Another glorious day is Northern California and Kaycee and I went back to Horsemen's to work on digging us out of this hole that I put us in!! After yesterday's battle of wills, I was a little disheartened about how big the hole actually was... After Tuesday's session, I really thought I had made HUGE progress in filling it, and then we had the same fight yesterday, and again today... BUT, as I was working us through the "sticky" spot today, (still on her back), I had an epiphany!! I was STILL on her back and we were WORKING THROUGH IT!! Yes it was an issue, but it was NOT a fight, it did not last as long as yesterday or NEAR as long as Tuesday, so I realized, aaahhhhh progress. I did not have to get off of her at all today and she did not stay "stuck" at the two sticky spots!
I was feeling pretty good after that and I really wanted to free rein her so we went into the round pen, (I feel more secure there, more confined). I asked her to walk, trot and then canter, all with verbal commands and she responded readily. We cantered one and a half times one way and about the same the other way. We did some sidestepping up to the wall and then I quit her. It was a good day, once I put everything into perspective, lol
It's all about perspective, isn't it? Its so hard for us to slow down and look at things from the horses point of view. That has been my struggle.
ReplyDeleteI have recently had some good success with the advance/retreat method I read about on Linda Parelli's blog. I am SO glad that you recognized that you ARE making progress!
ReplyDeleteHey Lisa, You KNOW we love you and are proud of you! It is so fun to KNOW you have done ALL of this yourself when you were so sure you COULDN'T do it. I remember weekly phone calls - "couldn't you just saddle her for me?" "How about tasking her to class?" AND LOOK! You saddled her for the first time, rode her bareback, taught her to lounge, took her on her first trail ride, survived a tossed coke can into an empty dumpster on what your second or third ride .... so now you have a "hole" and just look at it as a challenge not a setback or a hole just a challenge to your imagination to find the key to moving through it and WE KNOW you have a stupendous imagination so .... go GIRL.
ReplyDeleteEllen cheyenne, wy
Great that you are indeed making progress and the best is recognising that you are making progress! I always love that feeling. I think it is quite an improvement that you don't need to get off and can work her while you are on her back. Keep it up and soon there wont be a problem anymore!
ReplyDelete