Car wash!!

Easter Saturday 3rd April 2010

Decided to set up a mini car wash after I realised I'd forgotten my Hoola Hoop! Luckily found some bubble wrap on the ground outside S & S's which I hung from the squeeze tree with a gap in the middle - thought I would progress over a couple of sessions to going through a whole screen!

D was fab. He was goggling from the gate but I just kept going a couple of steps forward then back up. When he was comfortable being close to it I went the other side but did the same again so in the end d was dying to get right up to the stuff! Soon he was going right under (actually when I hadn't asked him, oh well!) and at one point he looked comical standing with the bubble wrap right over his face whilst trying to bite at it. Not scared of it at all!

Today, I cracked down on the eating by ignoring the graze if we weren't actually doing anything but, if I was asking him to do something I leapt about a bit blocking him or, if he got his head down, by asking him to walk on then going quite quickly to a ph4 - otherwise he just sees the slow progression through the phases as an opportunity to eat more! seemed to work anyway. I will have to revisit the Parelli footage on this as I don't think you're supposed to interrupt the head plunge...let the horse make the mistake...then just ask again. Trouble with this - I think is - that the horse gets a reward for his efforts of a quick munch!?

Walked down the road and further down the path towards the Big House. Practiced Z4 driving mainly. D trying to sidle off to eat grass so I had to keep straightening him but he was good when he got the message that it wasn't a munch-fest today.

Went on past S & S's and into the top paddock where we did some circling - with no munching!! I realised after that we've come a way as I couldn't stop D from munching in there before without scaring him whereas he obviously trusts and respects me a bit more now. Circling very good! D will maintain trot of his own volition now. Cantering only a few strides but ground boggy, D unfit and he probably needs to do a lot of cantering in straight lines before he's strong enough for circles. Felt a bit mean as he was looking for a treat but I had decided that a graze was going to be his reward at the end and that's what he got! Really pleased with him today.