I’ve been out of commission for five weeks. For the first few of those weeks, I could barely make it out to the barn. Horses did fine. They have plenty of grass and water.
Lucky has had five weeks of being Mr. Dominant Boss of the world. “I’ll move when I want. I am boss of the world, sun, moon and solar system.”
Today, I’ve been declared officially well. My first day to ride. Lucky and me. Lucky having a tough time doing three correct hind quarter turns. That’s one test of a horse that is ready to ride and their respect of you. Can they move their hindquarters three full steps with back legs crossing. Crossing those legs under is a sign of respect. One cross under, two cross under and a no cross under. Start over…start over etc. It took a wee bit of time before I got that respect.
Lucky faces me and looks away. A sign of disrespect. Look away from me…I ask him to move his hindquarters three times in a row crossing his legs. Finally, he looks at me and I’m able to rub his head, his ears and tell him what a great horse he it. He knows I’m the boss…at least for a few minutes.
Lucky circles at a trot and looks outside the circle instead of at me. It’s called disrespect. We do some hindquarter yields while he is trotting and finally he manages to look at me most of the time. I ask him up into a canter and Lucky goes into his fake little bucking horse imitation. We change directions when he goes into his tantrum. He pulls away from me three separate times. I chase him around the yard until he comes back to me… except when he ran and hid in the barn.
Five weeks without me being the dominant partner. I am weak but still alive enough to get on a horse ready to ride.
Finally, I put on his bridle, walk to the trailer and climb on. We argued for a while about mouthing the bit or paying attention to the reins. Bending, Bending Bending. I remember John Lyons three day clinic and his quest for the participants to complete 1500 miniature “gives”. Lucky needs 1500 miniature gives. Sadly, neither of us could live through that. Way way too boring.
We went to the bushy apple tree and walked around it…at a leg yield. We argued about most everything. Finally, we were able to walk around the apple tree doing a fair leg yield without arguing. I rode back to the trailer and got off. I was too exhausted after taking off the saddle and bridle to put his halter on.
I tried to lead him by his lower lip, but he balked at that. Then I just put my hand under his chin and led him to the barn. I led him at liberty crossing this stuff called grass. He came right along with me. I fell in love with him all over again.
He got fed grain in the barn. Tomorrow is another day. It’s night now and I”m still alive. I’ll have a little more strength tomorrow.
I had a blinding flash of the obvious! Ground Work with Lucky is all about getting his respect…RESPECT!
I don’t know if I can make it thru three full clinic days of getting his RESPECT.