School is in Session!

Melody has officially started her training!

We took her training into the round pen.  She was very distracted because Star was screaming for her when I took her away - so annoying!  Star is really bad right now because she's in heat...mares...  I sent her off on the circle using the lunge whip as encouragement only, just moving it along the ground to keep her moving forward.  This is her first time with the whip - I've only ever used a lead rope when round penning her but it was time to put her big girl panties on and learn what all of the training equipment is.  She protested a little bit by cutting in and then would buck.  I disciplined her by sending her into the canter and when she got to the spot where she wanted to cut in, I would step into that space and "shoo" her out of it with the whip.  After a few times around she realized what she was doing wasn't working and did what she was told.  I asked for a trot for her "release" for being a good girl.  We switched directions and the same problem arose as before...cutting in and bucking.  Repeat discipline and she reacted but changing directions, bucking as she did so.  I forced her to change directions (back to the way I wanted) and she blew up again, bucking and kicking.  I got after her by sending her into a more intense canter (we have a large round pen, by the way - plenty of room for this stuff), not quite a gallop.  She responded by galloping.  Fine.  I kept her at the gallop until she gave in and went all the way around without cutting in and bucking.  Again, her release was trotting.  It wasn't long and she was licking and chewing so I thought that now would be a great time to stop and let that lesson process.  She stopped and I rubbed her all over with the lunge whip (like a carrot stick or stick and string, I don't have either so I just use my lunge whip).  I half expected her to move away but she didn't.  I wasn't holding her at all and she stood perfectly still while I rubbed her in every little nook and cranny on her body.  I figured that went so well so I thought I would see how she would do with the string part flipping all over her body.  Again, didn't move.  She was so relaxed and happy to let me rub her anywhere I wanted.

At that point I hooked her back up with the lead rope and reviewed some of the bending exercises.  She gave me her head going down perfectly.  When I asked for some flex first to the left, she didn't want to do it.  So we circled around and around until she finally stopped her feet and gave ever so slightly.  That was a good first step.  We repeated this on the right side with the same results at first.  I switched back to her left side and she circled around only once before stopping and giving me some flex.  Again, I repeated on the right side and she repeated the same behavior as she did on the left.  A few more times on each side and we ended with her flexing with almost no hesitation.  I made sure she knew she was a good girl by giving her lots of love!

We also reviewed moving her shoulders and hips.  Each time I asked her she resisted less and less.  I was getting the correct response (her feet were even crossing correctly with the correct foot going over the other one - BONUS!) with a lighter cue than when we started so we called it a night.  She was such a good girl and I told her so lots of times! 

Training day was a success!  Can't wait to get back at it tonight!

Until next time,
Lynell