The Art of Natural Dressage

Im working on chances riding seeing that shes 6 and very green.. but at the same time I still want to have fun and play with her and do some clicker stuff.

Would it be a good idea to ride for about 30min - 1 hr then do Clicker stuff after riding like some nice calm stuff since she will probably be tired???

Hiya, I think I'd be more inclined to do the training first, so that I could work on specific things that I wanted to reinforce for preparation for the riding.. especially if she's fairly green.
Sue

_________________

I have not sought the horse of bits, bridles, saddles and shackles,
But the horse of the wind, the horse of freedom, the horse of the dream. [Robert Vavra]

okay thanks what spacific things should I work on to prepare for riding??

anyone?

The first thing I would do is check that you have a bend and that she responds willingly and softly. Do this from the ground and give when she bends and is soft. If she is braced, don't give her her head back as she has not really given it to you, she is resisting it. Once you have this good on both sides and she understands it, you will always have it if you run into trouble. Don't give it back either if she is moving her feet,only when she is standing quietly. Make sure you are in an enclosed space where you have worked her from the ground so that it is familiar to her. I always make sure my horses understand and respond to voice commands in a free lunge situation so that what you do on the first few sessions is no different to what you would do on the ground.
It's hard to answer as I don't know where you are at......can you be more specific?

I would always do ground work first and whatever you do there should transfer easily to under saddle work

_________________
Annette O'Sullivan

Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans. - John Lennon

hi morgan im not sure what u mean really could u maybe get a video of some sort or explain really what u mean.....

You are asking her to bend her head around to the side. Gently. You can do this by putting a little pressure on the halter line and standing at her shoulder (facing forward) and waiting until she bends her head around and relaxes. You want the line to be about the center of your chest if you are standing next to her shoulder. This will take many times and patience and you need to do it on both sides. By her giving you her head she is saying that she submits to you. If you are into clicker/treats then you can reward with that for each try. But the trick is releasing or treating when she gives you her head bent to the side willingly and softly (ie she is not tight in her muscles or felling heavy in your hand on the line). After you have done this many times, you should be able to just pick up the slack in the line and she will bend her head around and relax.
You are asking her to stand straight and just bend her head to the side. At the beginning a lot of horses will pull against the pressure of the line in the opposite direction or move their feet to avoid having to bend their necks. Be careful not to reward her for being heavy or leaning on the line. So you either need to let the line go slack with every attempt before she tenses or stops bending and becomes heavy or you need to keep the line exactly where it is (taut) but not pulling more until she comes a little further bent and then release immediately. You want her to be finding a place where there is no pressure. So if she chooses to go the other way she is going to feel pressure and if she stands and does nothing she is going to feel pressure but if she just bends a little towards you she has got rid of the pressure, but you must release at this point so that she gets the reward for understanding that she needs to move towards the pressure to make it go away.
Every time she makes an attempt to bend towards you no matter how small, release the line instantly. Soon she will be bending all the way.
Does that help?

_________________
Annette O'Sullivan

Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans. - John Lennon

yes thank you :)

Annette, very nice and clear instruction ( I have done it in this way as well)! But Michele has been working very hard to make it clear to her mare Chance, that she has a choice in their training, and is learning (studying very hard!) to learn to shape behaviors without pressure. Even teh small amount you are talking about can be percieved by Chance as just one more example of her not having a choice in her interaction with Michele.

Michele has been doing so great lately by not using pressure and working hard to listen to what Chance is saying to her.

My Tamarack has shown me how you can use targeting to get the same lateral and vertical flexion at liberty, then when you do add lines, it happens so lightly that the rein or line never makes contact...it is only raised. It is patient work, and it takes more time, but I think Michele, if you're willing to do it with a target, it will teach you so much more, and it will tell Chance again that you are listening to her!

When you can find creative ways to cause an action to happen in such a away that the horse feels it's her idea, the behavior is stronger than if you cause it to happen in any physical way. This is why free shaping creates such strong behaviors.

So Michele...

You can also teach both the vertical and the lateral flexion with a clicker. Quite easy to achieve, especially since you use a target for your training Michele! You stand in the same place you would if you used a line, but just ask Chance to bring her head around to touch the target.

You can do it small steps. Ask for just a little lateral bend at first, then more and more as she more willingly gives it.

Then, when she's doing it on the ground, mount up with your target and do it from the saddle too! It is a great warm up excercise for you and Chance!

Once you have taught it with the clicker and your target, you can get the same results on the lead line or rein, only it goes much easier...you add a light lift of the rein as a cue, and reward her for her response of bringing her head around.

So you are not asking her to submit...you are asking her to join you in a nice flexion exercise that will help her entire body. If in doubt, PM Brenda!

_________________
"Ride reverently, as if each step is the axis on which the earth revolves"

We have learned bending laterally towards me (and later on away from me as well) by touching the girth area with my fingers. In that way you can also do it at liberty and it will easily transfer to bending around your inside leg when you are riding.

Thank you Karen,
I learnt something too.....

Sorry Michele if I jumped in too early and confused you!
Sounds like you are doing well and getting the right support.

It would be good to hear about how you get on.
Best
Annette

_________________
Annette O'Sullivan

Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans. - John Lennon

Romy, I forgot about that part Not only does it make a good cue, but standing quietly by the side and touching them on the side can sometimes cause them to instantly bring the head around. So not only built in natural cue, it's also a question with (sometimes) an automatic correct answer!

_________________
"Ride reverently, as if each step is the axis on which the earth revolves"

Morgan, what you suggest about checking that you have the bend, softly, really is the best test of where a horse is at (mentally) before you ride, isn't it? And usually a good indication of how they are feeling physically. Asking for the lateral flexion at a standstill, both sides, then forward lateral movement at a walk and then a trot, both sides, it almost essential with my older guy Cisco.

And it's not JUST bringing the head around to the side, but how he does it. If he does it stiffly, that obviously tells me something. If he does it fast or slow, and how far back he's reaching. ALso how softly he react to a lifted rein.

It's all very good information to have before you get on! So your suggestion to Michele is wonderful and thoughtful!

_________________
"Ride reverently, as if each step is the axis on which the earth revolves"

Thank everyone!! Ill try that tomorrow!! Maybe even a video.. but first


whats the link to my diary!! lol Ever since the Forum changed I cant find it :P


lol I feel stupid :P

_________________
Annette O'Sullivan

Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans. - John Lennon