Lisa Trowse said Fast track - week 3 - day 12 - well after the successes of yesterday I think Jack was sitting in his stable last night plotting to see what he could throw at me today. Started playing with change of direction and was sensible in using the fence to try and gain some control, but one large orange LBE was quicker, stronger and certainly was outdoing me. At one point I thought he was going to jump straight over the fence! One of the instructors got me to break it back down to the porcupine. And gently reel him in and draw to me to stop his brace. I have been told to do it a hundred times if necessary to try and get him soft off the feel.
Into the saddle and I stuck to my plan to go out of my comfort zone and we headed to the large paddock to practice transitions on a pattern. We started with the bullseye and Jack was very good and got sweet on the centre nicely. One of the other students with an impulsive horse also came in so I moved on to follow the rail so she could use the bullseye. It was interesting as we went to the bottom end of the paddock Jack reached a threshold and went from confident to unconfident. Head high, eyes wide and feet planted. So I kept his and of course my confidence intact and turned and went back. We just stayed on the piece of the rail he was comfortable with, and every now and then we would go to the threshold and try to get a bit further. We did some trot on the rail and I tried to repeat my downward transitions but .jack just doesn't seem to get it. I follow the transition all the way down to lateral flexion every time. He will get there hopefully and halt will come good.
We then headed to the classroom and looked a bit at humanity and the way we can influence our horse and how we may have to change to be better leaders. We had a real laugh as we played a game to help our understanding.
After lunch we had a demo on advancing freestyle patterns, and then we divided into our humanality groups and had to try and change our behaviour and see what showed up. Well, I tried to slow every down a bit as I am a bit frantic and busy. We did well at first and then I was getting Jack to yoyo over the ramp bridge and asked him to back up slowly and he shut down. Eyes staring, head down and really still. Released the pressure off him and felt guilty for too much ask. We went and did a few things in the comfort zone, and the he changed again. He put his donkey face on ( apologies to all donkeys! ) and went total LBI. NO. DONT Want to! Won't! AAARRRRGGGHHH! Not to mention, grass, grass, grass!!! It then tried to make it interesting without being too busy, but I was on the 45ft and he knew it. So I shortened up the rope, and we did some touch it point to point, and circling with stop and stand on the pedestal. I did after much too much effort get a lovely circle.....really he couldn't have trotted slower! And rest.....
Then I decided to saddle up. Took forever and a day. But I just kept putting stuff down and trying again. Did feel a bit frustrated and smiled at him through gritted teeth! Finally up and mounted and managed one walk around the outside of the honeycomb and it was end of day. But we finished on a nice note, he gave a lovely follow the rail, even if the walk was a bit snail like! Possibly my energy levels rubbing off. My feet really hurt today and I think the continued long days of hard work and not a lot of sleep are really taking their toll. Not a spring chicken anymore! Hey ho....
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