Val finished getting the last of his braids put in and was introduced to pedestal work today. He happily went in and pawed at the pedestal, but didn't know what to make of it. I got him to understand stepping up on it on command, and started asking for specific legs to move on command. I began to associate the tapping of each leg with the request for movement. I also started introducing the concept of Obeisance (low bow work, also called "saying prayers"). It's a great tool for building the ability to stretch lumbar muscles and improve a horse's balance. I asked him to step fully on the pedestal, but (as with all horses I work with for the 1st time on the pedestal) he was pretty uncoordinated and got 3 up once, but that was it.
He kept wanting to play with the balls that were in the pedestal training stall, so after I got a few good repetitions of mounting the pedestal and obeisance, I let him go check them out. His attention span was wandering and I was starting to JUST get the teenage "I Don't Wannas" so I quit while I was ahead so it wouldn't be a negative experience. I showed him the balls and he tried to push and play with them on his own. Of course, the hardest thing will be to get him to stop kicking and biting them and start pushing them with his nose instead!
3 comments:
Val has a ball here that he's deflated just enough to be able to carry it around. He will also play soccer with you and if you try to get the ball from him he will lay on top of it with his chest and curl his front legs under him! I keep telling him thats cheating but he's not impressed! LOL
Fran
That explains ALOT of what he was doing with that soccer ball then.....no wonder!
Yeah, when I teach a horse to play ball, there's actually RULES. He got real mad when I tried to tell him that what he was doing wasn't in the book! It's like telling someone they're cheating at cards!
...and here I told you you would be starting with a clean slate, so far you are having to undo all the stuff I did! Poor boy! What have I done! It was so much fun though! Sorry .chuckle< You can get your revenge on me when I start riding him! Yikes! LOL
Fran
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