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Not-So-Speedy Dressage

From Endurance to Dressage

And THERE'S My Sassy Six Year Old!

2/2/2015

 
I didn't know he had it in him. He's been nothing but tractable and simple since he arrived. On Saturday, Izzy showed that he is a typical, six year old with some confidence issues.
Picture
Yeah, not funny, mister!
I started my barn day by taking Izzy for a walk. He's been great; he doesn't call for Speedy, and for the most part, he's been pretty relaxed. So, I decided to add the next street to our loop.

It's a "busy" street in that the two or three house along the street have barking dogs, galloping horses, and bleating goats. Too bad. I gave him plenty of time to think and look, but ultimately, life is going to be filled with unexpected things. When Izzy started to really crowd me, I had to get tough.

The trick I use to get a horse off my heels and shoulder is to use the lead rope (mine are 12 feet long and heavy) like a helicopter blade tipped up. I briskly swirl the rope in front of me. If the horse's nose comes in front of me, he gets whacked on the muzzle. I've used this strategy for a long time so my timing and aim are very fine tuned. Izzy got whacked on the muzzle many, many times.

Once they figure it out, they quit crowding into my space. I mix up the whacks by also giving them a whoa cue immediately followed by a few backwards steps. I walk forward briskly, say whoa, and then back up. If they don't rock back immediately on their haunches and step back, they get a sharp tug on the face with the rope halter and my rope starts swinging. Sometimes I have to get pretty "loud" to encourage those sticky feet to MOVE backwards.

Izzy knows what to do; we've practiced in the arena. He doesn't like his muzzle whacked, and he knows to move backwards those few steps, but on Saturday, Speedy started calling for him and Izzy forgot that I was there. His head shot up and he started screaming back. This is behavior that I find to be incredibly rude. It also means that my horse is not listening to me, something I never want to happen.

Every time Izzy called out, I sent him in a small circle as I made him yield his hindquarters away from me. I pushed that inside hind leg deep by whacking him on the hip with the tail end of my lead rope. When he refocused on me, we walked forward. It took us at least ten minutes to walk the last hundred yards.

When we finally got back to the barn, I tossed him rather unceremoniously back into his stall and saddled Speedy. Before Izzy knew what was happening, Speedy and I left the barn to walk around the neighborhood. Izzy called and called, but Speedy knows the rules and never called back. Good boy, Speedy G!

When we got back, I parked Speedy just out of easy eyesight in the grass so that he could graze and Izzy could holler and fuss. And he did. He whinnied and whirled, BUT he never crashed into anything. After a few minutes, I took Speedy into the arena and rode for another thirty minutes. Izzy finally gave up hollering, but I definitely need to work on separating them more often.

After Izzy had time to cool off, I re-bandaged his leg. At the same time, JL was giving a little girl a beginner lesson in our arena on Bailey, the other boarder's horse. This seemed like a perfect schooling opportunity for Izzy. I brought him into the arena and sat to the side on the mounting block. For a half hour, I asked him to stand quietly while the little girl rode. Izzy was perfect. He never even looked at Bailey. He just stood dozing in the sun while the little girl had her lesson.

I took the time to practice putting the "reins" over Izzy's head, something he was really worried about when I first got him. By the end of the lesson, I was popping the rope over his head and back again while he kept his nose low. He's definitely more comfortable in the arena than he is out on the trail, but we'll keep doing the hand walks. It's good for him to see so many distracting things at once.

I have a plan for dealing with the hollering and crying. I am pretty sure Mr. Sassy-Pants is about to get tied up somewhere and left to stand on his own for a while (within sight of course!).
Austen link
2/1/2015 09:51:58 pm

Love that you are detailing all of this work! A lot of people struggle with these issues (especially in young horses that haven't seen much of the world yet!), and it's so nice to have such a down to earth and honest write up of how you are dealing with them.

Take no shenanigans! Or, as my trainer's trainer would say "It's not my problem, horse. Figure it out and get on with it." :)

Alanna
2/2/2015 04:53:23 am

Yes. I agree!

Bakersfield Dressage link
2/2/2015 10:38:47 am

Thanks, Austen. I just can't stand rude or naughty horses. I expect good behavior on the ground. I am famous for telling people to leave my naughty horse alone. Don't pet him or coddle him just because he's upset. TOO BAD, GET OVER IT, FIGURE IT OUT! :0)

And apparently, I am not the only one that feels this way. I love your trainer's trainer's sentiment. They ALL need to figure it out. :0)

Tracy link
2/1/2015 10:57:57 pm

Aww, baby Izzy! Life is tough, haha

Bakersfield Dressage link
2/2/2015 10:39:27 am

My sentiments exactly! :0)

lytha
2/1/2015 11:17:07 pm

I'm still trying to work on separation issues as I take the donkey away from the horse, which I honestly have not done nearly enough of, because unlike you, I don't ride my donkey: )

I love your technique, we're so alike. Mine is a little different, and weird. I have a 12 foot rope like you, but I want my horse behind me by a few feet, so instead of twirling the rope in front of me, I swing it around my body and lightly slap my back/shoulders with it, left side, right side, so she doesn't try passing on the other side. Once a neighbor said, "So we noticed you hitting yourself with the rope..." *blush* Right, it's a very light slap and doesn't hurt me, but it does make a sound on my jacket. I told the neighbor it's like a horse swishing its tail to warn another to stay back. I wonder if I'm the only person who does this. I only need to do it in scary places, like where you took Izzy.

I can see from the photo how calm his eye is, and those famous ears, I really think you have a good horse!

Bakersfield Dressage link
2/2/2015 10:41:12 am

My rope work may be slightly different from yours, Lytha, but I keep your same idea in mind; it's just a big tail swinging reminding him to GET BACK!

It took Speedy YEARS to figure it out. This horse is far more docile than Speedy ever will be. :0)

Lauren link
2/2/2015 12:31:13 am

Herdbound issues are no joke, but the more he's forced to deal with it the better he will get!

Bakersfield Dressage link
2/2/2015 10:43:05 am

I HATE herd boundness. I don't mind some whining, but I won't tolerate complete meltdown. They'll both need to get over it, and truthfully, it's not really that bad. I just hate ANY crying! :0)

Cathryn link
2/2/2015 03:22:57 am

It sounds like you have a nice game-plan for him to help him become a true "solid" citizen :)
Rome wasn't built in a day and I am excited to see Izzy progress - and good boy SpeedY!

Bakersfield Dressage link
2/2/2015 10:47:12 am

I do have a plan. It's called repeat, repeat, repeat. It's boring as heck, but it gets the job done. :0)

I am excited too. Today he did a bunch of good things that made me so proud. He anticipated which foot was going to get cleaned next - a first, and after spooking at a new tarp, he actually stepped on it and then grabbed it with his teeth and shook it. Hooray for curiosity!

Jodi link
2/2/2015 04:47:07 am

It sucks that you have to wait for his cut to heal, but all that you are doing in the meantime is going to help so much in the king run.

Jodi
2/2/2015 04:48:30 am

Ugh! My phone hates me. *in the long run.

Bakersfield Dressage link
2/2/2015 10:44:47 am

Damn you, autocorrect! (mother forklift is my favorite auto correct of all time)

Every. Single. Day. That's my motto. We just do it over and over and over. Eventually, they get so bored with the "games" that the just give up. :0)


Comments are closed.

    About the Writer and Rider

    ​I am a lifelong rider. 
    I began endurance riding in 1996 where I ultimately completed five, one-day 100 mile races, the 200-mile Death Valley Encounter, and numerous other 50, 65, and 75 mile races. I began showing dressage in 2010.
    ​Welcome to my dressage journey.
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    About Speedy G

    ​Speedy went from endurance horse to dressage horse. After helping me earn a USDF Bronze medal in the summer of 2020, he is now semi-retired. Speedy is a 2004, 15'1 hand, purebred Arabian gelding. His Arabian Horse Registry name is G Ima Starr FA.
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    July 2020 (PC AJSK Photography)

    About Izzy

    Izzy was started as a four-year old and then spent the next 18 months in pasture growing up. I bought him as a six-year old, and together, we are showing at the lower levels. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand warmblood gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.
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    March 2021 (PC Tess Michelle Photography)

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Among other things, Karen is a Wife, Friend, Reader, Writer, Rider, Traveler, and Dog Lover
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