Horse Play

Hello!

I titled this "horse play" because after getting home from a day of "work" I want to "play". Well I am quite frustrated but not at my horse. He did good. I learned some more things. I am frustrated on the other hand at my hubby. Not so good. Steve (hubby) thinks I let my horse get away with too much. OK, so Seven's a LBI with RBI tendancies and he throws temper tantrums to try to get away with some things. In talking to a parelli friend who I go to for help, her horse does the same things. She ignores the tantrums. Works. That is what I did without knowing it. so to let you in on the fun, Monday I played on the playground with Seven and did it alone, no other horses. That was not what Seven had in mind. He wanted to go back to the barn! We stayed out, I was playing touch it with him going from barrel to barrel. We did one and when I asked to go away from the barn he reared straight up! He knew what he was doing, thus a tantrum. He wasn't scared. As soon as he was back on all four feet I disengaged his hindquarters. Both sides and then asked him to back up. He did so without rearing again. Then we stood and he licked his lips but he also wanted to come in to me and I said no way! Stay out there! As soon as he quit trying to some in I let him. That was Monday. Tuesday we had some emotional issues about the barn but i actually got him focused on the touch it game. He did exceptional. I used treats to help him and at the end he wasn't evening thinking about the barn, which was the goal I needed to reach. I wanted his attention on me. Is that too much to ask?? Steve said he wouldn't have used treats till the end. Well you have to give them a reason to go there, I said. You can't use treats with Steve's horse because he gets all over you and cares less about the game. He's a "give me the treats and nobody gets hurt" kinda guy.

After I got Seven focused, we did sideways over a log (well half a log) but you gotta start somewhere. Steve said Seven was trying to kick the log out of the way. But he couldn't so he had to go sideways which he accomplished. Goal. Monday he actually offered me alot on his own even though we had a tantrum. We did figure 8, backing, and sideways over a pole away from the fence. (half a pole) The log is close to the fence so he can't go forward. Helps with his confidence but I have to judge that better cause it could be causing claustrophobia. I didn't even try to ride him Monday but we got to Tuesday! He still wanted to be at the barn but he wasn't that bad. We did some circling game to help the saddle settle in. Now all I have to do is point and he knows what I want which is huge since we don't play consistantly. but he sometimes stops behind my back and I don't know why. Steve says it's disrespect and I should face him the entire circle. I say he needs to be responsible. When he stops I flick my stick and string behind my back and he starts going again and I don't let him stop till I ask for the hindquarter yield. I think I'm doing this right. I did notice something interesting, when I use my stick I sometimes am too harsh. Like if I want to turn Seven around, (falling leaf) I would shake my stick to tell him to turn and go the other way. Well at first he would stop hard and throw up his head. Then I experimented and just put the stick in front of his eye real slow and he just turned and went real smooth. Still kinda looking at the stick but if I can get it refined it would be better. Well our ride was short because I did alot of flexing. He can be kinda rude and snatch the rein back so I worked on him leaving his head at my stirrup even after I gave him the rein back. I asked Steve to give feedback and am wondering if I should do that again! He was so negative and I told him so. But he needs to stop comparing and just take things from the one horse. I also told him I am not going to meet any standard he sets up for me in his head. I am looking thru Seven's eyes in how I can get him to want to do what I ask him and not be made to do it. That is the ultimate goal. I want my horse to be happy to be with me!