DAY 4 (01/02/18):
Third Round Pen Session
“Horsemanship is not an exact science. It is a series of
adjustments made moment to moment.” This quote by well-known clinician/ trainer
Craig Cameron really resonated with us today and seemed to set the tone for the
sessions.
Today is all about Review and New and making the best
adjustments moment to moment with Jazz (as well as Ronan and Argent). With some
winter weather heading our way this week we feel that it is best to keep the
sessions with the horses focused on improving what they know. In Jazz’s case we
want his “score” on the known exercises to improve a little bit (it is all
about small wins adding up to big improvements) and his attempts at new
exercises to be genuine. That is the only fair thing we can ask of him. We will
continue to work on communication and connection to strengthen the confidence
Jazz has in us. With C.P.R (Clarity, Patience, Release) we will help Jazz feel
more confident in himself and us as his leaders.
As always we began with desensitizing. Jazz has some issues
with the stick and string when at liberty. He thinks he as to do something and
then over reacts. So today we left the rope halter on (with the lead rope in
hand) to so some desensitizing. The result was what we expected and he raced
around a bit. Sticking with him, sometimes tapping the reset button (getting
two eyes and relaxing) while staying consistent helped him refocus and think. Once
he showed signs of relaxing a bit we loved on him and moved on. Then it was
back to impulsion, gait and direction control, turning inward to change
direction, giving two eyes and locking on from the left and right side (his
right side is still weak in this and is going to take real consistency in order
for it to improve). From there we moved into lead line work. Yielding the hind
end to rhythmic and steady pressure, lateral flexion, Following the Feel,
backing to rhythmic and steady pressure, leading exercises (foot, side and
front) and a variety of other exercises. Overall Jazz showed improvement (or at
least did not revert) with these exercises. We introduced vertical flexion and
giving at the poll today. You could tel that this was very new to him but – and
timing is everything – since it was at the end of the session he was much more
willing to think it through instead of over reacting.
We will be having a few days of rain so this is going to be
his last session until the weekend. His human should be coming by for a lesson
and they will get to work together then. Should be fun!
Hanging out, being awesome.
Some liberty trotting.
Some liberty trotting.
Some liberty trotting.
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