First attempt getting on Izzy!
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She did amazing! She came to me because she wouldn't stand getting on. I was hoping to make a before and after video of this, but she didn't take a single step first try!
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After a lot of groundwork training, working on her buddy sour issue, and flexing, I decided she was ready to get on. The reason I didn't try to just hop on her the first day was that would be setting her up to fail. By doing all the groundwork with her and getting her focused and respectful, we had a successful first attempt getting on.
Incorrect vs correct change of direction in the roundpen.
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The first clip, Izzy changes Incorrectly by turn away from me, into the fence. I do not want their butt to face me, even if they don't mean it in a disrespectful way, I don't want them making it a habit to turn away.
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So when the incorrect change is made, I quickly try to cut her off and change her back into the direction she was going. I add a lot of pressure infront of her and release after she turns back.
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When she changes correctly which is turning in to face me, she gets very little pressure.
So make the wrong thing hard and right thing easy. She learned very quickly to turn into me.
Pick me up!
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I love teaching horses this trick! Not only is it convenient, but it gets them thinking, and respectful about mounting.
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Unfortunately, we have an air advisory from the smoke from Canada. So I can't do much for exercise since I don't want him breathing too hard. When it comes to training, health and safety comes first! Even if we have to skip or slow it down for a few days.
Fortunately, we can do lots of desensitizing in the meantime.
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For a tutorial on this, you can find it on my YouTube page!
Not to bad for only the second time riding him.
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This was a great ride! He was respectful, listening, and willing to try. No bucks or funny business going into the canter.
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He absolutely will have breaks on him that'll just about knock you out of your seat. You can see in this video, he stopped off a simple "woah". If you look closely, I dropped reins a couple seconds before I asked him to stop.
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The next ride will start in the roundpen and end in the arena. I want to get him out into a bigger space to move out a little more.
Getting bucked off on the ground!
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Onni came to me because he has bucked his rider off a couple times going into his right lead. He does okay with the saddle, so I decided to give this idea a shot and I'm so glad I did!
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I have a rope tied to the saddle horn and I pull towards me to simulate the rider loosing balance or shifting in the saddle. You can see what happened at first. Now if I were to be in the saddle when he did that, I could have easily fallen off and gotten hurt.
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Doing it this way, keeps me safe and allows me to add pressure and release when necessary. It only took him a few tries before he understood bucking won't release the pressure.
We had a wonderful session. Had a few little moments, but it's expected. This session I was basically just asking him to focus on me instead of everything else around him.
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A few things we worked on:
•Desensitizing
•Flexing
•Stopping while lunging
•Changing directions while lunging
•Circle driving
•Backing with more effort
•Yeilding the hindquarters
•Standing tied
Most of this he already knows, he just needs work on it.
I'm loving his canter on the line!😍
Took a few tries, but he got it!
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He was a little confused by this at first. Not scared, but just constantly thinking I was asking him to move his feet. So he would go in circles and more circles and more circles. Finally he figured out what I want him to do was stop and relax.
FINALLY!
After years of wanted one, I finally got myself a round pen! And of course the first thing I have to do is try it out!
All I know is I will never go without one again!
Do you have a roundpen or does the barn you board at have one?
I do not own rights to music
Song: Sol Rising
Artist: Be Free (feat. Gyrefunk)
