Pasture moves
Published by Cari Zancanelli under empowered horse trainers, empowered horses, horse training on 12:33 PM
The past month has been a difficult one for getting any work done with the horses. Between the weather and the job search, I have not worked with them much at all. I did manage a few sessions of very light lunging and grooming, as mentioned I think. What I had done seemed so minor, so insignificant that I wasn't expecting any results. Not that my work was really based on results - it was more about communication. I guess what I mean is that I didn't expect those few sessions to change anything about the horses or my relationship to them.
However, yesterday I let the horses out in the pasture together (they have been in two groups because Snickers harasses Bella) while I watched from my living room. They began to run around, full of energy. As I watched I noticed - could it be? They were moving differently. Luna has always had a very heavy gait - not very light or "floaty". Her hind legs tend to drag. As I watch her now her hind feet are really moving, coming up off the ground with so much more grace. It's not perfect, but it's so much better.
As I watch all of them out there they are all moving better. Even Snickers, who moved fairly well to begin with. He looks like a dressage horse. Angel and Tequila, too, are moving more gracefully and freely. All that from maybe three sessions of lunging and working with them on bringing the hind leg underneath them further. I concentrated on keeping that mental thought in the forefront of my mind while lunging them, in order to get across to them what we were trying to accomplish. I didn't push, and if they wanted to stop OR keep going, we did.
I'm floored and very pleased. I think perhaps there was communication and that they are finally doing something that I taught them that they want to do! I find that so inspiring and wonderful. There's something about trying to get a horse to do something that only you think is important that ruins the relationship. It becomes an oppressive relationship rather than a cooperative one.
What's the difference? When both sides have a say in what you do together, there is more trust, true friendship and love than just you saying "This is what we will do today and if you don't like it, too bad, because I am in charge!" So I'm very excited about the future of the horses and the future of my relationship to them.
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| Tried to get pictures of them in motion - these aren't the best! However, you can see Snickers' (in fore-front) inside hind coming underneath his body nicely. |
However, yesterday I let the horses out in the pasture together (they have been in two groups because Snickers harasses Bella) while I watched from my living room. They began to run around, full of energy. As I watched I noticed - could it be? They were moving differently. Luna has always had a very heavy gait - not very light or "floaty". Her hind legs tend to drag. As I watch her now her hind feet are really moving, coming up off the ground with so much more grace. It's not perfect, but it's so much better.
As I watch all of them out there they are all moving better. Even Snickers, who moved fairly well to begin with. He looks like a dressage horse. Angel and Tequila, too, are moving more gracefully and freely. All that from maybe three sessions of lunging and working with them on bringing the hind leg underneath them further. I concentrated on keeping that mental thought in the forefront of my mind while lunging them, in order to get across to them what we were trying to accomplish. I didn't push, and if they wanted to stop OR keep going, we did.
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| Angel and Bella, best friends! |
I'm floored and very pleased. I think perhaps there was communication and that they are finally doing something that I taught them that they want to do! I find that so inspiring and wonderful. There's something about trying to get a horse to do something that only you think is important that ruins the relationship. It becomes an oppressive relationship rather than a cooperative one.
What's the difference? When both sides have a say in what you do together, there is more trust, true friendship and love than just you saying "This is what we will do today and if you don't like it, too bad, because I am in charge!" So I'm very excited about the future of the horses and the future of my relationship to them.
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| From left to right, front to back: Snickers, Tequila, Luna, Bella, Angel |
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