I had to be somewhere last night, so I didn't have a ton of time to spend at the barn...rather than risk a rushed ride (he can ALWAYS tell when I'm on a schedule, and he makes it his business to act up on those rides) I decided to do more lunging and pole work.
As I was turning him out after dinner so I could do stalls while he chilled outside for a bit before our workout, Tara (barn owner) wanted to see his reaction to the big pile of stuff outside the barn - they were cleaning out their apartment and there was a couch, golf bag, etc. He did perk up his ears, but nothing bad. Then we wanted to see if he would step on a couch cushion. I led him over, he snorted a bit warily, wasn't sure. I started to push the cushion toward him with my foot and he jerked back on the lead. He *knows* this is a no-no, and he got whacked for it, and I tried again. This time Tara and I were both laughing because he was LEEEAAANING as faaaar away from the cushion as he could without moving his feet, because he knew that if he moved his feet he would be in trouble. I got him to sniff it and nuzzle it, but he wouldn't step over it (or leap over it, like I was expecting). Tara then tried, and she got to where she could move it to his feet, and then pick up one of his feet and place it on the cushion. He was okay with that, and let her do both feet one at a time, but wouldn't ever STEP on the cushion. We left it at that. :)
Then, on to our workout! Now, the first time (last week, I think) I started moving poles around while still holding him, he was very nervous. Walking beside me while I was dragging a pole...oh my goodness. Yesterday, he was great! He seemed to understand the pole wouldn't hurt him. I set up a pole at 12 and 3 o'clock on my lunging circle, and he was good with those at all gaits. Then I raised up one side of one pole with a jump block. Hmmm, new challenge! He figured it out, especially how to "jump" the raised pole and then rebalance himself for the flat pole right after. We did this in both directions at all gaits, and then messed up five poles (Mary-style!) and he was NOT wanting to do it. I had to whack him with the lunge line for him to stumble through once, and then he remembered that he'd done this the other day. After that, he gracefully picked his way through the "maze" several times.
Hopefully he's a good boy for Andrea today. :)
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4 comments:
Those couch cushions can be scary! As for the poles dragging, even Hobbes gets worried about that. He crab walks sideways when I drag them behind us!
I'm glad things are still going well. Can you try the couch cushions again, or are they gone? It might be fun to try him again.
I hope he is good for Andrea too! Silly pony! :)
Glad he was (mostly) good! Aren't the wacky poles fun?!!
Couch cushions are gone. :( But he's getting better about dragging the poles! And I do enjoy the wacky poles.
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