Ground training today

Short video of Sunny stretching at the walk on 12/18/16

Today I arrived home from work early, with just a few minutes of daylight left on this darkest day of the year.  I jumped and took advantage of the short time to play on the ground for a few minutes; always fun to do and sometimes hard to squeeze in between conditioning rides and dressage.  Sunny seems to enjoy the play and is enthusiastic.  We have a pattern of games we are currently working on and today we started with backing over a pair of low cavaletti. He has done this a few times now and reverses right on over, carefully pausing between each pole awaiting his good-job cookie.   I then throw in backing by the tail between each obstacle/game.  We have practiced backing by the tail a fair amount at this point but he still gets a bit confused.  If I am by the rail or a fence Sunny understands to back immediately off of light pressure, however if I am in the middle of the arena he tends to turn circles  (yielding the hindquarters) for a minute while I just go with him, maintaining 'the question' (ie light pressure on the tail) when the light-bulb abruptly clicks on and then he smoothly offers backing up.  I think more calm repetition will solidify this game.

I then upped the ante to regular backing onto a small platform, this is much harder than backing over a pole. We had a successful end game after walking forward off of it with only 3 feet, leaving a single hind foot on the platform.  The hind foot remaining on the platform gave Sunny enough confidence to easily back-up to standing on the platform. What a good boy, he tries so hard!

Next we briefly (as it was getting dark already!) played with going sideways about 15 feet between 2 barrels. I place a small treat on the barrel and ask for sideways yielding from 1 barrel to the next.  This is his 3rd or 4th time playing this and he is figuring out the goal.  The change is fascinating, when we started I had to somewhat micromanage him to the next barrel, asking him to go sideways with a lot of don't go forward, etc and then he was totally baffled when he reached the barrel and found a surprise cookie! Today he took responsibility and initiative when he aimed himself to the barrel, eagerly offering sideways to arrive at the next barrel-cookie.  I love the partnership and engagement that comes when the horse starts to figure out we are playing together.

We moved quickly onward to a the circle game. I currently play it with a 12' line and move with him, resulting in a larger circle at faster gaits. I find walking with him creates more connection than standing still and having him pass behind me (thank you Theresa!).  I have been playing with circle game basics for a while now, but this is the 3rd or 4th time I have asked for canter.   I set the transition up the same way each time, creating a learning pattern, and have been using the rounded corner arena rail to support him for the transition. Picking this particular spot in the arena sets him up for the correct (balanced) lead; the rail also prevents any outward drift which in-turn prevents accidental pulling on his head which would give mixed signals as I encourage him in the upward canter transition.  

Several sessions ago I asked for the canter for the first time by leading with the line, angling my body, verbal kiss, and then slapping the ground behind him with the training stick if needed (my normal signals for upward transitions). In response Sunny threw up his head, slammed on the brakes, and spun the other direction. Well that wasn't what I (or he) expected, LOL!  So we went back and practiced more walk to trot transitions which he did understand well.  So then I returned to the canter transitioned and pushed a little more, always asking for the canter transition in the same spot. After a few circles of this he offered a few strides of a canter that was so horrendous and unbalanced I thought he may fall.  I then ended the session and told him he was absolutely the best, most amazing horse in the world.

Fast forward to today, only 3-4 sessions later,... he had a prance in his step, was eagerly offering nicely balanced trot circles with inside bend on a loose line, and even started to offering extended neck stretching too!  When I kissed to him and asked for a canter to the left he immediately picked up the most beautiful grand-prix dressage horse, light, completely balanced canter I have seen. I think his withers grew 6" higher than his hindquarters!  He easily cantered the circle and then I brought him in for loads of adoring praise and admiration. Wow!! I can't wait to ride THAT canter!    We then practiced to the right as well, which is his hard direction.  His right canter was eager, willing, and much improved but didn't quite have the same balance as the other direction; right bend is physically harder for him and he tended to fall onto his inside shoulder and lean a little more.  But it was still wonderful, 200% improved and I told him, once again, that is the most amazing horse in the world.  (I will have to start watching his ego, LOL!)    What a great session, I can't wait until we get to do it again :)