"You never had control! That's the illusion!" - Dr. Ellie Sattler, Jurassic Park
Between Thursday and Friday last week, the temperature dropped 30 degrees. It rained all Friday morning. The perfect day to work with Matilda and see what she really knows or will do without the triple digit heat indexes on my side.
I have good news and bad news. Leading up to the ring and working on our basic groundwork exercises went very well. Matilda did everything I asked for up to and including turning around her front legs without walking forward first.
Then I moved into our circle work. Every time I asked her to walk forward, she took one step forward then turned and walked into me. When I would re-adjust and re-adjust to keep her from walking into me and ask her to walk on, she would toss her head or kick out (or both) and trot as she tried to pull away.... Ahhh, just like old times.
Now, it was raining, so her halter was soaked and bunching up funny, the flies were all over and biting her (despite my attempts to beat them off with healthy doses of fly spray) and we were working with another horse in the ring for the first time since we started all this nonsense. Not an easy day for the best of horses.
I felt privileged to get one walking circle around me on either side with no disasters. You know, the ones that take us all the way back to the beginning? Yeah, none of that.
Before I became completely frustrated (which we all know leads to bad things and potential disaster) we called it quits and I led her out to the paddock. The entire way from the ring to the paddock, Matilda nipped and mouthed at my hand and arm. Well, not the entire way. Sometimes she took a break to punch me in the back with her nose. Needless to say I was ticked.
We were both relieved to reach the paddock and say our fare thee wells for the day. That was Friday. Yuck.
Then came Monday. Who likes Mondays? Matilda apparently. (FYI - Monday was sunny, but not quite the heat and humidity that we have been experiencing. The perfect follow up to Friday)
I forgot to tell you that in recent weeks, Matilda has two new paddock mates during the day. I tried to get a picture of them but it is no good. I'll try again later. Forty is her boyfriend:) Bruin is a little, noisy welsh pony that looks like a mini-Matilda. I refer to them as her "family". It's changed the dynamic a little as far as getting Matilda from the paddock.
Like with any family, they fight. I don't want to get in the middle of a horse fight. I can be stupidly reckless but even I have my limits. The problem is that Matilda tends to look to Forty when I call her to come as if asking permission to leave. I'm not going all the way to her to remove her from the mini-herd but she can be a little reluctant to come to me if the other two are with her. Don't get me wrong, she'll do it - I just have to work harder by coming further into the paddock than I really would like. It's just like with dogs: less distance between means better communication. Shoot.
On Monday, there was a double threat. Matilda and Forty were together... eating hay. As I approached the paddock the thought crossed my mind that there was no way I was going to walk up to her and Forty to pull her away. But there was no way she was coming to me. I started formulating a complicated, "Mission: Impossible" type plan....
Just for laughs, I closed the gate to the paddock behind me and said "Matilda, hey Matilda, come" and she did. You could have knocked me over with a feather. She took her time and stopped along the way but ultimately she came all the way to me.
And that is how our Monday went. Everything was beautiful. We even did her circle work with another rider in the ring and it was like nothing. Amazing.
One major thing (for me) was being done differently. Up until now I have only been clicking for downward transitions, ie trot to walk, walk to stop. Monday I started clicking for any and everything. If I said trot and she started trotting, I would click and follow up with an immediate, rapid fire "walk, whoa" and go in with the reward. I clicked for upward and downward transitions, I clicked for completing a full circle at the trot without pulling on the lead. It was totally random. She might go through 3 transitions without any click and then get a click for all of the next 5. I think we both liked this. It kept us on our toes and I am going to be sure to keep on clicking a little more randomly as we move on with our circle/lunging work.
In light of the nipping and punching of Friday, we also went back to the basics of food and respecting my space. With the clicker as my little helper, we worked until I could place a carrot piece in the flat palm of my hand, holding it close to my body, and she would look away, not taking it until I put it under her nose.... apples too. We'll keep reenforcing this one daily. I don't like being punched in the back.
All in all I consider these two days rather perfect when added together. It's important for me to have reminders that Matilda is an enormous, strong animal with instincts and a will of her own. The idea that I can "control" her with a 10 foot lead and 2 inch clicker is rather ridiculous. However, with each unsuccessful breakaway attempt, I am learning to trust my own handling skills more and more.
With the difference between Friday and Monday I am also reminded that sometimes bad days are just that. Bad days. We all have them. We meet our co-workers and friends with an attitude that sends them reeling and the next day offer them a hug and kind word that is even more baffling.
Matilda and I are still and always a team. I was so encouraged by all that happened I put her on the true 25' longe line today, giving her more space to build momentum and break away or move beautifully and safely.... but I will write about what happened today later.... :D
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