I thought it would be better to share the videos of the head tossing, but it’s a large file that had to be cut into segments.
The first video is the head tossing that began.
The second is bending.
And the third is the final product and she gave him a loose rein. (The goal.)
I purchased Cowboy at about this exact same age and his previous owners warned me that he had to be ridden with a tie down. The tie down was generous, but it kept him from flipping his head up really high. He compensated by jigging, and we had to work through that until we got it solved. I don’t like riding with tie downs because they can get caught in something on the trail.
It didn’t take much bending to get Tumbleweed to relax and come back to her, and that scenario is about the most challenging for him. He could see his herd mates and he was in the pasture for the first time this year.
Takeaways: when they’re emotional, don’t also get emotional. When they’re frustrated, don’t also get frustrated.
I had a pleasant ride on him yesterday. I tried something I saw Katie doing, verbal commands in saddle. He responded to them, so it’s something I will incorporate.
This is so helpful to me because this is one of Quaids moves. I’m usually half-convinced there’s something wrong with his bridle or teeth. But there never is, just emotions. She stays so calm.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I think it’s just a refusal / evasion. She had already ridden him in the arena and front pasture, and he didn’t toss his head even once. You can see he fights the bend, too. I like how she let him think about it, then moved him out again.
DeleteKatie has really good timing on her release. Timing is so important! To quote Tom Dorrance: "Some people feel the rider makes a mistake when the pressure isn't released after the horse comes through. It is released when the horse is going to yield- that is the time when you ease the pressure, before it happens. If you can see that it is going to happen, I'd say you withdraw the pressure before it happens, because if he is starting to do it, and the pressure is still there, it's in the way of the horse. He is trying to use his own mind and body to do this, and if the person won't allow that to happen, he interferes with the process. "
ReplyDeleteFor me, timing is something it took me decades to learn!
That’s a great quote! She gave him several releases and let him think about it and choose again. Several times he chose to head toss and get loose again. I think a lot of riders would be unnerved and try to keep hold and not give them the choice, but she kept coming back and saying, you can relax your head and body and get that loose rein. It’s such an education for me to watch her work through it. She has patience with him and allows him to figure it out.
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