Ride 12: Success, but a little bit of "failure" too

 My original plan for today was to ride Lyric at home and lunge her first to assess the canter on the lunge. I figured it wasn't worth stressing her (or me really... that was the main reason) two days in a row. But then Kelli messaged and offered to help me load her again at Ashland, so... I figured maybe she was right... two days in a row might be smart. So I grabbed the redhead and we went to the trailer. 

And... she was okay. She didn't get on, but she at least attempted. And while we never got into the trailer, we did manage to get some progress. We consistently got both front feet on the ramp with a quiet not stressed horse. She got much calmer about walking up instead of flinging herself into the trailer. And I did manage to get the back feet on the ramp a few times too, also maintaining some calmness. And at least 3 times, maybe more, she started to back off and I waved the whip and she stopped backing and even took a step forward again. Without panicking! Yay! She was still nervous... and she was trembling some. But, we also got lots of lowered head and licks and chews. So I decided that perhaps this was a better tactic when I had the time. I don't like the fact that she's so anxious about the trailer. It's not safe for her to fling herself in and out of it and carry on when she's in it like a fool. So I decided to stop there today rather than maybe getting her on and then stressing about getting her home before dark and feeling rushed because Kelli would be needing to get home. So I got her up the ramp and then asked her to come back off the ramp. 

Then we tacked up and walked up to the arena. Mike came out to see my new boots and I asked him to take a photo but she was stressing. I saw a new habit of hers yesterday... when she is stressed or overstimulated, she bobs her head. Almost like she's bobbing for apples. It's wierd! So when Mike tried to take a photo, she did it. Oh well. 

We headed up to the arena and Dan came along. He's so sweet. He's her emotional support horse. haha! And then Funny and Flecky had to come too. I put her in the arena and put her on the lunge line. She walked and trotted to the right first and was starting to relax a little bit. Then I smooched and asked her to canter and she did. It was quick and squirty but it wasn't too bad. We did it twice as she sort of fell out of it after a lap or two. So then we got a softer trot again and switched sides. She was trotting much nicer this way and then when I smooched, she cantered left. AHA! It is me! Not her. She picked it right up. Granted she looked more anxious this way and it was definitely faster and more frantic. We did it twice for short stints and then again, I got her to relax at the trot. 

And then I got on. And unfortunately, right about then Funny decided to go riproaring off and took off. And then even Fleck got bouncy and reared up and cantered off. Dan just stood there eating, but he was already on the long side of the arena and not at the gate anymore. I thought for a second Lyric was going to dump me. But she held it together and I was able to get her to breathe and walk off. So we walked for a bit. Then we picked up the trot and we did okay. She's still not super soft or through or using herself or understanding connection, but... it's also me, so.. fair enough. We did get some nice work though for where we're at. Then I picked up the right lead and she was a bit better about it with the smooch. Then I tried my trick again. I got her relaxed at the trot again and then we changed directions. I kept posting on the wrong diagonal and looked over my right shoulder and smooched and she picked up the left lead. Yay! Good girl. It feels more disconnected than the right lead still, but.. we got it. We did both leads twice each way. Good girl!! Then we got the nicest softest trot with an actual connection I think! So we quit with that!

Except... it's me, so I made her walk out of the arena with me on board and we shut the gate. Then we walked the fenceline. She wanted to go back towards the others but didn't and let me guide her. Then we walked over a small long. Then we found her missing glue on shoe - phew, luckily the old one, not the recent ones - and then we trotted over the little log. She just trotted.. not a jump. But she trotted quietly. Yay! Good girl. Then we tried to trot over the bigger one, but she dropped to a walk over it. That's fair. 

So then I got off and holy moly the amount of foam she had! Ha ha. She seriously looked like she had made herself a bubble bath beard! Gracious child! Am I stressing you that much?!

Anyways... she got untacked at the trailer and did well. No calling or screaming. Good girl!


















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