Game of Contact Update

It has been two and a half weeks since I started playing with the Game of Contact. In that time, I have been focusing on confidence: getting Sonny to be confident with the bit in his mouth and figure out what to do with it. We have done plenty of bit isolations, he now takes the bridle without a treat, and I have been riding him in it (but without reins).

Yesterday was my first day attaching reins to the bridle since October of 2009. Since Sonny has had bad experiences with bits in the past (the same probably goes for almost all 'pleasure' horses), I wanted this to be such an awesome experience. I was nervous that he would get worried once he felt pressure on the reins, so I tried to use them as little as possible. At the same time, I needed to start using them some or else I would never be able to use a bridle. I started using my reins along the rail, playing with "light and late". I barely touched them, just enough for him to recognize something changed. He responded beautifully! I did a few cloverleaf patterns and used my reins as light as possible as my phase 4 to keep him on track. Again, he responded appropriately to the lightest touch. I am guessing Parelli people might be the only ones to understand this, but it really made me so emotional. Here is a horse that used to go completely inside himself if you even brought the bridle out, and now he is riding around confidently like its nothing. I am so thankful to have such a wonderful partner, who has taught me the importance of patience and taking the time it takes. No one could have showed me better than he did!

Today I started playing with stage one in the saddle, which is "reins mean go". He almost knocked me out of the saddle; he caught on so fast! In the DVDs, Linda has a really challenging time with Aspen (which is great, because that really prepared me for the worst!). After warming up freestyle today, I put the reins on, played with fluid rein and then stage one. After about 10 minutes or less, I was picking up the reins and he would power forward!!!! How cool is that, especially since he is LBI? Never, ever would I have guessed my 'lazy' LBI would so quickly learn that when I pick up my reins he needs to go forward. Awesome! He isn't stretching as much as Aspen and Bobbie Sox did in the DVDs, but stretching is stage two. So the fact that we went from no reins, to reins mean go in two days, well I can't be anything but happy with that :). I am so, incredible proud of Sonny, and so thankful for a horse that tries his heart out for me.

Day 1 of reins attached

It's Rides Like These

Today I had a really, really good ride with Sonny. We have always had trouble with freestyle, but I feel like something really 'clicked' today. 

It started yesterday, when I rode in my new bareback pad for the first time. Love it. I don't know how i lived without it? Anyways, when I first got on Sonny yesterday he was slightly obnoxious; he was pulling the leadrope out of my hands, diving down to eat grass, blasting around as fast as he could, and overall just not being a very good partner. Like usual, I put my hands of my ears and "la la la la" pretended that it was okay. After a little bit I thought to myself 'would an alpha mare allow this?' Of course not! So why was I? I then made it a point to be a good leader and the change was immediate. 

Purple! 

I was more particular about every single thing I did. When I wanted to him walk (even if he was eating grass), he needed to start listening to phase 1 or else he got a quick 2, 3, and an actual 4, not just a 3.25. Before I knew it, he was walking off when I smiled with all four cheeks. He doesn't even do that in the arena, let alone while he is eating grass. Huh, how interesting! 

So today I started off online with the bridle on. He is getting really good about seeking the bit; even after I take it off he tries to grab it again :). But there is still some unconfidence with it on. He knows how to respond to pressure on it, but chops every once in a while. So today I just left it on him while I did everything: grooming, while he ate grass, while I played online, and for the first time in a long time, while I rode. I am still not 100% positive this was a good idea; I could have easily blew his trust/confidence. But, I thought back to level 1. When you first introduce the carrot stick, you take it everywhere until it becomes a part of you and your horse. You do the same with the 45' line in level 3. So I thought I might as well apply the same theory to the bridle. I won't use reins with it until he is confident, but until that point I want it to be just like a second halter. 

Grooming while the bridle is on.

Once I got on, he walked off when I smiled with all four cheeks, even though he was eating grass (insert huge grin here). I had set up four cones as a question box in the middle of the arena. I started my ride off with that to get him interested. The first thing I did was move his hindend around to face a different direction in the box. I realized when I put my leg on, he marched his big butt right around without moving an inch forward and I didn't use reins or have to use my carrot stick. Whaaaaaat? (insert shocked face here). Since when is my horse so responsive? Of course I went on to test the other direction, his bad way. Again, he marched right around without even thinking a hair forward. Now I was really blown away. He always associates leg with some kind of forward and I always have to use my stick to remind him that it doesn't. So today it finally clicked that leg does not mean go. Win :). 

I went on to play with the question box, the clover leaf pattern, and follow the rail. All of the above were better than ever before. It obviously stems from our new found knowledge of left not meaning go. For the first time ever, I could guide him at a trot and canter with my leg without going faster. Before, he would be fine at the walk, but in the trot and canter he would just blast forward whenever I put let on. Today he put effort into the question box without being rude and diving towards it. The clover leaf pattern was next to perfect; I could use just my eyes, belly button, and leg to do an entire clover leaf at the walk, and only minimal carrot stick at the trot. Then, for the first time ever, he actually put effort into following the rail today. For some reason that has been a huge problem for us. Today I could do entire laps at the trot in the huge outdoor with only 1 correction per lap. Wow! We even started follow the rail at the canter and made it down one long side without any corrections. That is HUGE for us (since normally he just blasts around and pretends to be a race horse/cutter/reiner/bronco). 

It's rides like these that reassure me that we our on the right track and our freestyle will be exactly where I want it to be if I keep up the perfect practice. It is really easy to see someone riding (um, Kalley Krickeberg, anyone? Her spotlight at the Tour was truly unbelievable) and be discouraged about where you are with your own riding. But, the last two days made me feel confident that we are on our way! Before you know it, we will be exactly where I envision us, it just takes time and perfect practice. 

Sorry for the book, but I was just thrilled with everything tonight. I am so excited with where we are and where we are going. Good, better, best, never let it rest! 

 Oh, how I love him. 

Game of Contact: Day 1

After watching the Game of Contact all weekend, I was eager to get started.

Yay!

I didn't have a whole lot of time today so I planned to spend it just hanging out with Sonny. That made it a perfect time to just put the bridle on and relax.

I have played with the bridle before, but haven't even touched it in over a month. Just to catch up the new readers, Sonny has a lot of emotional baggage attached to bits. So a few months ago I started out very, very, slowly with things like 'Touch-it' with the bridle. Eventually we built up enough confidence over the weeks to put it on. But, I still felt like we were missing something so I decided to hold off until I had enough funds to buy the Game of Contact.

After watching the DVDs, it finally clicked that Sonny needs to be the one to seek the bit. I understood that I shouldn't have to pry his open his mouth, but I always held the bit right in front of his muzzle. Linda clearly shows that the horse needs to seek the bit.

So today I dusted the bridle off and just held it up. Sonny immediately went after it. Huh, how interesting! Although he kept grabbing the side of the bridle, I was so happy that he was still putting effort into figuring out the answer. It didn't take him long to grab the bit and I rewarded with one of his favorite apple treats. After that, he kept searching for the bit. How cool!

After a few times I put the bridle on and continued to groom and hang out with him. He was chewing more than I would have liked; I want to have a PP double check that it is fitting correctly, but I think he is still just unconfident. I played with some bit isolations and was so surprised by how well he did. With the lightest pressure he would stretch. What a good sign! Even after a month he still retained that concept, which thrills me!

I plan on just bridling for 4 to 7 days. I hope by the end he is more quiet with the bit. Then I plan on starting to play with him online (with his halter on under the bridle), then slowing working to playing freestyle (without reins). Finally, I hope to start at least stage 1 or 2 before the end of June. With all the of the farm stuff going on, I don't have a whole lot of time so I am not sure how well my plan is going to work but we'll see!

So cute :)

Grinning Ear to Ear

Another fabulous day to add to the "Horsenality Movement"!

Yesterday I started to pay close attention to his faces with everything I do. For instance, I haven't been allowing him to come into my space until he has at least one ear forward. Although I would prefer two eyes and two ears, anything is better than both ears back. Usually he doesn't have them back in a super ugly face, but it isn't anything pretty, either. If at least one ear isn't forward, he doesn't get to come within a few feet of me. Guess what doesn't happen a few feet away from me? Treats. I don't get mad and only back him up if his ears are back and ugly, but he doesn't get scratches or treats unless he has a better face.

Along with that, I have been much more conscious about his face's during the games. For instance, I never realized just how many times he asks me questions out on a circle. I always am so neutral (in fact, too neutral!) that I pretend like he isn't there. Without putting pressure on him or changing my energy, I tried to really recognize all the times he either a) keeps an ear on me b) gives me two eyes and two ears or c) does anything except have both ears back. This was really eye opening to me. I get discouraged very often when it comes to his faces (especially when I see my friend's horses lock on with their eyes and ears constantly). But, I fail to take into account all the great things my LBI offers me. Today, especially.

My goal was to work on my slow hand transitions, from all gaits. Interestingly, he loves to come down from a walk to a trot from my slow hand, but not to a halt, back up, or even trot from a canter. My theory is that when I was first playing with the slow hand, it was easiest for him to go from a trot to a walk so that's when he was reward the most. So today I worked on all sorts of different, and snappy, transitions from my slow hand. I asked in the same spot, but not every time. Within about 3 circles he came to that spot, basically half halted himself, and then shot two eyes and two ears at me "Stop or keep going?". Bam, game over :). Not only was he rocking the questions today, he even continued into my space with two eyes and two ears. That makes me all smiles :).

Ignoring my big, fat, finger, doesn't
that face just melt your heart?

After a few good changes of direction and coming into me with a happy face, I moved on to the bridle. We haven't played with it in a while, which is my fault. I need to make it more of a habit to help him overcome his confidence issues with the bit. Today I put it on him and was standing there playing with instagram (just got it for my droid) when I noticed him yawning. Not one yawn, not two, maybe not even three, but more like four yawns later, I was totally in shock! I have been pressuring him to sigh or lick and chew for months now, and the minute I turn away he lets out the biggest release. Huh, imagine that ;). Maybe he isn't the one that is so tense anymore? Definitely food for thought! (That is Sonnys least favorite kind of food). 

Love this little booger so, so, so very much.

Lesson with Juli

We had our fifth lesson with Juli yesterday. As always, it was a huge success! All I really wanted to focus on was the bit and improving our freestyle. 

We made some good progress with the bit! I actually put the headstall on him. He chewed and chewed and chewed but there wasn’t any freak out! And I was able to take it off once he left it alone. I can’t wait to play with some bit isolation stuff. My only concern is which bit to use. I wish it was possible to let him sample a ton and pick out the one he likes best…

Playing with one of Juli's bits. 

He had a surprisingly great attitude today. I was really, really, really happy with his faces. He cantered four laps then when I stopped him, he gave me two eyes and two ears until I asked him to come in. Awesome. Then we did play with some figure 8s. I have been way to direct-line about them. Instead of just figure 8 after figure 8 Juli told me to switch it up more to keep him asking questions. Duh, I should have known that. Within a few minute his faces were looking much better and best of all when I went to bring him in to me, he started to turn back towards the cones so he definitely had the pattern on his mind! Can’t wait to play more with that!

Look at that ear on me! 

Once I got on Juli showed me how to disengage his hind end while riding. I am not really sure why but this blew my mind. I don’t think it is a hard concept to understand, but feel like I might be a little more confident/comfortable with it if I saw someone do it. I might look up some savvy club DVDs to see what I can find. I may need to just play with it more…maybe it will just click?

She gave me some great tools for when he pulls his snotty, LBI tricks to get out of things. She also pointed out that I go right to phase 4 with my carrot stick and keep it there when riding. As much as I would like to think I don’t do this, I know it is true. I don’t think he realizes what phase 4 means. I need to make phase 4 mean something to him in order to get a response from phase 1. Maybe this brings me back to my ‘snappy’ lesson? I think so!

So my things to keep in mind: Make cantering circles a game, don't be a direct line thinker when playing with figure 8s (or anything else!), practice partial disengagement from a walk and trot, and make my carrot stick phase 4 mean something! Being LBE, I want to go play with all of that right now! But, I think we might just enjoy the sunshine today :).

A special thanks to my boyfriend, Stephen, for spending the day at the barn with me and taking so many wonderful photos!