Gia - session 56 - A little naughty, a little good
I started Gia out on the lunge line yesterday. She has been spooking at the poles on the ground when we've been in the arena (not a good sign for a future event horse ☺), so I decided to lunge her right over/near the poles. She definitely thought they were going to get her! Anytime she was near the poles, she tried to buck. I would fuss at her and stop her, and then ask her to go again. Pretty soon, it got a little comical - she would get near the poles, buck and then look at me. I'm not sure if she was looking to me for reassurance that the poles wouldn't get her, or looking sheepish because she got in trouble again for bucking, or looking at me with a glint in her eye as if to say that she was being naughty and knew it. Either way, it took quite a few transitions between all gaits before she could go through, or over, or past the poles without a reaction. Once she was good in both directions, I hopped on.
For now, under saddle, I will avoid the poles. I'm not in a hurry to have an unplanned dismount from this great height. So, we worked on circles in each direction. She was much more obedient to what I was asking her yesterday than she was the last time I rode her. She was much softer in her mouth, almost too soft. I will have to be careful not to overdo this work. She was not too difficult to send forward, although I would have liked a little more, but I didn't push it. She was a little distracted, but not too bad, and I was able to get her attention back on me for the most part. Once I felt her relax and listen better, I ended the ride there.
Rebecca helped me with the twitching and clipping. I tried without twitching first. I turned on the clippers while at a distance, while she was eating grass, and then walked towards her. Before I could get too close, she started backing away nervously. Without turning the clippers off (I didn't want to give her the wrong idea that if she backed away, the clippers would go away), I slipped the twitch on her nose and then started clipping her muzzle. As soon as she relaxed, I turned off the clippers and took off the twitch. It took a little longer to get a good sign of relaxation, but she wasn't as tense to begin with.
I also decided to start pulling her mane again. I would like to be able to see what is going on with her neck while I ride, mostly so that I don't over bend or over flex her. And right now, her mane is so long, that makes it pretty difficult. She's always been a little funny about pulling, so I decided to work on it while Rebecca held her to graze. She was perfect! It will take a while to get it short enough, because it's so long, and because I don't want to pull too much at once and upset her, but it's a start.
Finally, I held her while Rebecca bathed her. She was nervous at first, as usual, when the water was first turned on and spitting, but she eventually settled down. I also had Rebecca spray her face with the "mist" setting on the hose. She was fussy at first, and put her head way up, but Rebecca had the hose pointed up high so that the water came down on her. Hopefully, she will eventually see how good this feels and relax into it.
For now, under saddle, I will avoid the poles. I'm not in a hurry to have an unplanned dismount from this great height. So, we worked on circles in each direction. She was much more obedient to what I was asking her yesterday than she was the last time I rode her. She was much softer in her mouth, almost too soft. I will have to be careful not to overdo this work. She was not too difficult to send forward, although I would have liked a little more, but I didn't push it. She was a little distracted, but not too bad, and I was able to get her attention back on me for the most part. Once I felt her relax and listen better, I ended the ride there.
Rebecca helped me with the twitching and clipping. I tried without twitching first. I turned on the clippers while at a distance, while she was eating grass, and then walked towards her. Before I could get too close, she started backing away nervously. Without turning the clippers off (I didn't want to give her the wrong idea that if she backed away, the clippers would go away), I slipped the twitch on her nose and then started clipping her muzzle. As soon as she relaxed, I turned off the clippers and took off the twitch. It took a little longer to get a good sign of relaxation, but she wasn't as tense to begin with.
I also decided to start pulling her mane again. I would like to be able to see what is going on with her neck while I ride, mostly so that I don't over bend or over flex her. And right now, her mane is so long, that makes it pretty difficult. She's always been a little funny about pulling, so I decided to work on it while Rebecca held her to graze. She was perfect! It will take a while to get it short enough, because it's so long, and because I don't want to pull too much at once and upset her, but it's a start.
Finally, I held her while Rebecca bathed her. She was nervous at first, as usual, when the water was first turned on and spitting, but she eventually settled down. I also had Rebecca spray her face with the "mist" setting on the hose. She was fussy at first, and put her head way up, but Rebecca had the hose pointed up high so that the water came down on her. Hopefully, she will eventually see how good this feels and relax into it.
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