[RC] training regression stories - Pamela DeMerchant
Anybody want to share their experiences with what I
call "training regression"? Or solutions?
I've been riding my 6yo "spooker" for a year and a
half about 2-3x / week. He has greatly improved, today he actually
voluntarily took up a canter through the woods where I'm usually tap-kicking
while he slams on his brakes at every-little-thing <sigh>. Usually,
he spooks/slams on his brakes at the appearance of something like brush or hay
on the trail. I make him approach and take a look at the scary object for
a few seconds, then attempt to continue at a slow trot until the next
brake-slam, etc. This is not a new trail for him. He's getting
more self-confidence but every so often he seems to regress and go through such
anxiety and insecurity.
We missed our last endurance ride because he
refused to trailer load. In the past, he would load 60% of the time with
no problem, so I prepared by reading a chapter in Lyon's book on trailer
loading. He suggests that a horse needs to repeat something 100 times
before "getting it down". Well, my boy cautiously made it partially in or
fully in and out of the trailer about 30 times before begging me to quit.
It was like he was saying, I'm not stupid, I'm an Arabian. Lol. I
learned my lesson and won't be over-training again.
He has the same rider and goes down the same trails
over and over yet every few months reverts back to flunking lessons I thought
he'd learned. Only thing I can think of is I've been riding another horse
occasionally and he may be jealous. Or maybe another horse has been
beating him up in the pasture.
Anybody else out there have any experiences and
ideas other than patience?
