Val 3/31

Val's work today consisted of "trail work" on the lead. The farm was VERY busy and we walked all around it, reinforcing the "move over/right" cue, along with working on his attention span. He's gotten very responsive to stopping on cue with very little pull on the lead. We walked the trail by the dressage ring, with all kinds of horses working in it. Jumps had been set up and a couple horses were galloping and jumping while he walked on the other side of the fence. By two pastures he had horses running, bucking and snorting right next to him and he needed to focus on me to continue. He was challenged, but overall well behaved for all of it.

We went on the trail behind the pastures and walked a portion of it. We crossed large logs, and also worked in the unfamiliar environment on STANDING at about a 7 foot distance and STAYING. He was MUCH more responsive to it today, and by the end actually began to reorganize himself into a balanced, base-wide square stance, knowing he was not to move. It was funny watching him try to negotiate the larger logs. He was ALWAYS game, always willing, He would put one furry paw (they just don't seem like hooves, you know?!?!) up on the log, look at me and say "ok, if you really want me to try to get over this thing.....I'll try!" even though it was WAY too big for him to walk over. I wanted to see how he'd think through and approach something clearly bigger than him--some horses jump over, some horse back up and say "I don't think so!". He did neither, which was interesting and showed great heart. He was willing to try to straddle these tall wide logs if I asked him, and even tried once. He wasn't upset, he wasn't trying to jump or get around having to go over the obstacle. He just shrugged his shoulders and said "ok....it's a bit big, so I'm not sure how you want me to do this, but I'll try!". Before he really gave it a college try, I'd back him away and take him to a smaller part of the log that he COULD walk over and he'd step over easily.

Since I didn't lose his trust (by MAKING him do something too big for him) he was willing to walk over any stray logs, no matter how narrow and easy to walk around, if I asked him. Most horses would just walk around and say no, but he just said "ok...." and stepped over everything. He'll make a great trail horse. He was a pansy about mucky footing, but went when told.

Lastly, he had several young mares come FLYING over to him within a matter of feet while I was walking him back to the barn, he just talked to them and got a little strong and light on his feet, but nothing unmanagable. When he got strong about going back to the barn, within feet of the pasture and the mares flipping out and bucking right next to him, I made him STAND on a long lead and STAY, while pointed downhill and setting him up to try to run over me, with the mares behind him acting like idiots. A true test of the training I had just worked on. He stood well, only wiggling and trying to walk forward after several seconds of stillness. After that we did about 10 more repetitions of STOP STAND and STAY and he was rock solid.