Becoming the leader my horse needs me to be: January update

Sunday, 5 February 2012

January update

The weather has been alternately very wet, very cold and now snow. Our outings have been rare. I had a go at the interdressage practical horsemanship 2 for January; it might have been presentable had I not got the test wrong a couple of times. Lucie does the turn on the haunches but on the first I didn't ask her enough so she finished crooked. Also left the gate open so she stops on the first pass. We tried the test agian but she was fed up with the repetition, and the camera battery ran out... This is it: http://youtu.be/ZvYyUajvZdc
Her attitude overall wasn't bad, but I'm not really taking her with me, and I'd like her responding to my body more.

Last Sunday I attended a one day course with a French man who practises l'équitation éthologique. It was at a friend's place, so I couldn't take Lucie. But I was able to play with one of my friend's horses in the morning, and ride another in the afternoon. There were 5 participants/horses and the rest of us watched and learned. There was only time for a brief turn each but we learned some valuable things. Once again, I could see the power of getting the body language and the timing right. Interesting to watch the different horseanalities.

The more I improve my body language the better respect I get from Lucie.

I now believe that her earlier over reactions were due to my inconsistencies. She needs me to show that I'm consistent and to be that leader she's looking for. As long as I am very consistent I can be firm, and she accepts it.

By being firm and fair I can get her respect and attention. I now have to find a way to persuade her to enjoy doing things again.

I am also looking at the evidence that her horsenality is changing - and that I've been slow to spot this!!! I've been treating her as right brain introvert but the dominance I'm bring up is more left brain, which is good! My over reactions and bad timing with phases were not giving her time to think, and are sending her back where she came from - right brain reactions, which we don't want! Again, work on myself... because when I get it right, I can see in her that I have!

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My horses

Lucie is a Camargue mare, born 12 April 1999. She came to me in April 2009. She is not an easy horse, and has been found difficult by others. She can be over reactive, tense, distrustful; very sceptical; she requires a lot of patience & does not forgive easily. She is constantly challenging me in every way; when she becomes confident, she tests my leadership and she is always testing to see which human has turned up today. She is very subtle about this and maybe I have not always been subtle enough in my response. She is by far the most difficult horse I have ever handled and I don't always get it right. In 2010 she became lame with a bone spavin (osteoarthritis of the hock) so we have pain issues to deal with too. I can't ride her so we go out for walks in hand and do appropriate groundwork.

Seraphina (Fina) arrived to join us in January 2013. She is a Fjord mare born 2006. She has been with my friend Helen and her daughter Ali who has now outgrown her and moved into horses. With them, Fina has been hacked out regularly, done TREC and dressage and jumping; she is barefoot and bitless. I have introduced her to PNH and she is proving a steady calm learner. I ride her and pony Lucie when we go out for hacks.