Another Lesson

I learned another lesson yesterday. Actually I learned a few lessons yesterday. First off make sure you wear water proof boots to the barn after it snows the night before! Second don't be in a hurry and get frustrated because you were the one who didn't wear waterproof boots to the barn!

I wanted to play with Navi inside yesterday cause it was just a bit chilly to be outdoors. Well about half way down the road to the tack barn she stopped. Refused to go, but was watching something. I gave her time, but she still refused to go. She would back, yield both hips, but would not go forward down the road. Odd for her yes, well at least in this direction. She has a habit of not wanting to go home (which is getting much better), but not going to the arenas. I thought she was just being stubborn. I finally let my frustration get the best of me, (Not proud of this) and started really pushing with some pressure. It wasn't working either no matter how many circles I made her do she wasn't unlocking to go forward. After a few times I realized I needed to calm down and take another look at what I was doing. It was then that I decided just to take her back and start over. I got her back went and took a short break. When I got back we had a really great session in the pasture at liberty. She was responsive and soft. It was then that I realized I had made a BIG error. She wasn't bulking going to the arena because she wanted to it was because she was genuinely nervous about something. I had completely mis-read the entire situation. These are the times I still struggle with not going back into the old mind set. This is where I have to learn how to rewire my brain.

More proof that that something was scary Navi was when I took Pixie down to the arena. Again I wanted to head inside, but we didn't make it that far. Pixie was nervous too. She would stop look around and if I waited for her then she was slowly make her way to me, but then would jump and spin at the slightest noise. We made it to the outdoor arena and I took off her halter and she ran off. It took her a few minutes to calm down and come back to me. I got her to touch the cone a few times, but then I caught her and we went back to the pasture. Something was going on, I just wasn't sure what. Again when we got back to the pasture she started offering behaviors. We got to practice lifting her leg on cue. I got to play with her and Navi at the same time by the gate...it was a lot of fun and interesting to cue one and then the other.

In the end it was all okay, and it was a lesson I needed to have. I am just forever grateful that horses are so very forgiving and allow us to make these big mistakes to learn from.

So what lead up to this situation. It was the combination of me being cold and having wet toes that lead to my frustration. Something was making Navi nervous (I don't know what), but I wasn't staying calm and relaxed so she didn't have me to fall back on for safety. Do I think we could have had a different outcome if I had just relaxed, maybe, but I also don't think Navi and I are quite there yet in our training. Actually it is me that isn't quite there yet, I have to stop going to an "I" place. I have to stay connected if I expect them to. So it is me that needs to stay in the "we" mindset. She was telling me before we reached the point of no return, but I wasn't listening to her. She was telling me that she was in the "we" mindset here, but down there it is just too scary. I should have listened and worked to find where we lost our connection on the road and just went back to where she was comfortable. Maybe then if I had work with her there we could have made it to the indoor at some point.

Oh and yes today I am wearing waterproof boots!