Yesterday I went to the Mane Event in Red Deer, today I had more questions than a three year old. I saw Linda Parelli and her Horsenality demonstrations and all day, I have been obsessing over wether I have an extrovert, an introvert- a right or left brain or if my horse has any brain at all...
I think he's a Left Brained Extrovert.
He likes to play. I think thats what today was. Horses who are left-brained spend more time thinking- and of course, these can be some of the hardest to train.... Thanks two months ago katie buying this wild horse...
It started when he came out of the back field towards me. I was estatic. He walked right past me. Like I wasn't even there... SO RUDE. OF course he did... How the hell do those people get their horses to like them so much and WHY can't I have that?
I went to go and halter him and he took off. Several times. Despite my best attempts, my advance and retreat technique that has worked well in the past was not working. The back field has hay, fresh grass and friends. I let the friends into the grass field- but not Vincent. I stood at the gate waiting, halter in hand. I waited for about 15 minutes, and he had been creeping toward me finally stopping at the gate. I stroked his neck and then went forward with the halter- he took off again with a grunt.
The other people at my barn probably already think I'm nuts. They came to find me sitting on the ground at the gate. "You want help?" "Nope, this has become my only goal for today." I heard "So glad my horse doesn't do that to me" off in the distance. Great. Thanks for the support.
I hunkered down. I had four hours before afternoon chores. I thought (HOPED) that would be enough time. I stood my ground at my post. He decided he could find his own grass- after about an hour of sitting there, I gave this a try:
I walked toward him. Calmly, steady pace, knowing full well he would move away from me- and he did. At a walk. I kept walking, never changing my pace- not really chasing, just following him around. If he wanted to play this game- I'd play too. I could NOT give up now- if I wanted to have any chance of catching him ever again.
At first he just walked away from me, then, half heartedly trotted. I kept my walking, calm consistent pace. THIS WAS NOT the way he wanted to play the game. He wanted me to give up so he could go back to eating with his buddies. He got pretty upset- took off galloping and bucking and kicking out -pretty amazing reaction to me just walking towards him... I just kept on walking, never changing expressions, pace or speaking, the halter and lead on my shoulder. I'd get close, I'd get far, I'd just look at him and he'd get mad and take off blowing up and running.
Eventually when he was sweating and blowing- and he stopped running away from me so far. instead of covering the whole paddock, he went about 30 feet, turned and looked at me. I thought it must be working... I kept it up. Just walking. not swinging the rope, not running, calmly silently walking.
He started circling me at the trot. I motioned him to come to me. He turned and stopped moving. I would advance, he'd move away- i'd follow at a walk. he chose his pace, he started to look tired- although i can gaurantee he had more than that in the tank... I walked. He finally stopped moving when I advanced. He let me walk up and touch him and then halter him.
I took him to the back field and let him be with his friends- I bet he wasn't expecting that. I layed in the hay in the sun, he stayed right with me, the rope on the ground. we went up the the barn- he walked on and off the trailer- the first time he's been on a trailer since i got him. The trailer was my goal for the day, my original plan. After that I let him graze for an hour while I sat on his back, trying to get him to pick up his head with only a slight pressure on the lead.
I am very interested to see what he does the next time I go in the field to get him... I am hoping that I showed my leadership today:
making the wrong thing difficult and the right thing easy.
using brains over braun
exerting minimal energy while he chose to over exert himself.
if he is infact Left Extrovert, he needed to move his feet to get his brain to think- and he has been bored with my training, consistency- he has come up with his own game.
This is a clear indication of defiance? Play? Dominance?
If he does decide to run away again, i'll likely try the same method. even if it takes half the time, i will consider this a victory- an understanding between us- that if he wants to run- i will let him and not try to confine him- but its much more comfortable to do what I want to do and be caught- that my ideas are good.
To be continued...
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