Star....9/23/10

I rode Star yesterday in our bigger pen.  We mainly worked on straight lines and collection.  Just because a horse has good vertical flexion, does not mean they are collected.  Collection is the rounding of the back, causing the horse to drive from their back legs.  Star can do this quite easily, she just doesn't want to hold it very long.  But she's a "tryer", so we continue to work at it. 

I recently read and article by Stacy Westfall, where she talked about giving a horse options.  If you wanted a horse to try one thing, you needed to give them another (harder) option.  Give them a choice.  This is excellent advice, always give them an option.  This works with horses and kids, but the option you don't want them to choose must be harder than what you want them to do.

A horse is going to scare, that's in their nature.  They are the ultimate prey animal, escape is always their first option.  A scared horse is a dangerous animal, but if you teach them to "scare in place" you can manage that fear better. 

With Star I started by squeezing her with my knees and asking her for a soft release from the bit, while standing in place.  I try to do this in 3's.  Start at a stand still, ask for the soft release.  As soon as she drops her head, I released the pressure on the bit.  Do this two more times.  Then try it at a walk, then back at a stand still, then back at a walk.  I continued this pattern until she will drop her head whenever I squeeze her with my knees.  All of this works really well by riding, but if you didn't do the basics on the ground....you will have a longer road.  I spent a lot of time on the ground with her, using my stick and string to desensitze her.  Rubbed her all over with it, flipped it around her head and body.  Let her know, both in the saddle and on the ground, that my body language should tell her how to react.  She had choices with this, she could push against the bit or she could drop her head.  The dropping of her head was the easier choice, she chose it. 

Your body language should be that whatever they are boogering at, is not that big of deal.  I know, easier said than done.  But as we ride, we benefit from those "wet" saddle blankets too.  We gain confidence and skill.