Day 1: Groundwork

Hello, Everyone!

Well, today it started. I am back to training Ollie. The weather has improved drastically and the horses are starting to shed. (YAY! SPRING IS COMING!)

Anyway, I need to start Ollie off right. It has been nearly 4 months since Ollie was last worked hard and was in training, so I am going to do a week or so of groundwork to get him light and supple, with throwing maybe a bit of riding in on the 3rd day (or this weekend).




Today when I started working with him I noticed quickly that he missed having a job to do. He was near perfect, no buck, rear, pinned ears, or any sign of disrespect. He seemed to say "I am so glad I have something to do now!"

At first I started him off with the Round-penning exercise. This is Clinton's Anderson's first lesson in Fundamentals, and while Ollie by no means needs to do it, I wanted to see where his brain was at. It was a windy day today, and so he was a tiny bit spooky (which really isn't spooky at all for most horses. Appaloosa's are known to not spook..but be stubborn instead. That is how Ollie is) but I used this extra heightened awareness of his surroundings to my advantage. I actually prefer when Ollie is more spirited in his groundwork, because he is more responsive.

In the Round-penning exercise you are supposed to "draw" the horse into you. When a horse does this exercise for the first time, they usually stay to the outside of the round pen, and want to be as far away from you as possible. Of course, as time goes in during the lesson the hose becomes close and closer and starts to show signs of relaxing. The end result is to have you ask the horse to come into you, which the horse would willingly do, and walk around the round pen with you. This is also known as a "Join Up" by other clinicians. Ollie has done this lesson multiple times. Because he is trained all the way up to the Intermediate level of Clinton Anderson, he knows that I am where he relaxes. He gets to rest when he is near me. So, during the round pen lesson he wanted to be as close to me as possible. I had to actually send him out into a bigger circle because he was getting too close (not within my "personal bubble", but close enough to where we were not "Round Penning" anymore).

Asking him to "come in". 

Then I would send him off....

..and he would walk/trot/lope off. Using body language and your energy you can tell the horse to speed up/slow down, as well as using verbal cues/sounds. In the pictures above Ollie is trotting off by my body language. 

When asking Ollie to come into me, I would back up. This increases the "draw", and the horses actually wants to "catch" you. 

Notice how Ollie stops in front of my "bubble", and would not come into it unless I gave him permission. 

Noticed the cocked back leg

I would rub Ollie's face (by inviting him into my personal space. I would not move first, because "Whoever moves first, loses". This is especially true for a horse like Ollie. He tests his leader and loves to play games. It is key to keep the "leader" status for more stubborn type horses. If not, they will go back to being disrespectful. TO BE CLEAR: I am not saying that just moving a step or two or moving first once would ruin the whole leadership. I am just keeping it as a reminder in my brain so I can form a habit of not moving). Ollie would get a rest of about 20-30 seconds before starting again, or starting another exercise.

Ollie and I did almost all of the fundamentals work, but only a small portion of it was caught on camera. We did many rollbacks on the ground, flexing, disengaging the front and hind end, desensitizing (which I do not do as frequently with Ollie as the sensitizing because he is already not a spooky horse) backing up, all with and without a lead rope.

Backing up without a lead rope

Backing up without a lead rope...next to the body. I am not touching Ollie anywhere, or using verbal cues. 

Next (from what was caught on camera) I did a lot of "Leading Beside." That may not be the correct term for this Fundamentals lesson, but I am pretty sure that is what it is called. Ollie (from the past summer/fall) has also been taught that I am to stay in zone 2 of his body during this one exercise, and that is where the "comfortable spot" is. 

Walking forward. Again, I never touched him during this whole exercise except for rubbing/rest.

Trotting beside. This also works well at the lope. 

We also did a lot of Disengaging hindquarters, Stage 1 and 2.

These pictures were taken without the lead rope. I put the lead rope on later for more finesse in his disengaging.  

*Ignore the hair. It was a very windy day today.*

I am very proud of Ollie today. I ended up riding him bareback a little (just walk/stop/back up/flex) and he did great. I cannot wait to get back into full training, and I am excited to share my journey with you!!!

~Alyssa