Continuing to Ride Lyle

Dear Reader,

Lyle and I continue to ride. Progress is slow but it is good progress. We continue to ride in the larger part of my hay barn. I have set up several platforms/pallets in this area. The platforms/pallets help Lyle to control his emotions himself. This is because they provide him with a "home base" and he knows that I will guide him back to one of them if he needs to go there for security. This having a home base helps him to settle his own emotions and that is important in retraining him. But we only go back to the platforms/pallets on my terms. He does not get to make the rules about going back. I do. But I try to be fair and I try to need his needs before he is over taxed.

We ride, when I sense that he feels the need to stampede or seize the bit I turn him, before he is committed to the disobedience, towards one of the platforms. I ask him to mount the platform and to just stand still until he settles. Once he has settled, we return to riding again at the walk and trot. This is still all done bare back because he seems to need my body contact. I just pretend that my seat is a living saddle!

I sincerely hope that people understand how much the "platform/pedestal" concept that Mr. Pogue teaches has helped Lyle.

One last thing. Lyle is learning proper leg cues. Today for the first time he responded to leg pressure. This means that I am now riding his entire body and not just his head! This is good. Another thing, Lyle has started to accept discipline with out exploding. Several times he wanted to go his own way and make his own rules. I simply legged him forward and into a faster gait. He accepted this kindly.

I am riding Lyle in a situation where there are many obstacles, posts and things that he could use to crush my legs. He has refused to hurt me in this way. This fact alone proves that he is kind and worth the hard work of re-training.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Penny Johnson

Kootenai Curly Horses

Bonners Ferry, Idaho USA