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Aug 2 09 5:38 AM
Day 10 (Sat- yesterday). Another good ride- same program (started of at w/t with flexing, stopping, and circles, then canter work with w/t episodes). Canter departures are getting much softer. One symptom of his increased softness is that he picks up the correct lead about 90% of the time now where as before he always picked up the wrong lead (his body tensed and moved in the opposite direction of where he was asked). I have not been "working" on leads and I do not correct him when he doesn't pick up the lead I want. He is picking up the correct lead because of the softness and willingness in his body and mind and because I am careful to time the departure cue when his weight is ready.
Now, he starts off cantering in a more controlled fashion (I am defining this as cantering softly on a completely loose rein (zero contact) at a reasonable speed, ready to listen to a new cue). After a while, something will trigger him to go back into resistance mode. This is because the new habit of cantering in control is not well-established (only a few rides as compared to years and years).
In the first few rides, which started out with the cantering pattern "Resistance Resistance Resistance Control (stop the ride)" it was important to work in the Control state long enough to develop and reinforce it, but not so long to pass right through it and back into Resistance.
At this point, he starts out cantering in control so the envelop is pushed not by just stopping after the first few canter exercises (which are all under control) but to go ahead and let him get resistant again (which is natural, at this point because he has had so many more years being resistant) and then working him through it.
So the new riding pattern is Control Control Control Resistance Control (stop the ride). I am expecting him to work through the resistance mode and back into controlled mode before the ride is finished. The expectation is that he is always going to have a tendency to get into Resistance mode and we need lots of practice switching back into control mode.
It is analogous to a spooky horse- a spooky horse learns courage not by being coddled and kept away from spooky situations but by constantly being exposed to something just over the spooky limit and successfully dealing with it. The trick is to provide just enough challenge, just over the comfort line, without overwhelming.
Another note: when to end the ride. Yesterday was the first day also that we ended the ride with a cool down at a walk. In all previous rides, we ended when he was cantering under control and stopping particularly well. Even though he was hot and breathing hard, I just got off and hand walked him to cool him.
(Will go ride this morning)
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