Dear Reader,
Lyle has turned a very good corner. He now gives a nice flex at the pole and is slowly stopping his hyper flexing. He will never forget his western rollker training. But he will understand that there is a better way called true release and mutual yielding between human and horse.
I have been riding Lyle using an old cowboy trick. The pictures explain it. I stand up in the stirrups thus taking all weight out of the saddle seat and I grip only with my ankles and keep my knees completely off of his sides. This is a very secure seat as long as I keep my hips over my feet and allow my hips to follow that horse's movement. I have a hold of the reins so that I can use the bridle more like a halter and less like a bit. You can see that this allows me to take the reins out in a way that feels different to Lyle. And Lyle understood that he did not have to fight because I was riding just a little differently that he was used to and because I NEVER fought with him.
I am thankful that Lyle is starting to understand that I am not like his old trainer and that I will not fight with him. Soon, once I have solid control of Lyle, we will be out on trail. We are now getting close to this goal of being out on trail. I am thankful.
Sincerely,
Penny Johnson
Kootenai Curly Horses
Bonners Ferry, Idaho
You and Lyle are looking great Penny!! You're doing a great job bringing him back to a safe and pleasant trail horse.
ReplyDeleteDonna, thank you. What I am finding is that if I do things just a little bit differently, but in a way that still makes sense to Lyle, he is able to re-learn how to be ridden. That is why I am sitting him in the way shown in the above pictures. The other thing that is helping him to re-learn is that EVERY time he gives me ANY kind of a yield, I give him a very controlled and very generous release. He is starting to understand the concept of "covenant" that binds both human and horse. I am under that covenant just as much as he is.
ReplyDeleteAgain, thank you,
Penny
Penny, I have read your post several times because I find your Old Cowboy Trick very interesting. Thanks for describing it so well. Glad it is working for you and Lyle.
ReplyDeleteSusan,
ReplyDeleteI used that "old cowboy trick" because Phil used to ride Lyle in a disunited way. That is he forced Lyle to go on one lead in front and on a different lead behind. By riding in the way I described I am using my weight completely differently so that Lyle can understand that he can go on the same lead both in front and behind.
I will say this plainly, Rollker is BAD. I hope that if any one learns any thing from these posts it is to avoid ROLLKER like the plague. If just one person takes this advice, then my work with Lyle will have been worth while.
Penny
Penny, thanks for putting pictures with your post. I would like to try that with Marley just for the heck of it. I am all about trying new things to see how different horses respond to things. I agree with Donna how you are going to give up on Lyle just because of one bad trainer, you are taking the time to spend with him that he needs.
ReplyDelete