Prince: LBI on adrenaline...

Sept 18 2010

Prince and I had a really mind opening/ revealing play session today. Prince and I mainly played with circles and leads and lead changes. Prince was having a really hard time getting the left lead. So we played with some drop to trot lead changes and that helped a bit but it still wasn't helping much. 

Going to the right Prince would canter on the correct lead but he wouldn't have any connection. So we have to play with that also. After lots of isolating, separating and recombining I finally realized that Prince wasn't going into the canter calm, cool and collected. He wasn't right brain but he was rushed... and so he was missing the lead and loosing connection. I decided to take everything right down to the walk and see if I could find the underlying issue. One thing I noticed, which was effecting our changes of directions and transitions was that when ever Prince felt any pressure on the halter he would speed up. I think he learned this from the fact that on the circle he gets on adrenaline really easily. He won't be galloping around but he is a LBI on adrenaline none the less.

So at the walk, on about a 15ft circle Prince and I played with our porcupine game. I had to teach Prince that when the pressure was coming out in front of him that meant to speed up, but when the pressure was coming to the side it meant come closer, and when it was going farther back, behind the drive line that meant slow down, or stop. He caught on after a while but I could see the pattern which was pressure = go faster and that wasn't helping my cause any.

Once we got that going better in both directions when ever Prince took the slack out of the line he would feel the pressure on the side and he would put the slack back on the ground. We left it at the walk for today but I think I know what I will need to do next time. 

So one thing that I have decided is that I will not be asking Prince to canter Freestyle until he can pick up the correct leads Online. It isn't fair to him or myself to ask for it because it isn't setting up for success. I am also going to see if any of it has anything to do with my saddle. Because Prince is so wide my Fusion might be restricting him in some way that is causing him to not get the correct leads. I will have lots to think about!!

I did ride Prince after all that. We kept it pretty simple. I rode bridleless again and with two carrot sticks. We did sideways over barrels, back-up's, Follow the rail at the walk and trot with direct reins (just my body no carrot sticks!! We even got a couple at the trot!!!) and Figure eights. Prince did well but he seemed different somehow from yesterday, which leads me to think that it might be my saddle. So when Monday rolls around I think I am going to throw the BB pad on and not put my saddle on and see if that makes a difference. 

Prince spooked again... did I mention that the other day I rode my first BIG spook?? I don't think I did. Prince and I were trotting along and all of a sudden Prince spooks at something in the bushes, does a 90 degree spin and bolts across the riding ring. I was able to bend him and still ride it... which I was pretty impressed about that. I am not 100% sure what it was that Prince spooked at but he wasn't to sure about going near that end again so we did lots of approach and retreat until he could continue on.

Anyway so today Prince and I were riding by the same spot and this time we were doing a small circle to go the other way and something spooks Prince and again, in the same spot and off we go, this time bridleless. I rode that one too and was able to turn Prince and he stopped. I wish I knew what he was that was spooking him. Maybe we shall have to go play over there next time!!!

So yeah. It was an interesting playtime and ride and it definitely left me thinking as I went to work... not that I had much time to think as it was really busy... anyway. I shall definitely let you know what I find and how our next playtime goes!!

Naturally,

~Keri