Although everything has been shut down lately due to the EVH-1 breakout, training at home can still go on. Over the weekend I felt like crap. Lillian had something the end of the week that made her lose her lunch and she ran a small fever. She must've thought it is always nice to share because I got it. Saturday I was miserable!
My small portion of a PSA is this. If you are tossing your cookies and can't keep anything down- warm, flat Coke is the answer. Small sips, here and there, the syrup will settle your stomach. The doctor told my mom that years ago and it took me most of the day to finally come to my senses and remember that... As long as I could keep things down, I could handle the rest of it myself.
Sunday I felt a bit better. Well enough to head outside and work the little man. How did he do? Excellent! He was incredibly light in the bridle. More so than ever before. Responsive? Oh hell yeah... Had to tone it down some even.
After his great explosion last weekend, we had made a trip into town so I could get the stuff needed to repair the harness. I wanted him put to the cart ASAP so he didn't think he could get away with anything like that again. I had also been in contact with a harness shop. I emailed to explain the days events and inquire as to what size they had decided on and when it may be shipping? I am happy to say it's on it's way! Wahoo!
I longed him, then a little work in the long lines and he was doing serpentines down the length of the arena with only the slightest of tugs on the reins. I just walked along behind him in a straight line as he wove his way left, then right, back and forth in front of me. He stood like a champ and let me hook him all by myself. The only time he moved was a step back as I brought the shafts up through the tugs, as if he was helping me. I long lined him a little more from behind the cart and then stopped to get in.
A bit more walking, I eased him into a trot and let him work. We did circles, sorta tried the dressage pattern again, used the corners and he was still incredibly light and responsive. We both needed a workout like this. Nothing exciting, no pushing for extremes, just letting him work and rebuild his confidence as well as mine. The harness was repaired and he worked Sunday of last weekend, but not like he did yesterday.
We do have one area needing work. We need a word or cue for our transition from a trot down to a walk. I can tell him to walk, whup, ease up or slow down, letting the reins slip through my fingers some, but he just stops dead, the cart bumps him and I have to ask him to "Walk on". Sure beats the alternative though of him not listening or stopping at all! And if this is the one thing we have to work on, I'll take it.
I asked him to back up a few steps last night. He did it rather well, we got a few steps and called it good. If things in the horse world are back to normal by then, there's a Scurry and Country Drive scheduled up north on June 4th. We may be ready for it. Maybe?
5 comments:
Sounds like you both have made a pretty good recovery considering your wreck. Your descriptions of Kit's behavior reminds me very much of some antics Storm has pulled during his rehabilitation process. I don't do any screaming like a girl either, during any of those but then you and I were both trying to deal with the issues instead of having a panic attack like the screamer was.
WHat about "walk on " as you say he comes to a dead stop with everything else , so he has claerly got a whoa, so from a walk to a trot is "trrrottt on" downward transition ,should work the same
I use a specific hoooouuppp sound that means slow down, kind of a verbal half halt. Ho means plant it! So 'hooup and walk' would mean change from trot to walk. I use the word 'and' before the cue, kind of warning the horse that a command is coming up.
RR- I can't wait to hear about those. Rehab is no fun. Kat is just starting out so he has no excuses there-> just that it can't be sunshine and butterflies all the time.... He was and is doing well but there will be bumps in the road as we go along. We all have our 'off' days.
FV- "Walk on" is how we start off and would make sense, right? He just stops dead though. The cart can bump or even slam into him and he just stops, stands there and waits until I tell him to "walk on" again.
Sometimes any sound from me and BAM! Dead stop. It's not like I don't talk to him, praise him and sing to keep it all fun for both of us...
Kestrel- Whup or whoooop is the same thing here. (tough sound to type out) Sorta like whoa up, but long, drawn out and soothing and always only for downward transitions. I agree about whoa. Stop any and all movement, now!
JR says the transition will come as Kat becomes more and more soft and responsive. He is who suggested letting the reins slide through my hands a little- loosen up, relax and slow down to a walk. Verbalizing it helps too, but Kat is just a little too quick to respond in this one category.
Those smart horses, haha! When they decide they know exactly what you want better than you do...
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