I assume that some of you are wondering how Avalon is doing. This is an equestrian blog after all. I can't help noticing with amusement that hospital posts are more popular than the training posts. It gives me a deeper appreciation of clickbait. However, I don't write to get views. I write because I love writing and because I want to share my journey in as authentic a way as possible. Sometimes that means taking a short break from equestrian content to talk about health, faith, and philosophy, but it's time to return to my unsafe investment: Avalon.
March 23, 2020
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| Ava has been taking lots of naps lately. |
I started spending more time at the barn in March when my classes switched to an online format. The barn is a great place to get outside and de-stress while social distancing.
Ava was spooky and energetic in March and April. She spent a lot of time galloping around the pasture just because she could. She stood tied, but wandered back and forth snorting and staring.
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| Fuzzy, tangled, muddy mess. |
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| The shedding begins! |
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| I decided not to tackle the huge tangles in her mane until I could give her a bath. |
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| Gorgeous! |
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| She's stepping up her selfie game. |
March 24 & 26
I discovered Gabi Neurohr on Instagram last year. She wrote a book called
Understanding is Key and I 100% recommend it. It is one of the best horse training books I have read, and I've read a few. I will be writing a review one of these days. After reading the book, I purchased one of her online horse training documentaries. In the documentary she uses a cloverleaf pattern to direct the horse's attention on the ground. This helps the horse use the thinking part of it's brain instead of reacting. I tried this with Avalon on the 24th and 26th. At first, she kept bolting mid-pattern. However, we had a breakthrough on the 26th when I started . . . ignoring the bolting. Ignoring isn't quite right, but I can't think of a better word. Instead of trying to control the bolt, I stayed focused on the pattern. Soon she was trotting the pattern calmly.
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| I spent most of my time getting her to stop looking like this |
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| and look more like this. |
Interesting. I’m looking forward to the book review. Getting them in that relaxed thinking mode is essential. Every time I took shortcuts, I paid the price. My daughter and I spent all day yesterday doing TTouch and others programs—I use a mix—the goal was to bring their anxiety down and have no work agenda for the day —they all looked like your last photo when they were done.
ReplyDeleteI looked into TTouch a few years ago, I should probably give myself a refresher course.
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