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We were blessed with a beautiful thunderstorm and heavy rain the other day, but Ego was not a big fan :( having limited experience in indoor arenas, the sound of the rain on the roof was scary for him & the thunder claps may as well have been bloody gunshots. This session isnât a pretty one but I love how it ends!
â˘I was in no rush to get on. Focusing on just being calm & present with him
â˘To get his focus/attention back after each fright, I used positive reinforcement to let him know its okay to calm his farm and relax, and to make it a bit more of a pleasant experience
â˘Sloth paced session with lots of walk breaks
â˘I had to be his literal hype girl for the first five minutes, but look at that beautiful relaxed boy at the end đŠˇ
Very proud of this sensitive baby!! Also, very proud of my stickability. Its rough getting back in the saddle on a green pony after 12 months off đŹ
Our first ride back in preparation for the 2024 comp season. Ego has had a lovely 12 month break from full time training, and we are taking it back to basics to build his confidence back up and get him used to ridden life with one eye.
â˘Focusing on keeping things simple and doing things he already knows off by heart from his foundation training
â˘Getting his brain in tune with mine by using minimal pressure and using my body to give cues, and giving him ample time to find the right âanswerâ
â˘Using positive reinforcement to keep it straightforward for him - this method of training provides so much clarity for him, using the clicker to mark the movement or behaviour Iâm asking for allows for very little flustered moments as he understands exactly what I am asking of him with the cues I give him
â˘Lots of walk, halt, lateral movements
â˘Plenty of transitions within the walk and halt-walk-trot to keep him forward and energised (he is naturally very laid back, and this is a great way to keep him on his toes!!)
â˘Restricting our sessions to about 20 minutes, and taking a case by case approach, ensuring the sessions are ended when we achieve focus and relaxation
He is a little spooky and nervous on the ground and on his blind side. At this point in time and until he tells me he is feeling brave, confident & fit enough to start stepping up, our sessions will look a lot like this.
Slow and steady wins the race, especially with young and sensitive horses â
To me, this was a fantastic ride. We may not have cantered or jumped any fences, and it may look slow and boring, but this is just as exciting as jumping a 1.20m Oxer đŤś
(No sound as Facebook only has weird music, and ainât no way Iâm ready to voice over videos juuust yetđ
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