I had this idea that if I could long-line my horse down the trail, she'd have to gain some courage.
I also wanted to take her in the down-hill direction from our driveway, toward the sheep that are on both sides and the kids' trampoline.
I brought my Kindle with us.
I let her graze all the way down the road, and when she finally saw the sheep, they were jumping up and bellowing at her.
She was not happy about that, but I didn't do anything, I just read my Kindle and held the end of the longest of the two ropes I had on her (for the ground-driving).
Everytime a car passed I had to walk her over to the grassy shoulder. She's good at that. But the sheep were curious where we were going, and baa'ed at us and skittered closer.
Finally I got her close to the male sheep (I won't ever wonder again the difference between a girl and a boy sheep).
One male was very friendly and reached over the fence. Instinctively I pulled some grass up for him and fed him. Mara was amazed. He's....eating....that....from .....her.
The girl sheep across the road were now clammering around wondering what this new experience might be.
We were there at least a half hour. I let her graze nose-to-nose with those sheep, and read my Kindle. She jumped around a bit, but never hit the end of the 10 foot rope.
Finally the sun was going down and I knew my man was making us a nice dinner and might actually be mad if we missed it, so I did what I would have done with Baasha.
I grabbed both ropes, swung them behind her, clucked to her and pointed her up the hill. She understood the clucking and walked off, but then wandered off the side of the road into the bushes. Apparently walking home with me behind her was bewildering.
I wheeled her back to the road, and gave her some time to think as her nose was down between her ankles as she wondered what on earth was going on.
I laughed at her. I walked to her side and peered at her hip as I'd do if I was circling her. She remembered and sprang forward again into a walk.
It only happened a few more times before the lavish praise showed her that just walking up the road toward home was the right thing to do. I was so proud. I kept saying, "You're just like a grown up horse now!"
Before we hit our property I whoa'd her and moved around to rub her head and say how good she was. Then I led her in. A-ma-zing.
Ground-driving her on trails is gonna be our new way of teaching her confidence.
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7 comments:
Perfect!
I'm so proud of both of you.
Yay! I used to love to just hang out on the front lawn with a horse on a long line while I read a book. I remember just the smell of sheep at a nearby farm sent my horses into a tizzy. That was part of why I always had to lead them up the trail head. I was getting them out of sheep smell distance.
That's a great idea, Lytha! When I was first starting cols, I'd lunge them, then drive them all over the neighborhood. Then when I got on it wasn't all new--they'd "been there, done that" in every sense but having me on their backs. As soon as I could trust them, just a little bit, I'd get them out of the round pen or arena. Nothing sours a young horse like "round-n-round" work. And I think you're right, Mara will gain a lot of confidence in long line (and so will you)!
What a nice "feel good" post you wrote. Reading it made me feel calm, relaxed, and happy. It was so pleansnt to feel your sense of accomplishment. And it is always fun to read your interpretations of Mara's body language and looks, and they totally make sense. Yea for you both!
Ha! What a nice adventure!
This is great! No negative pressure...just patience and lots of real life lessons. Nicely done!
~Lisa
Nice job!!!!! :00
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