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Wednesday, June 11, 2014

A Training Moment

When your horse is really naughty, there are only still shots
Here's a theme I've been picking up from instructors lately: Don't take it personally. Keep emotion out of it. Don't let him change the conversation. Just keep doing what you want him to do until he gives up and does it.

It seems like really superfluous advice when the little man started out with a solid twenty minutes of brilliance and connection.

Lucky for me, he also had some anxiety to work through. When I picked up the trot the second time, I had a tense, bracing horse who ran through my right leg and threatened to just lose it if I even thought about getting after him. Interesting. This was the horse that Lins had to ride on Sunday. I haven't really met him before, but it looks like we'll be getting acquainted.

Unelated photo of how sexy my horse is right now
I was actually impressed with my ability to just sit there. I kept asking him to bend, kept riding him into the contact as we did twenty meter circles and serpentines. All easy stuff, all things he knows how to do. He wanted to get in a fight. He wanted to freak out. I don't know if he thought we were going to do something really hard or if he just wanted to be done or what his deal was, but we kept trotting forward.

Eventually, he gave it up. There was no big explosion, not even a scoot. He just relaxed his back and let himself bend and took a couple of deep breaths. I patted him and we cooled out walking through his field on the buckle.

This is what I love about being an ammy in a low key environment. There's no pressure or goals or shows or anything. He and I can set the schedule and if we need to slow down and take our time, that's totally ok. Courage needs to figure out that this life is a-ok and if there's anything I'm the best at, it's going slow and making things easy.

17 comments:

  1. Taking emotions out is SO hard for me to do on my own horse.

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  2. I feel like I ride best when there is no long term agenda, simply riding the horse I have today and trying to make the most of it.

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  3. Hahahahaha! I can't even get still shots when my horse is naughty! My friends always stop shooting at that point.
    I'm so proud of the little man for working through things with you!!

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  4. Doing nothing - as in just staying relaxed and not reacting is the hardest yet most important thing to do with greenies.

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  5. Good job and good boy Courage!

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  6. Way to go! This is exactly what I'm working on with Dandy right now since we're over the actual blowing up stage.

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  7. An important lesson that I keep learning every 6 months or so. Sometimes its easier and sometimes harder.

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  8. Sometimes doing nothing is the hardest! Def best to keep your head clear if possible. I have to remind myself of that,

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  9. Good job sticking to it! Courage is a good boy.

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  10. Saddle still ok fit as he has been developing his topline? He's always seemed like such a tryer.

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  11. Yep, I'm bad at bringing emotions into my ride. Good for you!

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  12. Emotions are my issue too... they are important, but keep them under control when riding! Great job!! :D

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  13. Horses teach us great lessons hehe. :D

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