I entiled this focus as its what I am struggling to get Livvi to do. I am doing everything from the beginning starting today (now that stitches are out). She has been here 3 weeks and is settled enough that work should begin.
Today I worked on moving away from pressure, I started with moving towards me and backing up, both of which she is fine with, I then moved onto moving the hind quarters away. I started with less tactile pressure swinging the lead rope at her bum but she ignored it totally. I want to try to get her to respond to my body language rather than just touch but I am not getting her to focus on me. To me this is showing a degree of lack of respect and I need to gain that respect but I am not sure how.
We returned to the yard where I found I became more interesting and I asked her to step over with physical pressure, which she will do but walks forwards too.
Livvi is very clever and I am trying to get her to engage her brain and think about what I am asking, but without her focusing on me and what we are doing I'm struggling. I had thought about trying join up as we have a round pen but she is very sensitive and I was worried that sending her away might have a negative affect.
On reading this back, I think that perhaps I may need to do more walking in hand and desensitising her to her environment before I try to get her totally focused...everything is still so different to her that she must find concentrating very hard.
My Pones
About Me
- Emily
- Having ridden as a child I had a break in myteans then I became a very nervous rider after a fall 6 years ago where I smashed my elbow. Drummer was my first pony and gave me my confidence back. When I first had him I would only walk and now we jump do dressage and hack out at mad gallop!!
I would agree with you not that i know anything but make sure there is nothing distracting around maybe try more on the yard first and then move off to the padocks and give a time to look around and see whats what? 3 weeks has gone by fast!! but remember its still early days and you had the set back with the cut..she has settled in really well! x
ReplyDeleteIt's sounding good! If you want her to focus on you - you have to make sure you are more interesting than whatever else is going on around. ;-) Are you still using the clicker? Try clicking every time she is giving you her undivided attention (so long as she isn't mugging you)
ReplyDeleteFor moving over, I think at this stage it is probably more useful to stick with your hand applying pressure in the "behind the girth" position because that's what you'll want for ridden work when you want her to move away from your leg. If you use your hand on the girth for forwards and behind the girth for sideways (even without the girth being there!) she'll get the idea really quickly. It will also make it easier for her if you have her head and neck flexed slightly towards you. Does that help at all? x
Oh and use your voice to say "over" if you aren't doing it already. If she does it, click and treat or just make a big fuss of her if you're not clickering. ;-)
ReplyDeleteThanks both of you :-D I wil try more just in hand walking for the next week and perhaps forget "training"
ReplyDeleteHelen, the clicker holds absolutely no interest for her whatsoever. I tried it for one session using carrots and she just wasn't interested..it was quite odd actually, food to her is nice but she is not greedy for treats.
Livvi is very interested in "life" and thats aboyt all! She does watch me though, if I walk off on the yard she looks to see where I have gone so I am getting SOME focus!
Interesting. Ihey don't all respond to it the same way, that's for sure. I thought she responded to it at Gill's but I've probably misunderstood. (need a roll eyes smilie!)
ReplyDeleteMoving over is basic manners, rather than "training" imho - that probably sounds double dutch though. lol!
Maybe its just that at Gills food WAS interesting but now in a new place its not so important!
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you say about moving over and you have made me think because she does move over when you groom her etc so maybe I am trying to hard!