Reverse psychology or Direct line thinking?

Well, last night was interesting.  I got a good whinny upon my approach to the gate, but then she bailed.  I loved on Cha’cote for a while with her staring at me in a posture of pouting, but I did not see on the horizon her joining me.  So…I decided to halter up Cha’cote and see if her jealousy kicked in.  It did, but not enough for her to want to come close enough to get haltered.  So, I left with Cha’cote.  Oh boy, she did not like that.  She ran around screaming, but we just ignored her antics.  She may well have been upset that HE left, or she may have been jealous that I was playing with someone other than her, which is more her personality as she really couldn’t care much about him.  I have tested in the past by having someone else take a horse out instead of me….no reaction from her….but when I do……all hell breaks loose.  When I was done with Cha’cote and took him back, she was there in what appeared to be an apologetic “sorry I didn’t come fast enough’….so I haltered her and took her out.  But, now she was all amped up and really not in the mood to be a partner.  So we played a few games until she settled.

When I started the leg lifts, I noticed something that I thought might be happening the night before, and it was confirmed in this session.  For some reason (timing of my release) she got the idea that with her right hind leg, the right answer was to kick at her belly…..and this session…..it spread to the left hind leg.  So after some ‘explaining’ and properly timed release, she offered a good lift with a bit of hold on both legs.  As soon as she did them we went grazing down the street.  I only did 3 small sessions with her last night because of her reluctance to be with me when I entered the pasture.  So tonight I think we will not do any leg lefts and just go for a walk down the road and graze.  I don’t want to get direct line here, she has done so well with this, I just don’t want to blow it and make her hate doing it….which is pretty easy with this horse, to get greedy when she does so well, wanting more and more….and over doing it and making her sour to something.  Besides, I have a few reality tv shows to catch up on…..

Savvy On

Michelle