Time

I just read if you have 15 minutes it will take hours, if you have hours it will take 15 minutes. On Friday I was meeting Vivian at the barn to go out for a trail ride. Thought if I planned on 1-1/2 hours it would work out fine for me to do my preflight check with Cici.

So of course I was watching the clock and struggling. Would I have done all I wanted by the deadline? God a deadline. This is getting way more stressful than it is supposed to be. Groan. How interesting. Oh boy. I think I like groan the best.

Cici has develop this new thing - when I ask for her to back away from me - like to send out in the circle she will take a few steps back and then lower her head all the way down. When I ask again she will slowly turn her head from side to side - kind of like when you try and crack your own neck. I've already put a call in to Steve Katz. Chiropractor to come and check her out. Can't figure out is this is an avoidance thing or is a problem. Avery has also checking her teeth. But she does not do this is I am in Zone 5 and asking for a back. So go figure. Oh Boy! Hmmm how interesting LOL.

Anyway Cici was not quick to go out on the circle. Been having this problem recently, guess my send just isn't where it needs to be. And tagging her is hard. For me, no for her.

She is now also checking out the second cone in the figure 8. Noses it, rubs her nose on it. And then when I ask her to go she will lift her leg and paw or put it on the cone. As I've said before wish I had thought to ask for that. She will paw the cone and knock it down. And then move to the other cone and knock it down.

I need Avery to come out and help me sort thing out for sure! In the meantime on Friday we did go out and do the entire Fisher Cat Trail. Out about 1/2 hour. At one point Cici was shaking her head and I asked Vivian to stop and take a look. Was there a bug on her face or was she annoyed that I would not let her eat the grass? Definitely the latter!

I am slowly getting more comfortable and confident out on the trails. Cici seems to be willing to listen to me. Maybe we are on our way with our mounted partnership.

#14 Finally

I had pulled the tarp and ball out for playing. Cici rolled and kicked the ball along until we got to the tarp. She then nosed the tarp and started really playing with it. She nosed it some more and then lipped it. Finally she grabbed a fold in her mouth and lifted the tarp up! She'd let go and then look at me and then do it again. She lifted her head all the way up and even shook the tarp!

Is this her LBE coming out? This mouthiness? I have never seen her do anything like this before. I love her exploring and offering new things. Yippee!!!!

She next pawed the tarp into a small bundle underneath herself and then stepped over the bunched up tarp. I was holding my breath as when she scrunched it up it was getting wrapped around her hoof. But she didn't seem to care. She is very into using her hoofs right now to moving things - ball, or step on things - tarp, cones.

Mary has this enormous pedestal. I wish it was smaller, but maybe if she can help me haul it out into the ring I can see what Cici thinks of it. It is probably over her knees in height.

And after the tarp fun, it seems almost anti climatic that today we finally did our 14th ride and went out on the trails with Vivian and Georgie. I used lots of change of directions early on and got her focused and listening. When saddled she was quiet and easily walk trot and cantered, both directions on line. What a difference a day makes!

I rode with shortened reins as I didn't want to get into a grass eating battle with her. So of course she went for the branches and leaves up in the air. She was really very very good. At one point she grabbed a downed branch with leaves. The branch stem was long and I was worried it was caught in her bit as she was shaking her head. So I jumped off, helped it out of her mouth and then remounted from an old Jeepers mounting block (read rock) out on the trail! Cici stood absolutely still the entire time. And it was an ungraceful dismount (forgot I was in Western saddle) and an ungraceful mount (just me, rushing and worrying).

She was fine on the trails. I felt my tension come and go. When I was relaxed I could get on my balance point and really feel the saddle. When I was tense I could feel how I rock forward on my seat bones. Not a good thing. But Cici seemed to deal with me calmly. Thank you sweet girl.

Offering

Cici is offering things I'm not asking for. Hmmm how interesting. We've been playing with the ball and her putting her nose on it and kicking it. Today I had the tarp crumpled and in a pile on the ground. I walked her over to it and she put her nose on the tarp, okay she has done this before, but now she is rubbing her nose on the tarp and then she took a piece of tarp in her mouth and lifted it up!

We have been playing with figure 8s on the ground around two cones. Today around one cone then she walked over to the other one and lifted her leg - she wasn't sure what she was supposed to do - guess she was thinking kick the ball - so she finally put her foot on the base of the cone. If only I had thought to ask her to do this LOL!

I am getting lots of licking and chewing.

And after all this nice quiet focused work I played with the circle game on the ground and then saddled her and played again. When I asked for canter I got NO! and then a buck. When she did canter and I asked for her to maintain it I got NO! and buck. I was planning on going out for a trail ride with Vivian. I'm now reconsidering.

So I played with lots of change of direction on the circle. Finally got her listening to me and thinking. But I noticed something she was doing that is different - when I asked her to back up she would and then put her head all the say down to the ground and look at me only with her left eye. Wondering what that is about. I waited for blinking and took this as okay to send. This is were I was getting those NO!s

After the changes of direction she was certainly listening, but noticed that now she was being reactive to things - like flicking the lead, moving the carrot stick. Decided to hand walk her, with saddle on, while Vivian rode.

Of course after being out on the trails for a few minutes I was thinking darn should have brought my helmet and put her bridle on. She was quiet and listening and focused on me and not giving me any problems re eating grass.

When our walk was over and I flicked the lead at her she barely raised her head. But I'm feeling good about honoring my feelings that she was not ready to be ridden. She wasn't at that time.

But I think she is really ready to go back out to the trails. The LBI is tired of being inside. Ahhhh, yesterday we played in the outside ring. And today was back to the indoor. And she was thinking she was going to be stuck in the indoor. And probably hence the tantrum. Okay if its not raining tomorrow we'll go out on the trails.

I love writing. I sure helps me process what is going on.

#13

Thought I was going to go out with Vivian for a short trail ride. But she had something come up. So we played kick/nose ball, sideways, as well as backing along the wall from zone 5. I put the 22" line on and WoW! She just keeps taking one slow careful step after another going backwards when I'm behind her. Realized there is the pull from the line, so I even put it on the ground and get a couple more steps.

I think she is using the backing along the wall as an evasion. Because it happens when I ask her for sideways to the left. She will just position herself along the wall. Butt and nose same distance from wall. So I step back and then she floats back with me. I am taking what she offers.

Struggling a bit with my send. Yes I am not effective there. So she will go out but come in quickly. Again taking what she offers. And we get to practice a lot more backing!

When I put her saddle on and play with circling game, she is like okay I know the routine. Walk, trot, canter and I'm done - she turns into me. I thank her and then back her up and send her again. She is ready when she comes in to back and go out the in other direction! Walk trot canter and back in to me. I send her out again, try and get 3 to 5 laps. She will now canter with the belly of the rope on the ground! Especially under saddle.

Riding - asked for lateral flexion both sides. Bit of initial resistance but then she yielded and stayed when I released. All these little pieces are coming together.

Oh yawns - get a major yawning event each time 5 to 10 minutes into the ride. Hmmm how interesting!

Honey

I recently read a suggestion to put honey or molasses on the bit to make bridling a pleasurable experience for the horse. Something they look forward to and will reach for the bit. So I bought one of those small squeeze honey bears. Put just a couple of dots on Cici's bit.

Then when I saddled her I thought, hmmm I hope she likes honey. So I touched my finger to the dots and offered it to her. She sniffed my finger and went into that frantic sugar mode! That gimme gimme gimme. That demanding, head butting more more more. She didn't even lick the honey off my finger,just one little sniff and got very insistent. Oops! Then I remembered Margaret saying sugar was not a good thing for her! I wiped the honey off the bit.

Interesting yes?

I am going back to offering her one of the hay stretcher treats I use when I bridle her. She likes them. They don't have sugar in them so I do not get the frantic reaction. Just the oh that was nice can I have another.

Looking back it is amazing how just the smell seemed to trigger such a strong reaction. Holy Cow!

#11

Kick the ball is really progressing. Cici is very nose focused on it. Will stand still in front of ball and rest her nose deep into the ball. Then she likes to flick it off to the side. If I can get her moving in the direction of the ball I have now gotten 3 kick steps fairly consistently.

Sideways along the wall to her left is a struggle. She is lining up with the wall, giving me her butt. So I'm backing her from the very end of the 12' line. Hmmm may try the 22 tomorrow! She is also harder to send out on the circle to the left. Thinking its Steve Katz time.

I gave her mouth, noseband area and browband area energy treatments before putting on the bridle. She was soft and listening. Had one time of bracing, but she yielded quickly and licked and chewed. I'm feeling better and better about riding again. Getting the feel of the western saddle too. Three more rides and then I think I will be ready for a trail ride.

Vivian is after me for this weekend. I think I can just make it. She is being very patient and sweet. Said we would go out for the short loop. That I can get off at anytime. But that I needed to get back out on the trails with Cici....and her and Georgie.

Kick the ball

It is so humid its raining today LOL. Cici is soaked so I decide to just play on the ground. Hard to let go of the day counting. But I feel we both need a rest.

I played a little yesterday with kick the ball. First placed it in front of her and asked her to walk forward and move the ball. Amazing how supple she can be when she wants to avoid the ball in front of her!

Building on yesterday's work as soon as we walked into the indoor I walked her over to the ball. She touched it with her nose and then looked at me - treat? I asked her to kick it with her knee as she walked forward. She did! Walked her back to where it rolled to and asked again. She was soft and focused and I could just slightly wiggle the rope for her to back up and reposition herself.

She is not yet getting the follow the ball concept yet. She did kick it twice in a row when the ball rolled in a straight line in front of her. The third step? She reached down with her nose and pushed it OUT OF THE WAY. LOL.

Last night I had checked the Savvy Vault for backing and sideways. Saw Linda's piece on making an L of your arms and walking along the fence. Tried it with Cici today. Going to her right (I'm at her left) she is moving very nicely. Going to her left (I'm at her right side) she immediately positioned herself parallel to the wall with her butt facing me. Oops. I gently wiggled the rope and she did a nice soft back up with me way beyond Zone 5, at the very end of the 12" rope.

She is offering things that she has never before done. Yippee. So I took it. Had 5, 6, 7 steps back from Zone 5 with rope on right side of her body. How amazing is that!

#10

Today I had the indoor to myself. Yahoo. Played with figure 8 - still haven't figured out how to do it at the trot. Chewing on that. Played with weave and then figure 8s. Backing as always and circling at walk, trot and canter.

Cici is reluctant to go out and stay on the circle. I don't have my energy up? I get it up to back her, then relax, maybe I am not getting it back up for circle. So I use this as a great opportunity to practice her backing, since she will go out for maybe 1/4 of a the circle then come back in. 3/5ths and come back in.

Saddle her and played stick to me through the weave, figure 8 and then circling. I had watched level 2 freestyle with Pat the other night and he made the point that a buck is like a canter - three beats. So finally the importance of asking her to canter online click. Cici did another part buck - oops - and then cantered and quickly turned in to me.

I sent her out the opposite direction and asked for canter. I am amazed that she can canter the circle with slack in the rope! Have to admit that there are lots of time when I can't figure out which direction she was going LOL. Especially if I'm doing change of direction. Makes my head spin.

After saddling and circling with saddle when I went to put her bridle on I thought about what Margaret had said - noseband and browband being too tight. There is no noseband and the browband is loose. So I put my hands on her face where the noseband would be and waited for her to release. Did the same for the browband. Lick and chewing. And then put the bridle on. I was especially careful to make a clean split of her mane for the crown piece.

And she was wonderful with the bit! Started yawning just a bit after I mounted. And was light and listening and not brace. Yippee.

One more interesting note, after riding and circling and half circles back and lifting rein for stop and stopping by my just exhaling she stopped. And would not walk on. She felt tense. She stabbed her right foot forward. I thought - get off! So I dismounted and she bent around to snap at a fly that was under her belly.

The amazing thing is it felt she was taking care of me. That she could not do that with me on her back without upsetting me. So she wanted me to get off. And I heard that and got off.

#9

Margaret has checked in with Cici re the bit. Apparently Cici has a -40% opinion of the bit. I laughed when I read that. Sure sounds like my little girl. I don't know what the guy rode her in but when I got her they had her in a snaffle bit that was poking the roof of her mouth every time the reins were lifted.

When I rode her today she was much calmer about the bit. Even before I tacked her up I put the bridle on and from the ground asked for lateral flexion - asked her to bend her head to her side by picking up the rein on one side or the other. She was soft and quiet. Even held the flexion after I released. I was wondering if Margaret had worked a bit of her magic.

She was fine for the first few minutes then got a little don't touch my mouth but nothing like before. I think we just need to quietly keep playing with this. And with Margaret's continued help on her opinions....hopefully it will go away.

After about 10 minutes she started yawning and yawning and chewing and licking and chewing up a storm. I took that as a release and dismounted.

Before getting on I played with her on the ground. There was a lot of stuff going on in the indoor people coming and going, stalls being cleaned hay and grain being put in the stalls, water buckets filled. On the ground when she went on the the circle she would start off with a fast trot, get into soft footing canter, get unconfident and come back to me, licking and chewing. I figured she was not ready to be ridden so I did a lot of different things with her. And kept coming back to circling. I kept waffling about was she safe to get on so I kept playing with her. At one point she was cantering, and started to do a buck which she caught mid buck and I swear I saw a thought ballon over her head "Oops, not supposed to do that" - and immediately came down to trot and and came in to me!

I put her saddle on and I played some more and had her out on the circle. I had her walk trot and canter on the circle with saddle to make sure everything was fine. She did go faster than she was comfortable with and then would turn in to me and lick and chew. So I figured okay. She is with me.

This was a difficult decision. I mean I am doing the assessing of her connection. And of course I worry if I am making the wrong decision. Does she want me to get on? Do I want to get on? Yes I do want to get on. I remember Avery said it will come to my wanting get back on. So still concerns, worries, reservations. But I decided to get on. Clear my mind. Take a deep breath. And I could get off. Which I did. Got on waited for chew and head lowering. Walked a few steps. Got off. Walked her back to mounting block and put my foot in the stirrup and up and down a few more times before I got on. Sigh. Licking and chewing on my part.

The horses had been put in their stalls. I do not like to ride by them. So we stay at one end of the ring. Did small circles, turns. Lift rein for stop. And when she started yawning figured I had bored her enough so I'd get off. Reward that kind of release. Only riding for maybe 10 minutes. But her difference re bit was huge today.

#8

Cici was a bit full of herself today. Haven't done anything for a couple of days and yesterday it was thunder and pouring rain. She ran around online for a while before she turned in to me. I just sent her out on the circle and she starts trotting and then cantering and scares herself - does a bit of galloping - canters the circle very nicely (hmmm how interesting) and turns in to me licking and chewing. Except for the initial gallop the line is slack as she canters around. Another hmmm how interesting.

I had my doubts about saddling her and riding but thought lets see what happens. After she came in I sent her back out the other direction. Got another initial straight line gallop then on the circle cantering. Hmm thought she could not canter full circles!

I continued to play with her until I felt I had a connection and saddled her and asked for trot on circle. She was going fast and I exhaled loudly and she calmed down. She would get going again and I exhaled again and again and she would immediately come to a more focused trot. Oh boy.

Norma had written a piece about focusing your energy and thoughts before you ask your horse for anything. And how little can you do and have them respond. I played with this re backing. Got my energy up, had to puff myself up a bit and then looked at Cici and she walked back! Connected 3 steps back. This is a holy wow moment. So cool.

I did get on. Cici is having her own issues with the bit - still bracing, throwing in some head tossing, raises her head to avoid the bit and lowers her head to avoid the bit. And I am asking softly. And while all this is going on she is chewing. So I can't figure it out.

After about 10 minutes she started yawning and blowing and yawning. Yippee! I quietly picked up the reins to ask for her to turn and she immediately braced and resisted and chewed and tossed her head. Talk about mixed signals LOL.

This is ride 8 of 14. I am working on feeling more comfortable in the western saddle. Slowly getting there. And comfortable riding period. The head tossing, throwing her head up, bracing and stuff is not particularly good for my confidence however. I am dealing, but would really like it to be gone. Think I need to be more passively persistent in the proper position. Really hold a bend until she gives. Well there is tomorrow.