Location: Round pen
Duration: ~ 20 minutes
Activities: Working on Oak's nervousness with the mounting block and people standing next to him. Experimented with leaning on him and jumping around him from the ground and on the mounting block. Practiced the beginnings of one rein stop by asking him to give laterally on both sides while standing still.
Observations: Hard to feel like it is a good idea to hop on a horse who is standing stiff holding his breath every time you stand near his side or on a mounting block. I wish I knew whether he has any training under saddle (baggage) or if he is just nervous because its new. Either way I am happy to go slow. He seemed pretty relaxed near the end. His better side was mane today.
Practicing lateral flexion on the mounting block is hard because if he moves you have to hop off and follow so you release when he stops. I wonder if me getting off the mounting block is reinforcing on its own though.
Observations: Hard to feel like it is a good idea to hop on a horse who is standing stiff holding his breath every time you stand near his side or on a mounting block. I wish I knew whether he has any training under saddle (baggage) or if he is just nervous because its new. Either way I am happy to go slow. He seemed pretty relaxed near the end. His better side was mane today.
Practicing lateral flexion on the mounting block is hard because if he moves you have to hop off and follow so you release when he stops. I wonder if me getting off the mounting block is reinforcing on its own though.
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