Fantasy and I back in training

[luvallbreeds]

Fantasy and I are back in training as we have some respect issues to recover from, she has no respect for me and has refused to behave undersaddle lately. I am so emotionally attached to this horse it is very difficult for me to work with her objectively. I almost cried yesterday when I thought I was scaring her away from me. I was only doing what the trainer had shown me the day before. Once a week a Parelli trainer comes over and works with Fantasy and I and I spend the week working on those things with Fantasy and we go from there my hope is to improve so I can go back to Fantasy's original trainer so he can then school me in preparing me and her for the show ring. But if I am to do that I need to get more control and this Parelli trainer I think can help me with those issues I am having with Fantasy, I hope. So far so good I got scared a few times on our first ride around the arena a place Fantasy gives me alot of trouble but it ended well. We shall see how next week goes.

[letsride]

Stick with it...I had some similar issues w/ Johnnie for a while there and he came thru with flying colors. Sometimes a dominant horse is a little tougher to win over, but when you do it is SWEET!

[Meeka]

Keep at it you will get there and when you do as letsride has said you will feel so good.

[luvallbreeds]

It is strange but Fantasy is a horse that is insecure at times, she uses dominant behavior behavior to cover it up. Like being being pushy, shoving her shoulder into you. I plan to get out there and work with her a bit today. See how things go...I am trying to be braver and trying to detatch from some of those emotions during the training sessions anyway.

[Meeka]

We have a young filly like that if she gets a fright she wants to claimb into your pocket but we are slowly getting there.

[luvallbreeds]

Today was my first day of official lesson work with Fantasy we started with groundwork. I attempted to show her how I was trying to move Fantasy's shoulder over. I was doing it wrong and Fantasy chose to run thru me instead of away. We went over again how to do it using the fence as an aid so Fantasy could not move forward and thru me. It is going to take alot more lessons but I got the technic down both directions with Fantasy and will have to continue every day on my own. We then work on her following me then me approching her hind asking her to move away then follow again making responsible to always keep slack in the line. At times the lesson lady did the work instructing me then I did it so I would know what to do the rest of the week. that was it for ground work off to put the saddle on.

We mount away from the gate because that is a weak point for Fantasy. She takes a step as I mount up I ask her to back and then stand she does well. I sit aboard, my lesson lady says you are perfect that is how you should stay seated..easier said then done. Now I am off walking along the rail, keep the horse on the rail, keep seat postion, get past the gate, loose rein one handed. Now it is time to do transitions ...oh by the way I have a big size round pen... Trot the half where the gate is and walk the other half and all that other stuff I mentioned before. it was ruff at first and took awhile and we had some battles with Fantasy trying to evade work by turning into the panels. I got off balance sometimes a bit scared at her rate of speed but soon I just fell into it, found my seat gave her the reins when she got it right, allowed her to be correct my lesson lady was thrilled and the lesson was over an hour and half later. Now the trick let's see how we two Fantasy and I do on our own. I think we will be OK

[whinny]

SOUND LIKE YOUR DOING GOOD TO ME!!:woohoo:

[mrsEd]

Very interesting to read this stage by stage so detailed. I'm really learning together with you. Thank you.

(although of course I'm under no illusion that learning theoratically is the same as experiencing it and going through it reallife) <br><br>Post edited by: mrsEd, at: 2007/05/19 12:20

[luvallbreeds]

OK ..sorry i did not write this right away but so many things get going and i am fuzzy in the head with new medication and get side tracked. Now the second lesson Friday 25th. ground work goes real well Fantasy does wonderful remembers everything from the first lesson acts a little off at first no i don't want to but when i say yes you will, falls right into doing what i ask. So we try a few new exercises i will be asking her to do over the week before my next lesson like more giving her hind quarters and shoulder over and side passing the panels from the ground. OK, time to saddle up. We get back to the round pen Fantasy does not want to stand still. trainer says if Fantasy does not want to stand still for me to mount i must make her move her feet fast until she stands still. When she stands we try again. This should have been my first clue...things are NOT going to go well today. it took 10 min. to get Fantasy to stand still to mount. We went into our regular lesson and Fantasy had no trouble with the gate today. But would not stay on the rail, this time she gravitated to the middle and chomped on the bit. My trainer says lets try transitions they worked last time just walk and trot then back to walk so on. My trainer felt i was balancing with my hands so she put the reins on the rope halter wanted to do an exercise where I rode with with my hands on Fantasy's withers and only picked up a rein if Fantasy went to the gate and just let Fantasy go where ever she wanted at a trot. not worry about staying on the rail so Fantasy would relax and i could relax. Well Fantasy kept heading for the gate this time, I kept picking up the rein asking her to move away from the gate then squeeze to ask her to keep at the trot, keeping forward motion. Then BAM.....Fantasy had enough and commenced to bucking. UGH. I did not land in the dirt. But i got a heck of a bruise on my belly from the horn (that is why some folks don't like horned saddles) then I got off Fantasy underwent some hard ground work attitude adjustment with my trainer then back int he saddle I went. We did a few circles around the round pen but it was evident Fantasy was not up for going in circles that day so instead we worked on her giving her shoulder and hind quarters from the saddle and doing rollbacks when she calmed down did a couple nice ones we called it a day. You see I have not asked much of Fantasy in the past 6 yrs i have had her a riding horse. just some trail rides and few camp outs and filly. She has rather liked her laid back lifestyle. the first lesson she was willing to humor me do pretty well and all. This lesson I think she figured she better let me know she seriously does not like this idea of workouts and lessons while all the other horses are napping under trees and yes she can see them doing so. Me i got to be tuff and quit being the softy and say nope I am the BOSS, it is for the best. Fantasy and i will only have a better relationship for it.

I went to the Clinton Anderson clinic learned alot about gaining respect. i will be working on ground training with Fantasy these next few weeks as i have a Doctor's Appt next Friday and will miss a riding lessonin the morning later instead we will get a break and go on a trail ride instead.

[mrsEd]

You're taking this up the all-out way for sure. Wow: rezzpekt, Luvallbreeds It's right into the discipline-school for Fantasy now and I can read there's not much she can do (although tries) with your mind (and heart, I think) being made up about her succeeding.