Procrastination and Gold Nuggets

I keep putting off writing my blog because I get left behind and then it seems like a) too big a job which will take ages b) I can't remember what I've done c) don't feel inspired d) blah, blah, blah.

I usually spend ages reading other peoples blogs or doing other things on the computer in order to put off doing my own! Then I get left further behind and feel less like doing it. Just get on with it, Lucy!

To get me going today, I will just write about the interesting bits rather than recount in diary form. The overall picture is I have always been on the ground, mainly in zone 5 and either with the 22' or 45' line (whoo!)

Breaking News!! It's only taken 2 years!!! How to deal with RBI thresholds........

Last week, I spent a whole session dealing with Duncs concern over a moving blue tarp and a man chopping wood (the same man who has a jack russell and a squeaky bike!) by the side of the road. They were below street level which made them more spooky. Because I was chatting to the chap, my new approach of:

1. Retreat from threshold
2. Move feet
3. Re-approach

...was quite low energy and relaxed. I decided early on that I was going to take as long as it took to get past (I could have led Duncs and he would have gone straight by).

Something started turning over in my brain (steady!) - subconsciously - not a bolt of lightning. Without thinking about it, over the next couple of sessions, I started "turning down the volume" when moving Duncan's feet and noticing results.

Today, I know I'm really onto something. I think I've actually found a bit of savvy! It's like a nugget of gold and the weird thing is, I feel like telling ANYONE WHO WILL LISTEN! Something like:

"HEY, ALL YOU EXTROVERT HUMANS WITH RBI EQUINES. Listen up! This might save you 2 years of struggle!!

"Did you know that when your horse reaches a threshold, you can build his confidence by retreating and moving his feet SLOWLY?"!!!!

Oh man, it doesn't sound like much but honestly, for me, it's pure gold. I think I might even be in with a shot for a second Savvy Spot award!

Seriously though. It's understanding that:

Once we've retreated from the threshold, I need to match D's energy when I move his feet. If he is introverted (as we are always told with LBIs), I need to move his mind to get him to move his feet. It's no good me starting to up my energy and phases when he's nervous/bracey/static. All that does is blow his mind and make him nervous of ME.

If, on the other hand, he is RBE when we retreat, my natural high-energy jinks are fine!

The results I'm noticing are fewer and fewer thresholds. Had a great session down the Scout Camp lane which I will put as a separate entry now for easier reading!