Long Lines! (...and other Week 3 adventures)
Days 17 and 18.
When I found Sean and Oliver in the arena Monday afternoon, Sean had him tied to one of the posts and was trying out the rasp on Oliver’s front hoof. I had wondered at what point we were going to tie him to something (rather than hold him). I guess that was my answer. Sean explained that he wanted to see how Oliver was going to respond to having his feet trimmed. Sean started with just the fronts and Oliver seemed not to understand, but not to mind and he stood pretty still as I watched Sean finish up his right front.
I learned that during this session Sean wanted to see how Oliver would respond to long lining. We haven’t done a great deal of work where we are behind Oliver. Thus far we have moved him around in a circle with a person in the center, so in addition to the new variables of the side pull bridle (which Sean wraps with vet wrap to soften) and the long lines attached and run through the surcingle, we would have to see how Oliver responded to the presence of a person behind him applying pressure. Of course we didn’t start with everything all at once.
First, Sean put on the saddle pad and surcingle. This went pretty smoothly, even when he cinched up the surcingle. Sean moved Oliver around the round pen in both directions, starting with quick transitions and watching closely how Oliver reacted to the increased pressure around his chest. He certainly noticed it, but worked through and was able to pay attention.
After a few minutes, Sean fitted Oliver with the side pull. As mentioned, Sean wraps the nose, which is generally rope, with vet wrap. He explained that though bit-less (and seemingly more “gentle” on the horses) it is important to recognize that the rope on these contraptions can rub pretty significantly and may actually wear through the coat to a horse’s skin. They also can apply pressure to sensitive areas on a horse’s nose. That said, the wrapping softens the intensity and protects the horses, especially in early stages of training.
True to form, Oliver did well with his new head gear and after a few nose twitches moved around the round pen, first at the walk, then at the trot, and finally at the canter. He is showing a little difficulty with his hind end at the canter (what appears to be lack of coordination), which we will investigate later this week with the chiropractor. It is possible something is out of whack or it may just be that he is learning to balance himself. We will see. He threw a few bucks in at the canter, but they were small ones (likely due to the newly tightened cinch) and Sean was able to get him to push through and regain a smoother stride. He wouldn’t make that great of a bronc, that’s for sure.
At last it was time to attach the long lines, which Sean did slowly after giving Oliver a chance to sniff (and not eat!) them. Again, Oliver did well as Sean attached them and ran them through the rings on the surcingle. Sean started in the middle of the round pen, moving Ollie around as we do when he is on a regular lead. Once it was clear Oliver was comfortable, Sean moved more to work behind him, again having Oliver work on moves with which he has a comfort level.
Oliver responded well to the pressure from the long lines and Sean was able to get him to make circles and to cross the round pen, finally changing direction. A few times Oliver changed direction on his own, but he responded to correction and moved forward when asked with minimal, if any, drama. We kept it short, as always purposefully ending on a high note to build Ollie’s confidence. It is clear he is on his way to a smooth first ride, though we are not quite there yet.
Tuesday, after my riding lesson (which could be an entirely new series of posts with a “venting” angle to them--Oliver and I are both learning, he faster at times than I) I decided to groom Oliver outside the arena to see how he did tied to one of the fences. It was the first day of spring and I wanted to take advantage of the sunshine. He is a little like a toddler in that he tries to put just about everything in his mouth, and he found some green grass trying to poke through the soil and spent most of the 15 minutes or so I was brushing him trying to annihilate it. Other than that, he stood fairly well. He is still really pushing the personal space thing, and I realize in retrospect that I need to be much more consistent about maintaining mine in order to teach him manners.
Once he was cleaned up, I decided it would be a good day for a walk around the property. I have walked him around a few times, but never back down to the northeast end where we walked on his first day in Colorado and I wanted to see how he would do. Honestly, I wasn’t really worried because he had done so well the first time and on our mini-walks since. Plus, it was the equinox; what better way to celebrate?
The other day when Sean and I were chatting after some work with Oliver, Sean said something to me that I know I will think back to on more than one occasion. We were talking about learning how to anticipate horses’ reactions. I explained that learning to react to unanticipated situations is something I realize I will best learn from experience (for now I rely on Sean's for guidance). I think we were talking about some of my observations of Sean and Bryce's work with Boone, the six-year-old BLM mustang who arrived about a week after Oliver. Sean explained to me that by the time you train your 5th horse, you will think you know what you are doing. Then, that horse will respond to something in a new way and you will realize just how little you know after all. Truthfully, I am not sure how I could feel that I know less than I do now (though I am more excited than intimidated by this naivite), but I will be sure to check back and report in a few years.
I may or may not have remembered this conversation before Oliver and I left on our walk, but it might not have mattered. Thankfully, I didn’t end up losing Oliver to Route 7, though there were a few moments where it may have been close. I also kept most of the skin on my palms, which I will also consider a win. To be fair, I am being a little dramatic, but when Oliver spooked (the first and second time) while we were on the far end of the property I was reminded of several things:
1- He is much smaller than Rory, but he is still much larger (read stronger!) than I.
2- He knows when I get nervous and this doesn’t help matters. At. All.
3- I need to remember to get a good pair of gloves.
I am not sure what spooked Oliver. It was a little windy. There are a number of trailers and other pieces of equipment where we were walking. A leaf may have fluttered funny. There are also some coyotes that live back there, one of whom spooked him on our first walk. Unlike our first walk, though, he didn’t settle down after his first hop-bolt-attempt (which I may add was a bit larger than the one he tried when we were with Sean). I am sure the mud didn’t help. He literally seemed to be trying to jump/slide into my lap. I was able to hold on and pull his head around and we walked back along the pasture towards the arena.
Well, whatever spooked Oliver seemed to have gotten the attention of the horses in the pasture as well, all of whom had been already showing some spring sass when we walked by the first time. Upon our arrival to their fence line, they all took off and I found myself leading what looked to be an Arabian, tail straight up and nostrils flaring. Who was this horse? It would have been funny if I felt I had a better handle (or at least grip) on the situation. Again, about halfway up the pasture, he bolted again and I had to pull him around, this time remembering much more quickly that I needed to get control of his head if I was going to prevent him from taking the rope. It worked with only minimal skin sacrifice and the loss of part of a thumbnail. Thankfully I am not much of a nail girl these days.
We made it back to his pen and by that point, he had settled down a little and was looking more like his floppyish, fluffy self. He walked into his stall and took a long drink of water, glancing at me with a look of bewilderment, almost as if to say “Man, that was crazy. Did you see all that?” I couldn’t help but laugh, noting as I did the fact that we will be walking that route a few more times in the near future, perhaps with reinforcements, definitely with more of a plan. I should really thank him for these reminders. We are learning every day.
P.S.: Today (Wednesday) we worked in the arena for a bit, revisiting obstacles such as the barrels (jumping is very exciting!), the bridge, and the tarp river. We may have to up the ante on those as Ollie breezed through as if they were nothing. Next, we conquered our route around the farm from yesterday (almost in full) with absolutely no drama. He made it down to the far end of the pasture calmly and I wanted to be sure to end on a high note, so we headed back, palms--and dignity--intact.
