re: bit the dust.....

["Karen Sullivan" <greymare@jps.net>]

Thank you all so much for your concern and words of encouragement.

 

I hobbled out yesterday to take a good look at Passion and could not find anything wrong, no signs of a sting or sore muscles or back. I worked quite  bit with her yesterday from handling and grooming with lots of positive reinforcement and treats, to having her away from her buddies tied to a tree.

 

I think, looking back, I have seen a very slight progression of a pissy attitude; towards the other horses, and somewhat towards people..........but this I attribute to growing older and testing her place in the herd. She really likes my alpha mare, who is a nasty piece of work (but fun to ride).

 

One factor also on the ride where I got dumped-the nasty mare was left at the trailer (with another horse), and Passion was a bit concerned about leaving her, but did when I asked.....after we were out of sight, she was fine and I forgot all about it.  That may have contributed to a buck out of frustration, but really, my guess is either she was fed up by the dog on her heels, or stung, neither I can really blame her for.

 

After all the work yesterday, my teenage daugher rode her in the round pen;while I walked along, just to reinforce the cues and commands.  She was not "bad", and never seemed goosy or humpy; but just seemed a little pissy.

 

Today, I saddled her and did quite a bit of round-pen work with her free lunging-keeping her going and changing direction quite a bit.  I also had her dragging a long, heavy rope at one point, no problem.  Both my dogs were in and out of the round pen, and that did not seem to bother her at all........end result is that by the end, she seemed to have quite a better attitude......which should help, I think.

 

What I have been finding is that I get the best results doing very small lessons or rides every day for at least 5 days......then if she has done a hard ride (usually ponied) with hills; to give here a break of the same amount of time to relax and let things percolate....lleave her alone.

 

It's possible folks that I may clamber up on her today and do a short work in the round pen.  When we started saddle breaking her, we trained her to let us mount from both sides, on from a chair or trailer fender, and we can dismount from either side or off the butt! She has always been very calm and accomodating.

 

So thanks for all the advice; I will keep everyone posted!

Karen