T02:00:05.220-07:00Comments on SprinklerBandits: The Art of WeightliftingSprinklerBandithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02948487857418394022noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-647406862592675556.post-10661571575783559842016-11-10T06:33:10.533-07:002016-11-10T06:33:10.533-07:00That noseband tho!!!! And also yea. Nobody knows y...That noseband tho!!!! And also yea. Nobody knows your horse like you do, and nobody cares more about his progress and development than you do. You are literally the biggest stakeholder here, and therefore most motivated to set him up for success. emmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05686949099663199382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-647406862592675556.post-25137001222326599172016-11-09T19:16:10.786-07:002016-11-09T19:16:10.786-07:00Dog reactivity is SO HARD and people are SO JUDGY ...Dog reactivity is SO HARD and people are SO JUDGY about it. Kudos to you for listening to the dog. It does get better!Hannahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12237668899993749427noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-647406862592675556.post-35791360312550406152016-11-09T06:19:27.014-07:002016-11-09T06:19:27.014-07:00As someone with a horse who was abused and who fla...As someone with a horse who was abused and who flails to survive...I can say it can be turned around. It will always be his default, but it does get better. Checkmark115https://www.blogger.com/profile/08875106264738444238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-647406862592675556.post-28536212769441037502016-11-08T20:27:47.134-07:002016-11-08T20:27:47.134-07:00I will look in to it. Thank you. I will look in to it. Thank you. SprinklerBandithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02948487857418394022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-647406862592675556.post-27644803894130857842016-11-08T20:23:59.031-07:002016-11-08T20:23:59.031-07:00#solidarity #solidarity SprinklerBandithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02948487857418394022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-647406862592675556.post-13196481178133135122016-11-08T17:22:33.273-07:002016-11-08T17:22:33.273-07:00*of not or...*of not or...Lolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16292991614704353625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-647406862592675556.post-2542112580921966012016-11-08T17:22:12.845-07:002016-11-08T17:22:12.845-07:00Great post. It's taken me many years to learn ...Great post. It's taken me many years to learn that even when I doubt myself for doubting the advice or someone who 'knows better', if I listen to my horses they will unfailing tell me what works & what doesn't.Lolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16292991614704353625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-647406862592675556.post-32930948018813861432016-11-08T14:42:51.111-07:002016-11-08T14:42:51.111-07:00This post speaks to me about Reef. He too has huge...This post speaks to me about Reef. He too has huge physical fear-based reactions when he sees dogs on leash or if he get's cornered or snuck up on by a dog. His only reaction is SAVE MYSELF TRY TO GRAB ONTO DOG. We've been working with a trainer to build his trust in us when on leash--he doesn't need to worry about the dog across the street. We slowly push him past his comfort zone, so that that zone gets larger (really smaller though) and dogs can get closer to him before he reacts. <br />I also struggle with how people see me handling my aggressive dog who looks he wants to kill them and instead I turn him around give him treats. Outsiders don't see the whole picture, and they can't, and their advise is usually from a good place, but I just smile and say "We're working on it" and walk away. We now know what works for Reef and how to help him, and we're sticking with our trainer. and her advise, thanks.<br />But like Courage at shows, Reef wont get over his dog-on-leash issues without more exposure. SO we gear up and get ready for the explosions and looks we get each time we go for a walk, and already he's so. much. better.Careyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03624374504547832814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-647406862592675556.post-67122515069300701522016-11-08T13:47:58.946-07:002016-11-08T13:47:58.946-07:00I actually could have written this post- I've ... I actually could have written this post- I've said it before but I have the mare equivalent. And I get lots of advice- some which is good and some not so much but it he end it's my ass in the saddle and I have to figure stuff out for both of us. It's slow, sometimes I despair and then days when it's good I end up in tears anyway because I'm so fucking happy. <br /><br />Courage is your horse and you know him. I hope that I have never come off as lecturing or giving advice. I might share what worked for me and carmen but that doesn't mean it will for you. <br /><br />TeresaAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05311118900077951863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-647406862592675556.post-9744910319187368472016-11-08T12:47:58.436-07:002016-11-08T12:47:58.436-07:00Haha yeah. If there's one thing Courage has ta...Haha yeah. If there's one thing Courage has taught me, it's how to leave a trainer and believe in myself. It's a mixed blessing. SprinklerBandithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02948487857418394022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-647406862592675556.post-29731971583506049312016-11-08T10:43:32.190-07:002016-11-08T10:43:32.190-07:00I rode one like this for a while as a reclamation ...I rode one like this for a while as a reclamation project, sort of: she had competed really successfully until hitting a wall and melting down in spectacular fashion. People had LOTS of opinions about how to MAKE her behave...but I found that approach only made her more claustrophobic and panicky. When I rode around all sweetness and light and it's-okay-we're-in-this-together -- which clear boundaries and requests, yes, but no confrontation -- she tried really hard for me and we made progress. I've never sat on another horse like her; there really was something, I am convinced, that was just not quite normal about her brain. But I loved her to pieces and really wish I'd been able to take her with me when I left that barn.Hannahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12237668899993749427noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-647406862592675556.post-83187240003861914842016-11-08T10:41:38.505-07:002016-11-08T10:41:38.505-07:00Just one more thought on the matter. The very wor...Just one more thought on the matter. The very worst of the well meaning advice is when it comes from a really, really, really, really good rider. Like Olympic rider who you are paying money to give you advice and you know it just isn't right for you or your horse. For me that has been some of the absolute toughest advice to disregard. I mean they "should" be right they are the best and I am just "ME". It literally makes me question my sanity. But no matter how good someone is you have the distinct advantage because they do not know your horse or your journey.Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13472219069662152722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-647406862592675556.post-77402084429342736142016-11-08T08:44:55.250-07:002016-11-08T08:44:55.250-07:00This is one of the reasons I so rarely try to give...This is one of the reasons I so rarely try to give advice, even when someone directly asks my opinion. I haven't walked a mile in your boots and I have no desire to tell anyone what they should be doing with their horse. I'm sure you get a lot of practice in the "nod, smile, and do whatever the fuck you were going to do anyway" method. You keep doing what you know is best for Courage -- it's obviously working, no matter how incremental the progress might seem to people who don't know him. TrainwreckInTealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10557554448624901955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-647406862592675556.post-85072761443884578172016-11-08T08:22:30.760-07:002016-11-08T08:22:30.760-07:00After following your blog for a while, I think you...After following your blog for a while, I think you have a really good understanding of what is going on with Courage mentally and also a good progressive dressage training plan. I know you have delved a little into Natural Horsemanship but have you ever looked specifically at Tristan Tucker's TRT Method? It is online, in easy to use modules, and has helped my pony deal much much better with pressure and fear. The method is a little different because it uses some ground work but really it retrains the fear response in very small steps. I also found it changed my pony's response to slightly harder pressure during under saddle work. Just a though of something that has really helped my hot, bolty pony tremendously. Tons of info and video on the TRT method website...Exploring Dressage Biomechanicshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14859580820686218207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-647406862592675556.post-72998902069845534762016-11-08T08:19:33.162-07:002016-11-08T08:19:33.162-07:00OMG all of this! Every bit of it. I could have wr...OMG all of this! Every bit of it. I could have written it. From the not actually being afraid no matter how scary it looks to others on the ground. To trying to figure out how to mentally cope with mostly well intentioned, misguided advice. It's hard. Like really hard. I have gotten some pretty harsh words over the years and have had to learn to consider the source. Do they know and understand my horse? No, then their opinion just doesn't count. Then learn how to file that information away because as much as I'd like to ignore it, disregard it and never think of it again it doesn't work that way for me. I have to ponder it, analyze it, over think it, cry about it, get mad about it then ultimately move past it. Man I can't believe how spot on you are with my journey with Steady in this post! If you ride a warmblood, quarter horse etc you just cannot get a TB brain coupled with their insane athleticism. There is no forcing them, cowboying them, working them down, winning with them. If you create a battleground with the track horses you better be prepared to loose. It just is never going to work with them.Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13472219069662152722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-647406862592675556.post-73154950500971412302016-11-08T08:11:49.734-07:002016-11-08T08:11:49.734-07:00You NEVER know the battles someone is fighting at ...You NEVER know the battles someone is fighting at home when all you see is a horse melting down at a show. You don't know what their struggles are, how far they've come with that horse, or what the horse's issues truly are. Giving unsolicited 'advice' just ain't right without having the whole picture! Alli + Dinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06928482808436392040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-647406862592675556.post-51134468078921516232016-11-08T08:00:26.932-07:002016-11-08T08:00:26.932-07:00And this is why I haven't taken Stinker out in...And this is why I haven't taken Stinker out in public really. I can handle my horse but I can't handle people who don't know our history telling me how to ride my horse. You can't get after a terrified horse and expect good results.EventingSaddlebredStylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07610596082916022402noreply@blogger.com