Lunging with fabrics and considering another Easyboot model

Hm, what can I attach to the saddle today? I decided upon a small sheet section and a 3 foot long piece of felt fabric. I tied both to the pommel of the saddle to start.

I know some think I'm wrong to take a horse who doesn't lunge well and make lunging even more challenging, but Mag isn't afraid. In my opinion he needs to be challenged mentally to extinguish his resistant behaviors. Also I have the impression that he is both bored and lazy. 

It seems I have a horse who is the exact opposite of Mara. That's what I was hoping for. I sure do miss her love of lunging though. I could lunge her in random fields in the neighborhood and she liked it because she needed movement to calm herself down. I never needed a whip, she just lunged herself happily. Perhaps she saw it as the most effective way of scanning for danger.

I know some people have killed horses during sacking out. So we have to be mindful. I wouldn't attach a helium balloon to my saddle. I am trying to be realistic, and only escalate (move to the back of the saddle rather than the front) when he proves he is fine.

Tonight at feed time I threw the bedsheet over Mag's back, from ears to tail, and he ate his hay like that.

Then my husband came around the barn with the weed whacker and bits of nature were flung against the walls, it was very loud. Both animals couldn't handle it, but instead of leaving the barn at speed, they carefully meandered out. I'd put the rump rug of doom on Mag, so he had both a bedsheet and a rug on. I knew that if he panicked, both would fall off. But he was fine. I wish I'd taken a photo of Mag decked out like that, casually strolling and grazing. Someday he'll be a fine SCA horse, wearing colorful medieval robes.

So, it was with equal trepidation and confidence I took Mag to the triangle shaped grazing area by the street and had a quick pep talk. "You behave, this will be very quick. You misbehave, it won't be."

The fabric hanging from the saddle was no problem so I took the felt piece and hooked it to the cantle and expected a rodeo. He was instantly distressed and his tail took the Paso Fino J form. His tail always says what's up - if it's completely over his back, he's gonna explode or show off in some way. If he does the J, it means he's gonna buck. He also did the J when he hit the electric fence. Or when he thinks about electric fence. If his tail is high and swinging, all is good.

When I saw the J-tail I said, "Don't you dare" and gave a little tug on the line. The felt was hanging down to his hocks and the wind was blowing it under his belly. Very disturbing, but silent and soft.....so, do I flip out or not?

He chose wisely and his tail came up. I praised him and let him walk and chatted with him about how good it is to be good. Other direction, no problem.

Total of 10 minutes lunging walk and jog with fabrics.

Hm, what can I attach next?: )

***

The Easyboot Glove arrived last night and I put it on him and was sad to see it fit too easily on both front feet, which is frustrating because I measured him three times in millimeters. I know if a Glove goes on easily, it will never stay on. But I think I'll keep it as a medicating boot.

I asked J to bring me some Oxine from his chemistry lab at school, they must have it for accidents/spills. It's 4 times as expensive in Germany as in America, I cannot bring myself to spend that much. But if I could get it some other way....

Anyway I'm considering the New Glove Backcountry even though I love Gloves so much, because it is more forgiving in fit, and easier to apply. I really hated having to use a mallet each time I used Gloves with Mara. (But man those things stayed on her feet!)

If only Easycare would continue making Bares. It seems like Easycare is moving away from hardware adjustability and moving toward, well, more and more velcro.The Backcountry 2016 is similar to the 2015 but has yet another piece of velcro!

Another plus for the Backcountry - you can turn it into a basic Glove by swapping gaiters. But then I might have to go through the lovely experience of adding power straps, like Saiph did.

***

The next day I was feeling more confident and attached my rain coat to the front of the saddle. He was fine walking but as soon as I asked for a jog, he J-d his tail and started hopping, and then slammed on the brakes and started to rush backwards, until he almost hit the fence so that strategy did not work (whew, so glad I had this small enclosure). I got him forward again and he started going sideways toward me because the coat was on the other side. I pushed him away with the whip and he considered bucking but finally changed his mind.

The other direction was difficult and he J-d  his tail again and considered bucking but I talked him out of it. Finally he walked and jogged calmly. This session took 20 minutes so not as good as I'd hoped, but then again, that jacket is the scariest item - I know not to attach it to the cantle, he's not  ready for that, and he'll destroy my coat.

As I hooked my coat on with the carabiner that lives on my saddle, I had a flashback to Haegerhof. The former owner saw the carabiner and said, "You shouldn't try to ride with that on your saddle, it will scare him" and he removed it. How odd that a snap could scare a horse, I thought. 

Yet another sunny day in Germany. I'll take advantage of each one and keep doing this.



Having so much fun with the built-in photo editor in Windows 10 that I just discovered!