So Ernie and I had the pleasure of spending half a day yesterday 1-2-1 with Rosie Jones, one of Kelly Marks' IH recommended associated. Rosie is an expert on backed issues, in particular napping.
Ernie enjoyed his summer rest quite a lot and has been a bit bolshy since my return so this was definitely perfect timing. I think the problem started when I took him on a 3 hr plus hack!
Anyway so Rosie came down to Mascal's.
First we took Ernie up to Taylors to do some groundwork and generally acquaint ourselves (and get quite wet!). And have a go at one of his favourite naps, re-entering the gate. Firstly, we put him in his new Dually and started getting the back up. Rosie showed me how to work the pressure/release process more effectively, the key being both strength and then the speed of release once willingness shown, though quite often I just wound him up at first, but we achieved more willing reverses than I've ever seen him do.
Once we had achieved some willingness and acceptance of the halter Rosie suggested long-lining him with two lunge reins. This is driving him from behind, almost as driven a cart, but from the ground. After a little sensitising of his hocks to the lines via turns on the ground, he reacted very very well to Rosie's commands. We did figure of eights, forward and back, and in/out of the gates. Me too! Rosie then tried out the shaker, a nice piece of high-tech for driving nappers forward, a plastic coke bottle with stones in. One shake and he does his bat out of hell with Rosie attached. Use sparingly! I have to say I really enjoyed long-lining, think I will defo do more.
Then Rosie got on him with a normal bridle, he was much less responsive to directional command, particularly "go back" so we attached the reins to the dually and "hey presto". Maybe its the riding school years, maybe Daddy's concrete mittens, but is overly definitely desensitised to his bit.
Next we took him to the woods - still in his dually I add - his bit unattached to reins. Rosie backed him from MM car park. We managed to get to the gate, before he showed his colours, think we took about 10 mns here, then we took him up to the top of the first fill where he has been particularly naughty over last week.
This was a long session much to the surprise of passing riders. Anyway Rosie slowly establish a weaving exercise. So when he naps, we stand and calm, then with one hand lead a tight turn, at least 90 degrees, once achieved do the opposite - very exaggerated movement, leaning motor-bike like with the turn - nominal if any leg, only to support the bend. Keep this up until he offers straight, stop and praise him. Do it again. Then let him start moving forward. We also carried the shaker here and if got really stubbon then shook it, first following from ground, then in the hand of the rider - both of us. Always remembering to be balanced and let him go when he ran.
I think we spent an hour in about 100m of joydens, stopping, turning weaving, shaking, trotting away, repeating etc. Ernie engaged with relative honesty, and by the last few times he was almost walking straight out of the weave and moving forward. :). I had the pleasure of doing it myself as well. Rosie has left me a lot of tips and I'm looking forward to working, both on ground and on saddle.
I am going to try and ride him more on dually at least for schooling - until I've achieved a better "stop" - which worked ok away from home in the woods but towards it was a lot more difficult.
A technical observation too, his saddle needs refitting. I felt good here having worked this out myself and already sorted and booked. Rosie thinks this will help his mind too.
Tips
1. break it down into things you can win - therefore avoid the fight
2. praise
3. variation and more leading, even with hack
4. school sometimes in the dually
5. it is ok to get off to pass points of stress when riding out
6. hack in company, but lead
7. when he naps, no legs, right now he reacts against them
8. when weaving only focus on the turn
9. release has to be exaggerated and immediate
We haven't cured things but we have an opportunity to train them out without conflict. This is central to my first promise on taking Ernie so I'm happy. I have always wanted to do some proper instructed horsemanship, long before I had my own horse, and now I have. In fact it was my http://www.leadchange.com/ experiences that told me horses had to come back to my life. I can't express how much I enjoyed that morning. This is why I ride, this is why I so wanted Ernie. It is worth all the misbehavior to be able to experience days such as these! (Though we now move on of course).
Happy days....
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