Piaffe day 1~ Here we go

I think day one started off a wee bit rocky....or just slow.....because at first, despite her understanding a "tap" means move.....she just stood and stared...basically, as usual, she looked at me and said "if I have to work for my reward....so do you".....but it didn't take too long, maybe 3-4 minutes and she got the 'hint' that she needed to move her leg...

I decided I would help her out and position her so that one hind leg was trailing behind, then ask that leg, so it might make more sense to her to pick it up when asked....then I would move her forward one step, leaving the same leg trailing again, and repeat.  this was definitely helpful for a quick start....

BUT by minute 5 she was doing turns on the forehand instead, and mugging me for cookies.....and then by min 6 she was putting in less effort and expecting more cookies.  That's just how she is, cookies are not the best motivation for this horse, it makes her lazier actually.  So we moved over near a fence to stop the haunches from evading sideways and I made a decision to ask her to take a few steps in a row before getting a cookie, and that got things rolling pretty good.  In the end, about a 20 min session and she was taking 4 steps in a row, and being far more deliberate about them too.  The last few steps in the video, you can see her hold it up for a second before putting it back down.

The goal today was strictly to get her to understand to pick the leg up.  And I added to that, I would not release if she went backwards with it, only release if she placed it in the same spot or brought it forward.  I don't want to confuse her at all, so it has to always be going in the right direction.  For tomorrow, I am trying to decide if I want to get more particular or not, and if so...do I want to ask her not to step with the front legs, OR, hold the leg up longer or higher, OR work towards getting her to pick up a leg from a cluck...no tap.  Well as always, it depends if she remembers anything at all...if so, how consistent she is responding to the cue, because if those are not getting established, it is not a good time to get more particular....not yet.

The very last few steps on the video gives me hope and promise.....that this IS an achievable dream for me.....lets just hope I don't screw it up~

Savvy On
Michelle

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