Training Suze

back to riding buddy and working her, today she had a walk out on the road and met her first car, hope to take her out to the forest tomorrow by box and give her a good walk around
 
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Oh dear, how to get something really wrong.

We decided to take Suze out in the box and go for a walk with her. She loaded perfectly at the yard, unloaded, did a 40 minute walk which included difficult tracks, going over a bridge with water running under her, climbing over some fallen trees, lots of things to do, including going into the river for a drink, She coped perfectly. The other side of the river there is the main road, plus industrial estates with forklifts and other stuff so she was getting used to lots of distractions and noise.

Got back to the box, wouldn't go in. Tried everything, even moved it to a quieter place to see if that would help as we were not far from the recycling centre. Problem is there are few places within reach of walking home where you can park and not have to go on a busy road. OH was with me, no phone no back up car, no way home except in the box.....So he went to hitch a ride to get a taxi home while I waited with Suze.

She had a couple of thinks about it, lots of chewing, yawning, she is physically and mentally exhausted. In the end OH came back with neighbour who has horses and put a rope around her bottom and she shot in and came home. She would have loaded in the end as she wanted to, and if OH wasn't walking with a stick, or had horse sense, we could have done it same way, but wouldn't ask him to in case he gets hurt.

Feel so angry with myself as not Suze's fault. She had a lovely time in her walk, in fact that probably was the reason she wouldn't load as she was all fizzed up and stimulated. She had behaved perfectly until then, and where we were we had a long walk to get home, plus having to go along a busy road so wouldn't have risked it with her as she could have really panicked. Oh well, lesson learnt, first thing tomorrow she will load and unload.
 
Have re-started with Suze as want to get some work into her this summer. She has had time off since September, after our little incident with the loading. She refused to load the next day and i thought you know what just let her have a break. She has had a lot to learn and it's been a big experience for her. So a couple of weeks ago we started having a play with her. She is more confident, slightly less obedient i.e. gives you the i can't possibly understand or do that look and has to be given quite firm instructions now. Obviously been chatting to Buddy. She remembers her aids, and did some lovely long reining in the field yesterday. She has had her saddle checked and today put it on with the intention of having a sit on. She has been a bit arsy about the mounting block, so made it as easy as possible for her and finally got her to stand exactly to the inch where i wanted her to be. i sat on the mounting block and gave her a scratch and chat. Put weight in stirrup a couple of times then took saddle and bridle off and let her go out. I could have got on today but given she finally stood and did what i really wanted her to do, left it at that so it was a good note for both of us. She likes Buddy's loading treats - he may not appreciate this - so that could be useful in future.
 
This morning groomed and saddled her and brought to the mounting block. She stood well so i hopped on, we did a couple of walks around the yard, changing direction, then halted and got off. She was walking very confidently and listening and did everything very well. So pleased with her.
 
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Back on board Suze. She was a bit of a naughty madam, refusing to stand at the mounting block, we spent half an hour reinforcing that when i want her to stand with the stirrup right next to the step so i can get on i actually mean it. I actually got a bit stroppy with her as she was just trying it on.
In the end we compromised, got some of Buddy's horse treats and sat at the mounting block and fed her some when she finally did what I wanted. She is a very smart mare and has been talking to Buddy about how to get out of stuff by being baffled....She isn't afraid just having a bit of a strop. So needs to be worked through.
In the end she did it perfectly, so i hopped on, had a walk around the yard and then across the field and back.20210415_093630.jpg20210415_093432.jpg
 
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Very interesting today. Groomed her and then asked her to do one thing, stand at the mounting block. Didn't saddle her, no intention of getting on board, just let's do the standing. Got her in place, asked her to stand. Got on block, she moved. Instead of giving her the easy option of circling around and having another go, I made her back up into the slot which is hard to do. Then gave her scratches and asked her to stand. Got on the block, rubbed her again, picked up reins - this is when she tends to move. Didn't. dropped the reins. Asked her stay. Walked over to feed store, got her treats and fed her two treats. Bridle off, out to field. As I said, she is smart....
 
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I love that mare, she is a canny one.

I'm going to be doing this with Sid, he has so many issues from having had badly fitting saddles and moving away from the block is one of them.
 
Been working all week on obedience and sharper reactions. She now stands first time at the mounting block and doesn't move. she will also do Stay and stay there while i go off to do other stuff, like fetch a treat for her.

Been concentrating on getting her to walk very freely and willingly and then tried loading. Got her up the ramp but not in daily and then today did the same and put the rope attached to the partition so i can pull it shut over her neck then wriggled it to quarters and gave her to pull and she came in. Immediately rewarded her and we stood inside and she ate her treats and made a fuss of. If she moved, put back in place.

Then made her stand in the box while i went down the ramp and then stand at the top of ramp, then come down one step stop then step etc. So really good control of her feet.

Really pleased, first time in properly since our disaster in september 2020!
 
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Suze has been out in traffic for the first time, saddle and bridle on, led her up and down the lane with OH in car behind to protect her then pass her then stop and she passed him. Was passed by a couple of other cars as well.

She did very well, she tensed a little, but coped and didn't react, was walking calmly and on a long rope relaxed, very good good. Was going to have a little sit on her but just fed her some treats and turned out.

She really couldn't have done it any better.
 
Hilarious today with Suze. I have to move the box to load, so was trying to drive it out. She was standing in front of it facing me, so as i drove forward she backed up in a straight line. When I stopped and got out, she was waiting for the ramp to go down, as loading means treats. She was in the box before me!20210503_101358.jpg20210503_101405.jpg
 
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Brilliant! Glad to see she got her treats.

What a gorgeous girl :)
it was so funny, she saw me take the rope down so i could move the box and she knew someone was going to be loaded, She stood right in front of it, eyeballing me then backing up as i drove forward, i even had to peep the horn to keep her moving, and by the time i got out she was lined up waiting for the ramp to come down and walked straight in ahead of me! This is one smart girl, no head collar on, she stayed in the box, asked her to move over, turn around to come out and she did it so calmly and walked down towards me. So i think we are now over the mishap where she wouldn't load and then refused after that when i tried. Giving her a break from it and coming back to it as if beginning again clearly worked.
 
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Took her out of the gate and stood waiting for the school bus to go past at 830. She jumped a bit but not too bad, given she has never seen it before. Will keep doing this with her till she is more confident about it. She was in the driveway not on the road but it's a narrow lane so it was close.
 
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Took her out of the gate and stood waiting for the school bus to go past at 830. She jumped a bit but not too bad, given she has never seen it before. Will keep doing this with her till she is more confident about it. She was in the driveway not on the road but it's a narrow lane so it was close.
wrote to coach company with a picture of her asking them to look out for us as she is so new to this
 
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