ARGH! It was supposed to get BETTER. May 6, 2008
Posted by kimayars Arena Work (Horse)
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I had my lesson on Tigger today. The lesson went GREAT, but the beginning wasn’t what I hoped for.
I took my time grooming him, checked his back for spasms, and led him calmly and cooly around the arena. He was relaxed, easy-going, and basically a cow. I took him over to the mounting block and we did our little routine (I lead him up, then I walk around him asking him to stand still, then I get up on the block and lean into him a bit, then I get on). It’s time consuming, but good for both him and I. It’s a well-established process that also gives me insight if there’s anything wrong.
At the point where I step onto the block, he moved away anxiously. This is his way of saying he’s not ready. I got off the block, backed him up a few steps, praised him, and we walked around and lined up with the block again. This time, he refused to stand at the block. So, we back up again, praise, and line up with the block again. After about three rounds of this, he stands at the block. I walk around him, he stays put, and all seems good. (Forget the fact that by now I have established an adreneline surge that is pretty much killing me.) I stand next to him, put a foot in the stirrup, and hoist myself up.
He stays. (*whew!*)
My trainer holds him so I can get my right stirrup, and then lets us go. At this point I don’t really care what he does. All my uneasiness revolves around getting settled in the saddle. My fear is that he will take off before I can get my ducks in a row and I’ll come off because I’m unbalanced. For a few seconds, I’m vulnerable.
Anywho, my trainer lets go and he rushes off. This time instead of using walls to block him I decided to fall back on what I saw his previous owner do with him when she got on: one rein stops.
It was pretty effective. In 30 seconds and a few tight circles in both directions, it was over.
Blah.
Anyway, the lesson that followed was supurb. He was extremely good, especially since we introduced some serious lateral work and he didn’t get all freaked out about it. I learned more about using my outside seatbone during leg yields and we revisted (again) the principle that “less is more”. My best leg yield came from a touch with the inside leg and a tiny half-halt on the outside. The other attempts had been seriously overridden.
After the lesson I checked the sweat marks on the saddle pad. There is a void just behind the withers, but there is constant pressure along the entire length of his back. So far the new saddle is working out well.
So my next dilemma is how to minimize my “window of vulnerability” as I get on. I can’t always have someone around to hold him, and putting a hitching post in the middle of the arena is a bit ludicrous (and I doubt Sherene would really go for that). I’ve got a few days to think about that.
Tomorrow is a routine vet appointment for all the horses. I’ll check his back again to verify that we’re doing okay in the department and maybe throw in some in-hand work.
I got sunburned today too. Summer is coming!! 
Comments
Kim, This is so basic, it is dumb, but I have the same fears. Once I am in the saddle and have both stirrups , I am fine, …but having imported many German horses who were not trained to a Mounting block or taught to whoah and wait, this is my strategy….
..I ALWAYS have 3 sugar cubes in my pocket, now my horses nuzzle my pocket at the mounting block.
I give them three sugar cubes, get on and make them stand…at the beginning, I had a ground person continue to feed and pet them as they stood for me…Over a short period of time they learned to chew their sugar, that I tell them is my thank you for letting an old fat lady ride them for 45 minutes and once I have my stirrup, I continue to pet and stand still for as long as I need to…Eventually I progress from a ground person to a corner of the arena for my mounting,kind of contained by a side fence and one in front of us about 3 feet. …I really praise my guys for waiting for me…I know this is stupid, but I have retrained German young horses with this and old Grand Prix School Masters to Wait tfor the old Fat Lady to get settled. It does not take to long land really pays off, just do not run out of sugar cubes…..Everyone from my trainer to my young limber daughter laugh at my routine, but it works for me and I do not mind the bribe…..Many horses are allowed to walk off as soon as the first foot goes in the stirrup…This is our problem as we buy them after they are broke this way,. They just have to learn a new way to do it.
Good to hear that the saddle is working out well! For standing still while mounting, you did a good job with the one rein stop, if he’s as smart as you say then he should get the picture after a few tries of that. You’ll have to keep working on breathing though before getting on so he doesn’t worry when you get worried! I had a huge problem with my own fears getting in the way of my riding for a while, and what has worked for me is ground work (Parelli games stuff), and walking around the ring with him in hand while visualizing what good I wanted to happen and stopping to breathe from my belly whenever a “bad” scenario popped into my head. It takes time and patience, and it takes a long time to really get to know a new horse, so keep working at - slow and steady wins the race