Oz 2015 - The return.

[el]

Session 41: drama the same day

Back out to try a dorrance manoeuvre and groundwork to work through it. Horse had energy / worry and a little distracted from the start.

First did walk in hand me a la Leslie Desmond going random places unexpectedly. Oz tuned in fast and stated turning and moving with me at different speeds. Once took off in a very short canter (energy/worry/related to distraction).

Did circles (faster than normal) asking for shoulders to move out. Near to a block with HQs he got worried and half jumped in away from it. I need to work immediately on Oz never pushing into me. The block worry he couldn't see what his hind foot was going to step on. Either work on more varied terrain (poles etc) or I don't worry him by putting stuff near his hind legs to step over. Maybe option a.

Circles getting a bit messy. Oz distracted. Then why I put on pressure to move, yield, zoning out turned into worry and speed. Also Oz gets worried when he's driven (I ask him to circle). He is much less worried when he's directed (both of us go together).

So back to smaller moves and rests.
Oz to face me, take a step right and stop. Same to left. Better. When distracted I whacked (dorrance) end of rope loudly on ground behind me. That regained his attention. Sometimes instead of being relaxed and turning, he'd push his outside shoulder hed try to walk off the other way. Ended up more listening a it more relaxed and we left it there. So an improvement, but like the riding we didn't get the big change back to being a relaxed horse.

All good stuff to note down I'm preparing my list of things for Steve to help me with in 3 weeks!!

Elaine

[el]

Session 41: afternoon GW - session 3today

Distracted and abit worried.

What worked:

Face me and turn a step left and right. Rest.
Walk with me.

What didnt work:

Circles with yields. Got distraction, got worry when hind feet touched white block, got rushing/worry after I got rid of the distraction.

Oz pushing into me.

[el]

Session 42: same day again!!

Oz got me thinking. As I didn't know if I should let Oz move to feel better, or rest to feel better I decided to let him decide and do a Liberty session



I decided he would figure out what his legs needed to do to make him feel better . While he worked on that I worked on yielding him at Liberty

It's rare I get a genius idea but This works really well!

Oz was out in his big paddock with dads Horse so that was fine. I'd walk quietly up to about 5 feet of him. Then I'd rest. Then I'd up my energy pick a point on him and walk towards it. If no movement after a step the rope swings too.

For the first 10-15 min I got reactions - galloping off high energy etc. I don't think he had as much worry as Before though. He was covering a lot of ground and using his energy. I was just taking a few steps

After a while he settled and by the end I was yielding both ends (he's easier to move on hind end) on both sides and he was just doing the minimum to get out of the way. I wasnow getting responses.

Mixed it up a few times with just waking over without energy and rubbing his ass. Very mellow by the end.



RESULT:

Mellow horse.

Much easier for me to do as well rather than having a worried pony at the end of a 12 ft line.

Yaaayayaya!!! Horses are a hell of a puzzle to figure out!

[el]

Session 43: 4th session today - Liberty really good - 5 mins

Went out and asked for 4 yields at Liberty. Both sides front and back. Got them with oz just moving as minimal as possible to get out of my way.

The best one was the first one walked straight up across the field made a bee line for ozs off front. He yielded that away and was just in process of getting his hind end walked away too. I reached out relaxed and rubbed hind end and got him to stop!

From determined yield to responsive and confident horse (not worried) to taking away the pressure and Oz stopping asap for a rub - all in about 1-2 seconds!!

Did 3 other yields, Oz as cool as custard and ended up with a neck scratch then a neck / head yield to finish as I yielded away his head and neck to walk away.

All took about 2 mins.

Yay!! Maybe I have a way now to help when I go out and he's all worried and distracted in the paddock?

[el]

Session 44: 5th session today - the result

Thought bugger it I could we go for a ride? Went out with halter only. Got a yield at Liberty and a mellow pony. Hopped up bare back and now have blue jeans with a white ass. Oz was perfect very relaxed and we had a pootle about. Perfect end to an interesting day!

[el]

Omg I just read about Ozzie head flipping in tom Dorrances book - and how to avoid it!!!

[el]

Session 45: lovely and got bends better

Sunshine, happy horse good impulsion big long straight lines then I put the bend back in on circles. Worked on breathing and turning with straight shoulders on circles. Just ordered a pad for my grandeur

[el]

Session 46: a lot of bareback trotting!!

Lovely weather, threw on bare back pad and off we trotted on a loose rein!! For ages!! He was a star. He got an apple and my gratitude for helping me practise my bareback trots. A perfect horse ride

Elaine

[el]

SESSION 47:

Woke up and went out to the horse. More lovely trotting around in the bareback pad and then some nice circles and precision footwork with a soft horse. bareback pad from grandeur working very well.

[el]

SESSION 48: quick pootle before I get on the plane to see buck. Oz a little emotionally attached to the other horse, so we kept it to walk but got lovely some soft manouvres.

[el]

FAB WEEKEND IN AINTREE WATCHING BUCK! Notes are here: irishhorsemanship.com/18-exercises-buck/

[el]

SESSION 49: Back home and bumped Oz when riding anytime he took the reins out of my hands. He doesn't do it any more! No foot scratching, or head shaking. Just yawning.

Semi serpentines are GREAT for when he's leaning or bracy GENIUS! Made a HUGE difference.

Also tried out new sensation - lush but slips a lot so new girth & skito in the post.

WONDERFUL afternoon - 3 hours and he was an angel throughout seems to LOVE my new PA system which was blaring loudly!

[el]

SESSION 50:

Googled why saddle is slipping so skito and girth on the way and I have to ride in saddle for 10 hours until it fits Oz. One hour of semi serpentines & 10-9-8s up today in walk

Also did walk & stop & back from seat position 2 / 3. This was great.

Also soft feel at halt. And soft feel at halt to backup with loose reins and ass position #3.

Oz great throughout, PA blasting again happy horse! Lovely afternoon for nearly 2 hours with Oz.

[el]

Session 51: great #hour 2 in sensation saddle

Lots of semi serpentines much better. 10-9-8s better.

Oz was perfect until dad came out fencing and Oz thought he was missing out on fresh grass. Had to proceed with all manoeuvres facing away from dad. So 10-9-8 and sideways etc.

If I did anything where Oz had to turn in dads direction the Oz tried to take over and push his neck and head against me and take over. So avoided that and got some great stuff facing away.

Need to fix this though with Steves help as Oz taking over any time is not wanted!

Nice session good horse

2 head shakes in a hour, no foot scratching and a lot of yawns. Much improved.

[el]

SESSION 52: after 2 days off - lovely - hour #3 in sensation without stirrups

Riding sensation without stirrups and now with new self centering girth. Saddle still slipping when doing small circles in walk.

Oz great, did lots of semi serps, and also soft feel to soft backup and 10-9-8-s.

lovely day!