Just Some Pictures of Joey and I Out Doing the Impossible

Did I mention my horse is blind and that people told me that I would never be able to ride him?
‎#inyourface ‎#thepowerofGod ‎#nevergiveup ‎#dreambig

 

Babe, the Mustang Racehorse

Somebody I met at camp last week asked me for some advice/suggestions on how to get his new mustang mare to go forward without going 0 to 60 in 2.3 seconds. I thought I'd (b)log what I told him here in case anybody's ever interested, but mostly just so I could have some place to file it away. :)

"I don't know how you've been raised to think about horses or what theories you may have developed about how best to train and work with them. This is my opinion after all that I've seen and learned about horses, from horses so far. The biggest thing that I can tell you is that when I listened only to the human voices and advice, Joey and I were much more confused and frustrated. But when I would actually take the time to listen to the horse and open up my mind to what it could possibly be thinking about the situation, things became so much clearer and progress and success is usually inevitable. Like I said: this is my opinion; you can take it or leave it.

"It sounds like your mare could have people problems worse than her owners having horse problems.

I don't know how she handles on the ground. If she's wonderful and just lets you do anything and everything with her, then we won't have to start from square one. But if she's a little standoffish or wary of you then I would suggest that you spend as much time as possible just hanging out with her, letting her know that you're not the bad guy. I've found that horses are really just like everything else in life in that you get out of them what you put into them whether it's time, effort, or affection. I don't know if you'll be willing to spend time just hanging out with her, but I'm telling you what I've learned is that it helps a whole lot. We've got to take into consideration where she's been so far in her life. If it's been rough for her, either due to stupid people or her own nature, then you've got to set a different standard. You've got to help her realize that she can trust people, and she can trust you. I believe that gaining that trust is the first step to getting her to ride smoothly for you.

"Next I would say that you need to be able to bet your life on her brakes before you start working with the speed (even trying to downsize it). If the only speed she knows right now is full-speed, then logically you're gonna need some reliable brakes so you both don't get hurt like before. Since the only forward motion she seems to know is run, then let's try backing up. You can stop from back up, so let's give it a go. I just recently taught Joey how to back because he hated it and normally would only do it if I was super rough and loud with my cues; and even then, he was angry with me while doing it. I knew that wasn't right, so I tried to think how I could get him to be more supple and consistent. Guess what worked? I had to get supple and consistent in my cues. Horses can feel the slightest movement or touch. So we went back to the beginning, to the softest cue: I shifted my weight backwards in the saddle. At first, it was an obvious shift, just to let him know we'd changed our tune; but now I just have to think about shifting back, and he gets it. So I shift; then almost immediately on top of that cue, I pick up the reins ever so slightly (not pulling them back, just picking them up); and then almost immediately on top of that cue, I gently bump my legs in a steady rhythm against his sides while saying "back" or "back up" in the same voice. Everything has to be the same every time I do it; you'd be mighty surprised at how observant horses can be to detail. And I'll let you know that I'm somebody who is hard-wired to try the quick-fix system. But it is true what they say: practice makes perfect. And the more Joey and I work on backing, the better we are at literally backing up, or even just slowing down from a faster, forward gait. It really does pay to be soft and consistent. I've tried the harder, "more dominant" methods out there. But I've found that this works the best; and Joey and I are both having a ton of fun by the end of a ride that may have started out less than perfect.

"After you can rely on Babe to back up at the slightest pressure (and stop from that backing up and stand still), then I would begin slow work on getting her to move forward without becoming a frantic racehorse. Keep in mind that this may take quite a while to work through and get right for her. It may really depend on how much time (and affection) you put into her.

"Like I said: Joey used to be very much like your mare. It was either we stood still or we galloped around the paddock; there was no happy-medium. And since she responds so well to heavy pressure, this is where you'll really have to pay attention because we want her to respond to light pressure. We want her to respond to light pressure, because the slap with the reins seems to make her frantic and take off (at least that's what it did to Joey: it made him get super tense). I have a dressage whip that helps me in this department. But just a long-handled anything could work (preferably with something ticklish on the end). Again, I would start from the beginning with the softest cue: a squeeze or bump with my calves just behind the cinch. He didn't respond, so a squeeze with my calves and then a slight tickling or teeny-tiny tap with the whip. That would usually get him to wake up and pay attention. Maybe he wouldn't move off just yet; so I squeeze again, tap a little harder with the whip, and now he may be ready to jump out of the starting gate like he used to, but here is where I do something different: instead of tensing up, ready for that jump, I stretch my spine up and my heels down into my stirrups in balance and I shorten my reins gently and softly massage the reins until he slows back down. Sometimes I have to sit deep in my saddle and roll with him while I massage the reins if he decides to be hard-mouthed. Bring him back down to a halt and start again. If you work at it enough and are soft and understanding every time you do it, eventually your mare won't tense up anymore which will then let her be able to go from fight-or-flight mode to thinking mode: "Hey, I wonder what he really wants me to do?" The key is rewarding every time you feel a try. Even in backing up or stopping, a try might be just a teensy shifting of weight. But you've got to be on the lookout for even the tiniest try, and reward it. You'll gain success and progress much faster if you keep your eyes open like that. And then build on the tries. To begin with, you might reward a slight shifting of weight in the correct general direction; but after that you can wait and reward her when she takes a step in the correct general direction after shifting her weight. You see what I'm getting at? And rewards can be anything from a pat on the neck, to a generous word of praise, to the complete release of pressure, or even a cookie. Joey responds much better and tries much harder if I notice even the slightest effort and give generous praise while we're out riding, even if it's for something that he should have already known how to do.

"Another key is to give your mare a chance to respond to your cues. After you squeeze with your legs, give her a second to try and figure out what it is that you want from her. More than likely at the beginning of training, she won't think for herself, because she's expecting you to just slap her and tell her what to do. But if you consistently give her even a millisecond of chance to think for herself and respond, she'll get it that much faster."

Thanks for reading. I'd love to hear your opinion on the matter, so leave a comment below.

~Sam

Guitars and Horses -- Who Needs Anything More?

So, apparently reverse pschology doesn't work as well as I had hoped.

But here I am, back again to raise your hopes that I will be more consistent with my posting. Whatever.

Joey and I have been lazy so far this summer.
Through the first couple of weeks in June, I was pulling out old training articles from my saved Horse Illustrated and Horse & Rider magazines, and we were riding pretty consistently -- every morning before the sun was fully up (and the heat could get us down). I was rereading training techniques on things that Joey and I are less than perfect on like suppleness and response time (for him), and softer, yet firmer cues and more compassion and understanding (for me). Those rides were some of the best we've had yet! Five out of six mornings on most weeks we were perfectly syncronized, and it seemed that neither of us really had a care in the world, though we each gave it our best shot every time we tried to bend a better circle or refine a cue of some kind. It was great!
But reach the middle of June and it brings with it scores of horseflies the size of baby carrots, 100% humidity by 5:00 in the morning, and buckets of grimy sweat from just trying to tack up alone. I just can't bring myself to go out and cinch up that hot, bulky saddle onto my boy, no matter how much he may whinney and run to the gate, obviously wanting to go out and jog around on the trails as much as I do. I know he gets awfully bored in his own fenced acre; but go out to pet him, and your hand comes away with black, sludgy ink all over it. Poor boy. :(
So we've been going on handwalks when the air outside is bearable enough for me (I know, I really am a sissy), grazing along the trail and just enjoying the sweet companionship of being with each other. I love my sweet horse so dearly! Hard to look back and remember that it was everything less than love at first (and second and third. . .) sight for the two of us. We've come a long way on our many, many adventures together. <3

A short random video showing you my boy in "action". ;)

The only other thing that I've been up to is spending all of my spare time on my guitar (which is adding up to quite a few hours, lemme assure you). Have you seen her? Her name is LuLa, and to some she is obnoxiously pink. Ya can't miss her. ;)
 The cheapest pretty guitar I could find on Amazon, and with the exceptions of my clingy dog and my blind horse she is my baby. Only started playing last January, but with the help of YouTube, I (and I counted them) have learned and memorized 50+ songs. I was hoping to have reached 100 already, but in due time. (And given, the majority of those learned are Taylor Swift -- it doesn't get much more repetitive than that, folks.) I am proof that anybody -- ANYBODY -- can pick up and learn the guitar. I tried taking a year's worth of lessons once. Good money wasted is how I look at it now. I didn't learn a single thing that I use today; not even the names of the strings. I came away with sore fingers and a broken ego, declaring that I would never again pick up a guitar because it was stupid and not worth my time. For a long time after that I seethed inside at every guitar solo that came on the radio (and there sure are a lot of them).
But still, inside, there was a dream. . .
. . .To make a long (and oh, so hilarious) story short (so that I can save it for another day ;) ): I mistakenly bought a bright pink guitar off of Amazon for $50. She arrives, and it's love at first sight. Even though I knew absolutely nothing about guitars. I knew that she was pink, her name was LuLa, and she was now mine.
First song I learned? "Breakaway" by Kelly Clarkson. The guy on YouTube said it wasn't for beginners. Guess I showed him.
So there ya go: I'm living proof. But not just for people who have that deep longing to play the guitar like a boss when their favorite song comes on the radio. No, if I've learned anything through this experience it's that I shouldn't be afraid to do anything that I dream of doing. Because honestly, I can do anything that God sees fit to bless. And that's the real adventure of life: finding out what those things are.

~Sam

Consistent Posting? *snort* What was I Thinking??

Ok. So, when I say I'm back for more consistent posting. . .it never quite works out, does it?

*ahem* I am NOT back for more consistent posting. <--period for added effect (Let's see how reverse psychology works.)

My cousin apparently wants me to be a contributor on her new horse website HerdNerds. Check it out. And pay close attention to her side of things -- she is super experienced and super talented when it comes to the horse realm. My stuff: eh, not so much. I mean, seriously: my experience is riding my blind pony around in my backyard. O.O
With a few years of hunter and jumper training mixed in there somewhere. And riding a couple'a barrel horses a time or two. But that's ALL the hands-on experience I have. Everything else is via reading and reading and reading and some more reading -- oh, and research.

Since I last left you: I finished and graduated from highschool/gradeschool-- kind of an exciting time *_* ; participated in my piano teacher's year-end recital that she holds for all of her students -- I played "Dawn", from Pride and Prejudice for both of her recitals in the same afternoon; I've FINALLY completed registration for and will be officially attending my town's local community college in the fall (that only took how long and cost everyone how much effort? -.- )

And I'm being lazy and spending my first summer days reading all about horses and training and messin' around with JoJo. :) Oh, not to mention all the fun my sister and I are having with my new camcorder and Breyer Horses. ;)

WAAAAIIIT!!! I almost forgot to mention one of the most exciting things! "See No Evil" is in its third editing process; and it is already available for *purchase* through myself (I may have a teeny little secret. . . ;) ). Ok, ok, so it's not "officially" published -- but it's a start, right? And I'm hoping to try to get it out there on the table and at least figure out what the word "publishing" really, truly, exactly means by the end of the summer.

Last year my summer project was to crochet an afghan. This year it's to publish my book. A step up? I think so. But Joey and I are ready for it (I hope. . .) ;)

~Sam

No Access to Blogger And A Horse Journal Entry

I will not have access to blogger from Monday to Friday. Just sayin'. :)

Horse Journal 2-18-13

I haven't been writing much in here because Joey and I haven't been doing as much. I think weather is to blame, again.

As far as training the bow goes: Joey can bow his head to the ground between his front legs and lift his left leg at the same time, on cue.
Mosie still hasn't gotten the second video up for training the bow; but I saw she mentioned in one of her comments to somebody else that one of the next steps is to get Joey to extend his right leg. After thinking forever on how to make that step up (and wondering if I should even attempt it on "my own", meaning without any idea of what I was doing), I decided that we would go about it like we did the leg-lifts --- I mean, it's kinda the same thing only uncurling out.
So the last three sessions, besides reviewing what we already know and just plain messing around, I've been lifting Joey's right leg and slowly uncurling it to the front until it's resting, extended on the ground in front of him.
I even started saying an unconscious verbal cue right from the start: "Forward". I never thought about what verbal cue I was gonna use; it just happened, like most of my verbal cues, because I talk to my pets while working with them.
During the first leg-ex. session, because he had no idea what I had in mind, Joey's leg was quite stiff as I slowly uncurled it to extend as I lowered. Since then, in three sessions, we've done it the same way numerous times and I think he's starting to get the idea of what I'm looking for. He's not one who will generally try to figure it out on his own; he needs a lot of guidance during the first few lessons. But with most things, he's a pretty quick learner. And he usually remembers things well.
Sometimes, he still thinks I mean "back" when I say "left". And when we go into "forward", he thinks I'm looking for "left".

In other news, he bit me on purpose for the first time ever the other day --- just chomped down on my arm and left two large bruises. We were girthing up for a ride, and even though he didn't appear to be girth-sore when I checked, I still wonder if it was just a knew-jerk reaction to some sharp pain from the girth. Either way, I let him know that biting is not okay period by telling him to get away from me and leave me alone for a few moments. He stood, saddled, looking very sorry and dejected on the other side of the paddock while I checked my arm for severed skin underneath my sweatshirt. Then I went over and clipped the lead line back onto his halter and we continued on with our ride and breakfast as if nothing had ever happened. He hasn't bitten me since, though he watches me closely while fiddling with the girth.

As far as riding goes: for the last four days or so, we've been riding consistently. I haven't been pursuing that partner-connection as much (or rather, I just haven't been completely focus on it). We've just been riding for the fun and sake of riding.
I've noticed that his brakes hardly work at all from anything faster than a fluid trot. The only time I felt in full control while trotting and cantering was when I felt like I had the bit too high after I experimented by tightening/raising the bit in his headstall. It can be kind of a problem, and I'm not really sure how to fix it.

I also want to take note here that Joey has not been acting completely like himself lately. He picks at his hay and acts bored and grumpy --- or did until we started riding again. I think maybe it was because I couldn't get out to spend time with him because the weather was bad.

Back to present day.

I do have an update to post since this entry in my Horse Journal was written; but I am out of time for today (and have already done two posts today). Unfortunately, it will probably have to wait until the week after next. :/

Thanks for reading! I would love to hear your comments!

~Sam

Teaching Joey to Bow -- Parts 2&3

THE BOW PART 2 -- I totally agree with Mosie when she says that training tends to sink in better over night (for both horses and humans, I think). The next morning after that first session of teaching Joey to bow, I went out to grain for breakfast. I figured while he was eating that I would tidy the paddock until he was done and then we could have another small session before I had to go in and take care of schoolwork. Well, out of habit, I accidentally threw hay out for him to eat. *facepalm* Now I thought there would be NO WAY we were going to have a morning session -- Joey tends not to be very interested in anything, let alone WORKING or LEAVING when food is available. But after a while, I noticed that he had come over -- LEAVING the hay completely -- and was just hanging out while I tidied the pasture. I asked him if he was bored with eating (we have been making free-choice forage available 24/7, after all), to which he replied with a big sigh. :P So I put away the manure fork and the wheelbarrow and grabbed some treats and our dressage whip. To see if he was really interested in working with me while food was available, I asked him to follow me around, which he did eagerly; and then I asked him to back up, which he also did willingly. So I tapped his leg with the whip, said "left", and went to pick it up for him the first time or two, thinking he might not remember yesterday's lesson. But before I could bend over after the tap and the verbal cue, he popped his foot up on his own, put it back down, and asked for a treat! I was so happily surprised! ^.^ Treat, and we asked for the trick again; he complied eagerly. I'm so excited that he got it after just one quick session (I've never really worked on teaching him anything like this before)! And now that he's got lifting his leg on cue, we're going to concentrate on holding it for longer periods of time. We've had two more session since (5 total), and he's getting the idea, which is really exciting. :D The next thing to incorporate that Mosie introduced in the first video is the target touching.So last night after supper (our 4th session) I tied a plastic baggie onto the end of our dressage whip. He was very curious to know what the sound of it meant (since he can't see, and plastic bags are generally noisy objects), but he soon got used to it (I was actually surprised he was never afraid of it). During that session, we began with what we knew: a few leg lifts, which he performed easily and eagerly (he even tried to do a few "extra" without the cue, to see if he would get extra cookies :P ) Then we introduced targeting. Mosie suggested that since he's blind, we adjust "targeting" to him just keeping his nose on the target. I'm open to this idea, but I wondered if he could find the target, especially if I used a noisy plastic bag? So I began a method: I shook the plastic bag a little, said "touch", and then touched his nose with it and praised. We did this exact thing several times, and then ended the training session with a few leg-lifts (I'm a firm believe of ending every training session on a positive note, with something that your horse already knows how to do and preferably something that he thinks is fun so that he will think he's had a very productive and fun lesson and will be more receptive of the next session).This morning (session 5), we began with a few extended (meaning time) leg-lifts (he really likes doing these; he thinks he's very clever ;) :P ); and then we worked more with the targeting. After how well he's progressed with the leg-lifts, I was kind of hoping that things would "click" in his brain the same for the target -- but it didn't appear that it had. After doing exactly what we had done the first time, several times, without any real recognition of what we were attempting to do that showed on him, I thought about switching things up. Now, I no longer brought the target to him; instead, I kept shaking the bag gently, and repeating "touch", and when he moved his nose and slightly brushed it, I praised. Well, he was very surprised indeed that THIS was what I was looking for! And I saw some recognition in his eyes, like something had finally clicked in his brain. By the end of the session, I was still shaking the bag lightly and saying "touch, Joey", but he was definitely LOOKING for the bag, and even lipping it. I was so ecstatic with our progress! Again, we ended the session with what we were confident in: leg-lifts. :)
THE BOW PART 3 -- Sorry I haven't been updating as much. Actually, I felt there wasn't much to update on; Joey and I were faithfully practicing our leg-lifts and our targeting at least in one session a day. He absolutely loves doing the leg-lifts (he thinks he's VERY clever ;) ); and the targeting has become a kind of game for us, even to the point where sometimes I'll dash away to a distance and say "touch" and shake the plastic bag, and he'll see how quickly he can follow me, find the bag, and touch it. He's liking that game more and more every time we play it. ^_^
But I didn't feel there was much updating to do since we've been working on the same things as in the other two entries I've done thus far.
Last weekend, when I was sure he knew the leg-lifts by heart and knew what the concept was for the targeting, I tried to begin asking for them at the same time and came up with a problem: We're using verbal cues for both "left" and "touch"--how was I supposed to say them at the same time and ask for them in a way that Joey would understand what I was asking for? We tried a couple times, but to no avail, and we both became frustrated at something that didn't come quite as clearly and easily, so we immediately went back to what we already knew: leg-lifts and targeting, and we were ok and having fun again. But it bothered me that I couldn't think of any possible way for us to get both tricks done at the same time in a clear and concise way. :/ I slept on it for a few nights with no inspiration; and then I got suddenly and unexpectedly busy with school, chores, and extracurriculars; so our play sessions had to be put on hold for the first few days of this week.
After we rode this afternoon, it was so clear that Joey still wanted to spend some quality time hanging out, that I went to get a few bits of cookie and our dressage whip. We practiced our leg-lifts a couple of times and played the targeting game for a few minutes when I began to realize something: When I asked Joey to touch the target closer to the ground and nearer his front legs, he was doing a leg-lift at the same time -- putting the two tricks together on his own! He acted like it was almost a game with himself: let me see if I can balance on three legs while I touch the target really low like Mom's asking me to. I could tell he thought he was really clever, and even a bit funny. :P I was shocked that he would do such a thing, though; but I was so ecstatic!! I didn't have to come up with a way to ask him, after all; I just had to give us both a little while to mull it over, and then just remember that it's all about having fun and building our relationship, even if that means we won't get to do everything that I might want to do. I'm so immensely proud of him! <3 ^_^

Entries From My Horse Journal and Teaching Joey the Bow

1-19-13

Today, I really wanted to have another lesson bareback and bridleless; but Joey shifted away from the fence twice when I tried to mount. And though I didn't pay attention when he did that yesterday, I took it as him telling me that he didn't want to ride tonight.
Now that I think about it, he did the exact same thing last night -- I just wasn't paying attention in my eagerness to be consistent with our bareback, bridleless lessons; I quickly slid on before he could move away a second time. And you know what? We rode all the way down to the second paddock, and even half a circuit around it before Joey quit! It didn't feel quite like the connection we had the last time. . .but still.
So it was really tough for me to respect Joey's movement away today as a "no". But, though I had the fear that he'll now say no every time, I finally decided to go with respect instead of "ignorant" force this time.
Instead of riding, I wanted to see if he would walk willingly with me; that's one of my big horsey dreams (besides bareback/bridleless riding): to have a horse that will want to be with me no matter what; even following to the point of running with me. Joey and I walked the entire perimeter of both paddocks. He took some coaxing at only a couple of spots; and I reinforced with bits of cookie at intervals. Not once did Joey's ears go back or head and neck relax; even when he stopped and looked as if he might not follow me, he always looked interested. And I guess that alone (much less coupled with the fact that he did end up following me all the way) is a step of progress just as much as anything we could have accomplished bareback and bridleless. It's all about the attitude and the perspective.

Here's some more really helpful advice from Mosie:

"The best thing that really changed everything for Annie and me was approaching [ riding] not like an expected service a horse must give but rather a gift they are giving you. When you are on him, I believe it is better not to even think of what he "isn't doing" or what is "not right" (of course being safe). Rather, focus on and rejoice in every small gift he gives you. It will make you feel better, and thus allow him to be more receptive, if you aren't commanding/demanding him to turn. Evey thing should be a question - a request. If you ask if he would like to turn and he does, then praise like there is no tomorrow because he is willingly giving you the joy you are looking for! He will be more likely to turn for you again the next time if he knows it is a grateful partnership. With this attitude, if he doesn't do what you ask, it is not big deal - you are still happy to just be with him and because it wasn't a demand, your "pride" isn't hurt and you (meaning whoever!) can stay calm. You want the experience to always be positive :) ... you sound like you know this though ;) This is still how I ride with Annie - every ride is a gift she gives to me - I try to always be very grateful and conscious of that."

 

Present day.

 

I've been worried about Joey's fitness lately. The other morning he galloped up from the second paddock for breakfast; and though it was 5 or 6 strides, he had sort of a coughing fit when he stopped in front of me. I remembered a fitness schedule that was published in one of my DK "Horse and Pony Care" books, and decided to start him on that. They start you out just walking for the first two weeks, gradually building up from 20 minute lessons to 45 minutes. No training and gridwork or hacking is involved -- just a pleasure walk on level ground.

So we walked around the only little bit of level ground that we have in a clearing in the woods that we kids have always called the "wheat field" (there's no real wheat there; but the grass grows shoulder-height and turns golden in the summer). Joey tried to be fresh; and I found that there were a lot of things that I need to work on, like staying still and steady through my legs and seat and hands (we rode bareback).

 

I'm part of a little horse-owning/loving group that Mosie brought together on Facebook. She came up with the idea of doing a kind of group project. We all agreed on the project of teaching our horses the bow. She put up a video of her teaching it to a new horse named Sierra using liberty methods (I also got to see the way she uses clicker training-- something new to me). She really only did two steps in the first video: getting Sierra to lift her left front leg on visual command, and then combining that with a target-touch between her front legs.

I was so excited to do this group project; but Joey can't see my visual cue [of lifting my hand to indicate a leg-lift] and he can't see the target to touch it. But I wasn't about to give up the group project; it's just the accountability I need to teach Joey the bow. So I just shrugged my shoulders and told myself that I would just have to get creative.

Because I'm not a very creative person, all I could come up with was tapping Joey on the leg with my whip and saying "*left". (*My idea with "left" is that maybe Joey can memorize his left and his right? It sounds a lot like "lift"; so if I need to abandon that thought and go with the simpler idea of "lift" just meaning lift a front leg, then we can. :) ) But right off the bat, Joey was backing up instead of lifting; and Mosie emphasized (kinda) be careful what movement you reward.

Now I was torn: I feel that I would really like Joey to think about the training and try and correct himself/figure it out himself; but in the past when we've taken that attitude, he doesn't try anything except  what he did before that isn't working (in this instance, the back up), and then we both get frustrated.

So I opted for the less painful route: I asked Joey to back up to the fence and then I picked up his leg as if I was going to clean his hoof, and said "left". (I should note here that before I asked him to back to the fence, I did try to break it down to me picking up his leg as if to clean his hoof; but even then, for some weird reason, he kept backing.) Then I remembered that we were going to use the whip as an aid; so I began tapping his leg, saying "left", and picking it up. After several gos at this, I stopped picking up his leg and just tapped it and said "left". He lifted his leg! But after that, he wouldn't; so we went back to what we knew: me picking it up. We got to the point where I was gently leaning into his shoulder to shift his weight, tapping, and saying "left", and he was picking it up (for the most part).

I have a feeling that it's going to take us a while to get to the actual bow. But that's ok: slow and steady wins the race; patience is a virtue; and most of all: I'm learning a ton about training horses while doing this, and I am finally clued into breaking the big things down into little steps and working at the horse's pace (both things I've never been able to wrap my mind around and totally understand).

I will note that a couple of times Joey pawed instead of just lifting. The first time, I accidentally rewarded; so he did it a second time, which I did not reward because it wasn't the movement I was looking for. I was excited when I asked for the lift a third time and I saw him thinking hard about what it was I wanted him to do. He tried just lifting his leg like we had been doing and he got rewarded! :P

 

We had another lesson in leg-lifting after supper. I screwed up my courage and positive attitude (I was sighing a lot, believing that because it was a little difficult the first time, we were never going to get it). Do you know what? I was prepared to lift his leg like we had already done so many times because he seemed like it wasn't connecting in his brain; but I tapped his leg with the whip, said "left", and touched his shoulder with mine as I was bending down, and his leg popped up before I could grab it! You can imagine the praise he got for that! ^.^ I only gave him a second to think about it (Joey tends to lose interest if I let him sit too long without presenting the cue again) and then I tapped his leg, said "left", and touched his shoulder. He lifted his leg again! We did it several more times; and though we were not able to do it just yet with just the voice command of "left", at least I wasn't having to bend over and pick his leg up for him anymore!

 

I'm beginning to think the bow is possible for Joey and I! ^.^

 

~Sam

 

 

Lots of Stuff About Joey

Time for a new blog post!

But first, an announcement: I am proud to announce that Joey Joey won the honor of Horse of the Day on horsechannel.com on Sunday! ^.^ I was excited; we've been members of the website (and subscribed to the magazine, Horse Illustrated) for three years now and hadn't ever gotten HotD.

An entry from my Horse Journal, 1-16-13

It is Wednesday. I am not kidding you: it has not stopped raining since Saturday night. Really. I've kept careful track. So, I haven't been logging much because it has been too wet (and cold) to do anything with Joey as of late.
Today, to boost my spirits (not really specifically for me), Mosie posted the amazing, dream-attaining video of her and Annie riding bareback and bridleless on the beach -- just like The Black Stallion! I was [jealous, but more] so excited for her! She totally deserves that experience after all of the faith she's put into the dream. Joey and I wouldn't be where we are today without her, so I am truly ecstatic for her! (Here's the vid. You need to watch it.)

Earlier this week, Shelby and I took Joey for another walk in the woods. He enjoys getting out.
And I think back on rain-less Saturday, Shelby and I put him under saddle for a 10 minute walk-halt lesson; but that was all the real exercise he's gotten in almost a week. But that's ok, because it's been super cold and he needs his energy to stay warm in such a damp world.

Yesterday, he and I went on another walk -- or tried to. We got down to the tractor shed and all of a sudden he got it in his head that he knew exactly the way home from there. He took off without me, not seeming to realize it until he was in the front yard, standing on a slope in the drizzle. He suddenly stopped in his march homeward and began looking around anxiously for his herd mate. Of course I was following the whole way, but I don't think he knew that; I called out to reassure him, and he nickered in his relieved tone. Silly boy. Then it was a cookie for comfort, and a squeal and playful head toss + paw combination from him, and then we settled down to graze in the misty rain.

This evening, while he was eating his grain, I piled gravel in his doorway -- it was the worst muddy mess I have ever seen, and I was beginning to get worried about him really hurting himself by getting a leg stuck in the thick mud. I'll have to dig it all out again when I want to close the stall door (which I rarely ever do) (we really just need a gutter) -- but it was worth it (<-- picture that mess). O.O
Then, I decided that Joey and  I aren't going to magically be able to instantly ride bareback and bridleless, no matter how much or what kind of prep work we do. . .right? [Not so sure I feel the same anymore; but we've begun the progress, so might as well continue and see what happens.] So, I tied the lead rope from his rope halter that was hanging nearby into a loop/"liberty neck ring" and draped it over his neck. I got on his back (which, he had the option of walking away from me perched on the fence; I made sure that was clear) and we gave it a go.
I think he did really well (keeping in mind that this kind of thing doesn't happen over night). Whereas before, I had no way of directing him without a bit/when I just hopped on naked Joey in the paddock, I had some more control from the neck ring; which surprised me since it wasn't connected to his face. Let's just say that I felt before that Joey had lost all ability to neck-rein and could not be controlled without reins attached to his nose.
But tonight, even though he gravitated to the gates as usual, we backed and made some turns with only *slight* cues from the neck rope! What a major break through! At some points I found myself really hauling on the rope, trying to get him to go away from the gate. But then I made myself relax and remember that it wouldn't come over night and that this was just for fun. And then just sitting by the gate, or backing a step or two was fun!
But the overall best part that's got me so excited was near the end: I nudged him away from the gate and asked him (lightly and loosely/relaxed) to go out into the paddock, headed away from the gate -- something he hadn't done willingly for me yet. And you know what? I felt him really step out willingly! We walked the length of the barn, toward the second paddock without so much as a slight pick up of the neck rope from me -- we walked there together; he and I! I was ecstatic -- I still am!
It was our first real connection under saddle!

Note: I've also begun giving him free-choice forage 24/7, and I think it's making him feel good/better; he's been more energetic and interested in whatever I'm doing, and it would appear that food is not always on his mind anymore. Yay! ^.^

Back to present day.

Joey and I did another lesson in bareback, bridleless riding last night, after supper. He seemed to be more contrary yesterday; I think he's just tired of all the wet. (For the big finale of the nonstop-rainy week, it snowed two inches yesterday morning, and then melted completely away under a bright sun by the afternoon! What a finish! It was beautiful! ^.^ ) Because he seemed more contrary, I tried to be patient and remember: it's just for fun/it doesn't come over night/"always strive to build good habits and good memories" (a quote from one of my horse training books). So, I did not get worked up about his grumpiness -- which is a big break through for me. ;) And you know what? By the end of the lesson, we had walked willingly the length of the barn (stepping out away from the gate) twice -- bareback and bridleless! I was so proud of him, even though he was being tough for the rest of the ride. And he seemed to perk up a little after I praised him for walking out like that.

As for other business: Last week, I had a moment of discontentment with my horsey situation. (Rather keep the motive to myself.) So I headed out to the barn to do the chore of washing the linens to put myself back in my place, and I ranted to Joey. And do you know what  he told me (more or less)? He said that things happen for a reason -- but then, some things don't happen for a reason.
He said that he has me right now and that I have him right now; and that we might not be famous and/or have the most ideal circumstances (in my mind), but we're learning from each other just the same. And that's the best thing that can happen between a horse and human.
He told me that he's happiest just being able to be a horse and to have good care and good companions -- he couldn't care less about being on the road and/or being some hot shot (like sometimes I wish we were), because that's just not how horses wanna live out their lives. They're quiet, gentle, slow folk.
And when he saw that that didn't quite cheer me up, he reminded me that we'll always have each other -- even into the future, after college.
He's not just my horse or my pet for right now; he's my partner forevermore, even after I get done with my learnin'.
And maybe now is not our time to shine; maybe we just have to be patient, or even just be content to shine through the stories we'll tell when we're old. I mean, how many kids can say that their first horse was a blind one? A young blind one that taught them never to give up in life? That taught them that there's always light in the dark tunnel -- even if it's artificial light you gotta make yourself to keep you believing until you reach the real stuff at the end of the darkness. There's always light. Simply believing that and being friend these past three years is a wonder in and of itself.

So thanks for reading. I hope you did check out the video of Mosie and Annie (if not, you can always scroll back up and check it out ;) ). And I hope you come back for more and/or decide to follow. Don't be afraid to comment if you have questions or advice or anything to say at all.

~Sam

A Grand Day Out

This afternoon, I went out with the intention of riding through our bends and walk-halt transitions since it's muddy. But when I went out to see Joey, he was girth-sore and sleepy, and I remembered that yesterday, after our ride, I had made a mental note that we would take today off from riding since Joey was likely to be sore. Sill me. :)
But I still wanted to spend some quality time with my boy. So I went down to the second paddock and grabbed the blue tarp off the fence and we played with that for a few minutes, eating cookies, and just enjoying being together.
Then I got the grand idea to get out of the paddocks and take a walk on our [only] trail; we hadn't been out in a while. So I grabbed Joey's rope-halter; he came eagerly to have it put on, wanting to know what we were going to do next. We went out the gate; and from the way he "settled in", I knew he thought we were walking laps. :P I grinned and changed the course on him, going around to the backyard. It was a little scary at first (he thought we were going to fall into the pool). We inspected grass, acorns, rotting timber, leaf piles, rotting hay, and old plastic wagon, oil drums, and my dad's goods trailer (ya know: one of those small covered trailers that you can't put horses in?). The trailer was a little spooky, but we managed.
Instead of going down our regular trail, though, we suddenly felt adventurous and turned off of the trail and headed into the woods, down the leafy hill, trying our best to find spaces between the trees and shrubs big enough for a certain large bottom *ahem*ahem*. Joey was just as interested in exploring these new woods as I was; yet, he stayed calm. He had to figure out how and when to reach each hoof up and over in turn in order to get over a tree branch from time to time. And he got his legs into some situations in which I was expecting him to panic; but he never did. Instead, he either calmly worked his way through his predicament, or stood there, patiently waiting for me to get him unstuck.
A couple of these times included there being too much slack in the lead rope, so he would accidentally step on it, pinning his nose to the floor. Each time, he would only sigh and calmly back up, releasing his face. Then I got an idea: why did I need to hold the lead rope when he was following right by my side? Sure, there was the risk that he would spook, bolt, and either run into a tree, or step in a hole and hurt himself; but he had already handled so many other new situations with success on that walk that I decided to risk it (always consider all of the possible risks before doing something out of the ordinary with a horse!). I knotted his lead rope into his mane, leaving enough loose so that I could grab him if I needed to, but not enough so that he was stepping on it. It worked: he followed close behind as we explored our way down the leafy hill, deeper into the strange woods.
Of course, soon we came to the old barbed wire fence that divides the properties. The fence is down in disrepair and buried well under the ground in some places -- Joey and I could have walked across with no problems. But, alas, a large tree had fallen close on the other side of this, and I thought that even the smaller branches looked too solid for Joey to navigate. (And I've always, always had a fear of barbed wire when it's around horses; I've learned the hard way to always expect the worst and the unexpected; especially when it comes to barbed wire fencing.)
So we turned around and headed back to the familiar trail. The only exploring Joey felt like doing after that was of the old, dead grass along the trail. So I went on ahead, trying to see if there were more hidden trails big enough for the both of us away back in the trees. After a while, I threw a glance over my shoulder to check on him, and, much to my surprise, I saw him trot right on past me down the trail, head and tail up, looking like he was searching for me. Suddenly, I thought of how the trail dead-ended at the pond a little ways up, and I came out from "hiding" and he came right to me.
Calm walk home, except for a part where he was once again afraid that we were going to fall in the pool. (I really hope someday we can work through that fear; but I have a feeling it's going to take a long while. :/ )

Aaaand pictures are still not working on blogger. -_-

So I guess to finish up, I want to share something that my friend Mosie told me:

"The difference is (when working with horses) is the intention. It is not about the goal, making sure the horse is "correct", or forcing "fun/activity/etc" - its about the relationship and communication you make on the way. The thing is, the simplicity of it is what makes it so complicated. Children, with their innocence and pure love for the horse and who they are when with the horse, hold the key of trust without trying. The simple connection they have is something people work to get back for years. They automatically possess the "missing piece". Think of yourself, when you were younger - that little girl, the horse-crazy girl who simply loved horses for their grace and beauty (in every meaning of the word), she did not think about what "needed to be done". And she was fulfilled. She was natural with her friend. This is all we need you see... the pure love, the great bliss of simply enjoying each other... this can be the only key. At least that is what I see."

Again, you can view Mosie working through these methods/ideas with her mare Annie at her YouTube page here, or get in touch with her via Facebook here. She's always ready to talk horses, and she's super friendly and encouraging! :)

Thanks or reading; and, as always, I hope you decide to come back for more.

~Sam

A Ride So Glorious, It Deserved Its Own Entry!

Yesterday, Joey and I extended his walks to a total of eight laps around the yard each time (when before, we were doing only four); and we try to talk these laps at least twice a day. But on our morning walk yesterday, before breakfast, I decided that I could begin to put him back into a bit and ride him bareback at a walk around the yard all eight laps; I thought that maybe it would help tone his back muscles to prepare for the saddle a little better; and it'll help me get back into shape and "relearn" how to ride again (I haven't ridden on over two months!).
He doesn't like the bit. Yesterday he didn't say "no," but he had to play with it a long moment to get used to it again (and I'm sure the metal was cold).
This morning, though, he flat out said "no" to it when I jingled it to let him know what my intentions were. He walked to the other side of the fence with slanted ears; but when I just remained quietly, warming the bit under my shirt, without pursuing him, his ears came forward, his eyes grew soft, and he watched me with an interested look. I talked to the cats a little as I stood there, and he took a few steps closer to me again. I turned and said in one of my sweetest voices, "I guess you don't want your cookie then, Joey?"
I don't know if he understood what I said, or it it was my voice or the fact that I hadn't pursued him and forced the bit into his mouth like I now remember I used to do without realizing it; at any rate, he ended up standing quietly (though without slanted ears) by my side. I let him nose the bridle, reminding him what my intentions were, and giving him every opportunity to say "no." But he didn't. He accepted the reins over his head and the chilly bit in his mouth and me on his back. He knew exactly where we were going, too; and without my having to steer him too much, he began his laps around the yard.
I made an observation, too, while I was riding:

Ob. 6: You don't have to exaggerate your movements in the saddle. A horse can feel a fly landing on him; he can definitely feel every one of my "heavy", "jerky" movements.

One of the gifts I received from my parents on Christmas was a DVD with episodes from a television show that is titled "The World of Horses". I'd never heard of it before, but it's really informative, being a show that is all about the different jobs horses have in the world.

After studying the way the barrel racers rode during training on one of the episodes on this DVD, and then noticing how Joey was stiff in his turns/corners, I decided that we should work on becoming supple in our turns while we were just walking laps for exercise. I realized that Joey is already well on his way to having fingertips control on the bit; but even when I exaggerated the leg motions that went with turning, I found him trying to resist me.
But then, I started out in exaggerated motions; I was leaning too far and stiffening up my legs and seat in expectation of his own "bracing" against me. I tried to keep a positive attitude as we turned to walk in the other direction, remembering what I've heard time and time again about suppleness not coming over night.

Suddenly, my attention was turned back to my riding as I realized that I was instinctively but lightly curing Joey around the turns -- and he was responding like a dream! I tried to figure out what he was responding to, and I think the biggest and most helpful difference I found in my absentminded riding from my super-focused riding was that I wasn't leaning my body at all. I also found my seat to be firm, yet relaxed; and I remembered what one Canadian barrel racer had said on my DVD: everything is worked from the center of your saddle.

As I embraced my new discovery in riding, Joey's ears were pointed forward and his stride had more purpose. His turns were very supple, as well.

That ride, at a walk, and simply for exercise, was one of the most beautiful we've had together! ^.^

A picture I found of us on another ride a couple of years ago. :)

Thanks for reading. Don't be afraid to come back for more entries later!

PS: I added a couple of quotes that I really liked onto my sidebar. Like them? :)

~Sam

Entries From My Horse Journal And Advice From Mark Rashid On Horses

12-29-12

Joey has been unresponsive and mostly disinterested so far, and it's downright discouraging. The only time he showed real animation was when I went back to using a halter and tying him up and grooming-- "aggressive" behavior with goals [is the best way I can describe it compared to what I was hoping to accomplish with him].



The following are quotes from Mark Rashid's book "Horses Never Lie". I bought it the other night in a desperate attempt to figure out what Joey and I were doing wrong. I think I'm beginning to understand what the problem is now.

"The title ['passive leader'] actually refers to the way the horse is chosen for the role, not what it does once it's 'appointed'.

". . .people automatically assumed that in order for our horses to see us as passive leaders, we must treat them in a passive way. . .
". . .the word passive, by definition, means 'not acting'. How could we possibly train or work with our horses by not acting?"

According to Rashid, the qualities that one must possess in order to be chosen as a passive leader by their horse are as follows: quiet confidence, dependability, consistency, and a willingness not to use force.

I was too passive before. And even though he did it (kind of), I could always tell that Joey was not happy being allowed to "walk all over me" [as I now view what our interactions were like].

Back to present day.

Since the 29th of December, after observing the way Joey perked up and was more friendly and comfortable when I used a halter and had a goal in mind, I decided that he was looking a little flabby. So, we began taking regular walks in the front yard, before meals and, recently, at around noon, even though it's been very rainy and a little on the chilly side. I originally incorporated these walks into our day to get Joey to exercise a little bit. But lately I've noticed that he whinnies again when I come out; and he comes to me me or just stands alertly without taking steps away when I go to halter him. Maybe it's the cookie he gets before and after the walk; or maybe having a consistent routine makes him trust me better -- all I know is that even through the chilly wind, the mud, and the rain, he's still eagerly, yet calmly following me in laps around the yard, now three times a day. On days when the rain stops, I take him inside and groom him every day at noon. Other days, he's too wet.
We're reliable friends again. ^.^

Here are some other quotes from Rashid that I think are really helping Joey and I to understand and work better with one another:

"He [talking about the first horse trainer Rashid worked for] would set things up for the horse to make a decision and allow the horse to make it. He never seemed overly concerned about forcing a horse to do something it wasn't comfortable doing or punishing a wrong decision. He would simply let whatever was going to happen, happen, and then go from there. It was a simple idea, but very effective -- for both horses and people.
". . .he always had a very easy-going air about him. That wasn't to say that he would let horses have the run of the place or that he didn't expect them to behave themselves and have decent manners. But he also made a big effort to allow them to have their say in everything being asked of them. He would listen to them, take their point of view into consideration, and go from there. As a result, all his horses were extremely consistent, willing, quiet, and responsive."

The same trainer from the above quotes explained to Rashid on the subject of "lazy" horses that horses go slow because they are wisely conserving energy that they might need to get away from a predator. Even though there may not be any wolves or lions anywhere about, the horse doesn't know that; the number one priority in their lives is just to stay alive from one day to the next. Rashid claims that this thinking is programmed by Mother Nature and is therefore a way of thinking, to an extent, for all horses, no matter who they are or what they do. As a result, they will not expend energy unless they see a purpose in doing so/the reason seems important to them.
" 'So, what we need to do is find a way to make what you want to do important enough so that she wants to do it with you.' "
Rashid goes on to explain, through the example of his work with this "lazy" mare, that attitude is everything.
"He told me that the way I was riding had a lot to do with how Star had perceived the situation. He explained that I was riding without purpose or direction. Up to that point I had been demanding that she go, but not giving her any place to go. He pointed out that the whole time I was hitting her with the reins and kicking her in the sides to try to get her to move faster, I was also staring straight at her head. By looking at her instead of where I wanted to go, I wasn't giving her any direction. . .It turns out that by constantly staring at the mare's head in such a way, I was actually riding in a sort of ball. . .As far as Star was concerned, my body had the feel of a giant, uncomfortable lump that she had been relegated to packing around. There was no 'togetherness' in how I was riding; I was simply riding on the mare, not with her.
". . .The mechanics of what we had done weren't difficult to understand. It was a matter of not expecting the horse to do the work if I wasn't willing to do it with her. By showing her with my body position and attitude in the saddle that I actually had a clue as to what I was doing, the work became important to both of us (even if it was just going across the arena)."

Upon reading reviews of Rashid's book "Horses Never Lie" before reading it myself, I found very mixed opinions on it. While several people simply stated that every horse owner should have this book in their library, there were quite a few that expressed disappointment at how the book was put together -- they said that it was more of a story book than the training book it claims to be.
Unsure which side to believe, I went ahead and skeptically bought the book and began to read Rashid's discoveries for myself.

I give this book five stars and beyond!
I whole-heartedly repeat what those others have said: if you own a horse, you need this book on your shelf. It has shown me ways of thinking that I never would have come up with on my own; and thus Rashid's "methods" have already given me successful communication with my horse.
There is so much more to it than what I post here. All I can say is that you should definitely get this book for yourself, and your horse. Your equine friend will thank you profusely; take it from a skeptic turned believer.

Thanks for reading. I hope you come back for more!

~Sam

Advice on Horses from Mosie

Here's some advice/quotes from my friend Mosie that I found super helpful. I'm posting them here because I thought that you might find them helpful, too. :)

She has a YouTube account here where she posts videos about her work with her own Quarter Horse mare, Annie. You can get to know her better here on Facebook.

"The top priority for me is always the relationship; everything else is bonus... but it is a great bonus."

"One thing I definitely believe in is the horse's right to be individual and her right to have her voice listened to. It is one thing to hear what the horse says, but even a greater step to actually listen to what they have to say... no matter what they say. "

"I believe that the horse/human relationship can be great - one of the most magical bonds there is - but in order for it to reach its full potential, partners must be individuals with equal voices. Both must want to be in the partnership just as much as the other."

"I think a lot of our (humans) obsession with correcting the horse and dominating the horse comes from our ego's need to demonstrate our control. Horses by themselves know how to do everything we wish to teach them - and they know how to do it perfectly. They can all Piaffe, gallop, collected canter, etc. by themselves (if not hindered by physical limits), and they can do it without us. They don't feel the need to show; they don't feel the need to compete to be the best. We come into their world and try to "teach" them how to do what they can do perfectly without us, and we expect them to want to do it for us without fuss. And when they don't submit eagerly, or they don't understand what we want, or they simply do not want to do it for us, we get angry. Strong bits, spurs, etc. are all tools to help us force the compliance. But I feel that even though I can force a horse to do what I want, doesn't mean it is right for me to do so."

 

~Something to think on. 

 

 

 

"It is easier to like the concept than it is to really practice it, I know that at first it was really hard for me to accept. . ."

 

"It was hard because everything I had been taught was telling me that what I was doing was wrong - I was traditionally "letting her get away with things" or "creating bad habits", but in the end, I will tell you once you let go those limits and free your thinking on what is wrong, a new world opens up."

 

"I will tel you though, it is very possible to have the relationship you want. . . All you need is enough love and the passion to drive you to look at things a little differently."

 

"Many people doubted what I was trying to do. I faced many critics in the horse world but what hurt the most was when my friends/people I admired told me what I was doing wouldn't work/they didn't see the point.

 

My faith in what I was doing and really my faith in and love for Annie is what kept me moving forward."

 

Mosie stopped riding Annie for a long time in order to develop their relationship to the point at which Annie would offer her back to Mosie. But this is what Mosie had to say to me on the subject of riding:

 

"However, I don't know if you want to [give] up riding like I did (I had to change all of my training... Annie and I basically started from scratch which was a scary prospect). But you can get a great relationship without doing what we did. If I were you, I would ride! Just be conscious. . .Just observe and while brushing and tacking, try to stay present and connect with him. Maybe switch up what you do "automatically". Think about what you do and why. Do the same when riding. Maybe you will see something or notice something that will help you later :) . . .Right now, just learn to listen."

 

"Spending simple time just being together is so important. . . It will really help your relationship. It is a great step down this path [of deepening your relationship with your horse] - so important!"

 

"You don't have to go as extreme as we did - it was just what we prefer. Horses can invite you in other ways. As long as you are listening to them and giving them a say, they will have a choice and you will know :). . .Take away some pressure; when you don't force them anymore, then they have say."

 

Mosie has really helped me to see things in a different light--a better light. And I personally think that no matter what kind of training you do with your equine friend(s), just being understanding as Mosie presents it goes a long way. I hope that you will remember and really consider the things I have shared here.

 

Thanks for reading. Hope you come back again, soon!

 

~Sam



Two Days In One Post--Part Two

12-22-12

Today I went out to interact with Joey, expecting him to be, in the very least, just as responsive and wanting to follow me around as much as yesterday.
But no. Every once in a while he would come up behind me and rub himself on my arm; but as soon as I moved to return the affection or walk up to him, he would turn his face away or step at least a couple of paces away in a "no" gesture. For nearly two hours I tried to puzzle this behavior through, yet without success.
So finally, I "gave up" for a moment; and, in fear that I might forget myself and doom the whole thing by trying to get him to play, I left him at the wooden gate and went down to the second paddock. He became most interested and alert when he realized that I was no longer hanging around waiting on him; he even followed me halfway. When I reached the back paddock, I took off jogging around the perimeter to "run off my oats." That got him. I looked over my shoulder to see Joey standing in the break between the two fences watching me with a most confused air. What was wrong with me? Had something spooked me? Or was it really possible to actually run just for fun?? I continued jogging until I had gotten back around, and by this time he had figured out my course, and was standing, ready to meet me in the corner that I was approaching--but he was on the other side of the fence, in the other paddock. I jogged right past him, without so much as bothering to stop and let him inspect me before I went on.
Now he was following me down the fence line--no faster than a march, of course; he was still trying to figure out if you really could just run for the fun of it. When I reached the gap between the paddocks again, I stopped to catch my breath. It was cold, so I stood there a long while, basking in the warm sunshine, ignoring my horse who had ignored me. I felt breath on my elbow and looked back over my shoulder ever so slightly enough to see a curious black face with pricked ears, trying to smell me without getting too close. After another little while, when it seemed that we had both nearly settled into a doze, I took off trotting the perimeter of the paddock again. About halfway, when I was parallel with the gap where Joey and I had been standing, I saw that he had marched well into the second pasture and was standing, watching me again with that confused look. Then he did something I never would have expected: I reached the last corner, and saw him trotting toward me, snorting out little questioning, grunting nickers. We met, and I paused for a fraction of a second and said his name; and then I decided to jog right by him again to see what his reaction would be this time. To my utter astonishment, he squealed and kicked out in a playful gesture, and came trotting after me for a couple of strides.

I don't remember what happened next; but somehow, he began standing and browsing just out of reach again. Deciding that I should not pursue him this time, I plopped down on the ground in frustration and confusion. Lexi bounded over to see if I was alright; and I assured her that I was perfectly fine, despite having my feelings hurt. I stared off into space a while, and suddenly realized that Joey was browsing right next to me, with a soft, friendly look in his eye. He came close enough and buried his nose in my hair and breathed deeply for a moment. I played with his forelock, which he accepted fine, and told him that I wasn't giving up on him. I told him that I was all he had, and that, in terms of the horse world, he was all I had; and that we had definitely stumbled upon a method that was working for both of us and that was deepening our relationship already to depths I had never known before.
I told myself that we were both going to have off-days -- but we aren't giving up.
We ended the lesson at the top of the barn paddock, with him standing off ignoring me. I was cold and discouraged; so I quietly slipped out the wooden gate. I tried not to look back; but halfway to the house I did and saw that confuzzled gelding with his head slung over the fence, looking as if we were the best of friends and I was suddenly leaving a party without telling him, or bringing him along. Unable to help myself, I called back to him, "Not everybody's going to wait around forever for you to be friendly," as I continued walking backwards to the door.

12-23-12

I'm only going to note a couple of things about my interactions with Joey today: We pretty much did everything we did yesterday, but he was friendlier today--not slanting his ears back and ignoring me so much; although he hardly followed me around like a puppy, either.
The other thing I wanted to note was that today I received a message from Mosie (here's a link to her wonderful YouTube page where she posts videos about her work with her mare Annie); and she said, in answer to a question I had,

"However, I don't know if you want to give up riding like I did (I had to change all of my training... Annie and I basically started from scratch which was a scary prospect). But you can get a great relationship without doing what we did. If I were you, I would ride! Just be conscious - do what you were doing when you wrote your blog. Just observe and while brushing and tacking, try to stay present and connect with him. Maybe switch up what you do "automatically". Think about what you do and why. Do the same when riding. Maybe you will see something or notice something that will help you later. I would love to read about what u do see. Right now, just learn to listen."

It was wonderful advice (thanks, Mosie; you're really great at that kind of thing).
The first thing that came to my mind when I thought about how to go about taking away pressure that I was used to applying was the halter. When I thought about it, I realized that Joey tends to shut down when we use any kind of head-collar; and much of my "advantage pressure" comes from using a head-collar of some kind. So today, while it was trying to spit cold rain at us, I brought out the saddle and a jingly harness and swung it up onto the fence, making sure he thought he knew what I had in mind. I was fully prepared for him to begin walking away in an attempt to evade work, as he has done before. But he stayed right where he was by the feed bucket, just watching me curiously with an excited/interested look on his face that almost seemed to ask, "Are we really going to go riding?" So, I went into the paddock -- no halter or tying up of any kind -- and gave him a quick once-over with the brush, letting him investigate it first to understand that it wasn't the saddle. Next, I grabbed the saddle blanket and brought it to his nose for a sniff, before I draped it over his back. I thought that now would be the time for him to leave me; but he didn't. He continued to stand quietly; but his ears were slanted back and he looked like the old "workaholic" Joey that I used to saddle. So I decided against riding for the day. Oh, he didn't push a "no"; but then, I'm not convinced that he was aware that it was an option.
He was most surprised indeed when I lifted off the saddle blanket again. I put all the tack away; and he was very interested in everything that I was doing after that.

Back to present day.

I was hoping to get this entry up and posted on the 24; but obviously I didn't quite make it. So here it is, on the 26; and I promise that soon I will get another entry up about Christmas and what special goodies I found under the tree for both Joey and I (possibly pictures to come with that one, too).

Thanks for reading! I hope you decide to come back for the next post.

~Sam

Two Days In One Post--Part One

Wow. Again, I have a lot to share. So, bear with me (and I hope it's interesting).

12-20-12

Today is a very blustery day. I went out with a carrot and classical music playing on my "iPod" [it's really a Zune, but who knows what the heck that is??]. I called out to Joey Joey, but the wind blew my voice away, so he didn't hear me. I know he wasn't ignoring me because then I called him a second time and he actually neighed and walked briskly to the opposite gate--the wind had blown my voice again. He didn't hear me opening the loud, stiff latch to the other gate that was a few yards behind him (that's how windy it is). So I called to him a third time, chuckling at the way he was snorting and shuffling by the other gate with his head slung high over the top of it, searching for me. When I called out a third and louder greeting, he neighed even louder than the first time, spun around, and nearly trotted into me. I wasn't sure if he was that happy happy to see me, or if the sounds of the blowing winds and my brother on the tractor right outside his paddock had unnerved him. At first, the way he heaved a ginormous sigh, made chewing motions with his moth, and closed his eyes with his forehead pressed into my chest, I think maybe he was looking for comfort in the midst of all the scary, roaring sounds. I rubbe3d him and offered comforting words. And then, not really sure what I should do*, we walked around the paddock. We. He followed eagerly every step of the way.

[*I am a person who always has a game plan when it comes to interacting with my horse. I like to be able to know exactly what's going on, what my goals are, and I like to be able to predict what will happen next. As a result, my relationship with Joey has not been on a super-personal level. In fact, I've always looked ahead to the day when I will have a sighted horse because "then I will really be able to do anything." Well, I have found that try as I might to come up with check boxes and a game plan for what exactly Joey and I are working on on this Journey, I come up blank every time. Throwing my hands up in frustration, I pull on my boots and head out to the paddock anyway--almost mechanically. And it's during the interaction through uncharted waters that I realize that Joey and I are learning together--I'm not teaching him anything. I am finding that the interactions when I'm clueless as to what to do and what to expect are the times when I'm most open minded; and as a result, they're the most successful enriching interactions--I learn so much!]

Joey followed me into the second paddock. Kyle (my 16 yo brother) was using the tractor a couple of yards from us. For some reason (I don't remember now) I squealed and kicked up my heels in a playful gesture. But Joey balked in fear. I went back over to him, realizing and apologizing for my blunder of spooking him/making him think I was afraid--it wasn't a very confident, leaderly thing to do. We walked around quietly for a bit more until he didn't pay as much mind to the gusty sounds all around him. A little while later, he even followed me into a trot! And then we bucked and played for a few seconds! Do you know that Joey has never volunteered to go faster than a walk without the motivation of grain ever before?! And it was the middle of the day--nowhere near feed time! So he couldn't possibly think I was getting him food. And he did it more than once! I'm so excited at how our relationship is growing deeper and stronger every time I go out there! And we're not even hardly doing anything! It's backwards from what I've learned in the past; but I like it!
After a while of us being real buddies, I went and brought out some hay for him to snack on while I sat and watched him and tickled a playful cat. We were both so calm today; and we were really enjoying just being together.

Th. 3: Even the whole interest thing is mutual. You don't wanna hang out with someone who completely ignores you or acts like they could do better by spending their time somewhere else--with someone else. If I act like I want to be friends with Joey when he wants to be friends with me, then we're both a lot happier. He'll start to ignore me if I hardly acknowledge him. It can't be all him giving (i.e., showing interest in me) and me taking (i.e., expecting that that's just what he's supposed to do). This is a mutual relationship. It's gotta be like we're looking in a mirror, kind of: he gives, I give; and eventually it'll be vice versa, I think.

Note: Always look for permission first before approaching a horse.

12-21-12

Today, Joey followed me around willingly enough; and though I was itching to see if he would trot with me again, I didn't push it. He was alert, but he was dragging his feet, so I took that as a sign that he was having a lazy day today. Every once in a while, I gave him a rub somewhere; I tried to let the whole interest thing/interaction be mutual. But when I reached down and rubbed his girth area on his left side, he acted sore. I wish I would have taken the hint after the first try instead of having to observe and analyze a third time--ugh. To show him that I was sorry for my inexperience, I took a step back and grew very still and quiet, respecting his space and his reaction after he pinned his ears, tried to nip me, and then swung his head away to let me know that he was unhappy. When I did so, he immediately pricked his ears and swung his face back around almost quizzically and appreciatively. We were friends again after he saw that I knew how to understand him.
After walking back up to the barn, we were standing at the trough when I moved to rub him. He slanted his ears back, walked a few paces away with his butt turned to me, sighed, and ignored me. Not sure if I should pursue him or not, wondering if this was one of those moments when I needed to show interest in him, I decided that my moving to rub him and my touch had been my showing interest in him. He had walked away in a "I've had enough" kind of way. So I took that as a "no", opened the paddock gate and left, while he watched, alert and quizzically after me.

Back to present day.

I believe I will split this entry into two parts--again. >_> But to end, here's a cute picture I found while cleaning up and organizing my pictures on the computer:

These were two of the kittens I had two yeas ago, Daisy (the black) and Checkers (the grey). I thought they were the cutest! ^.^

Thanks for reading. Hope you stop by for Part Two!

~Sam