Support Group For Equestrians Overcoming Rider Fear

dog-shrink 466 posts Jun 10, 2009 1:39 AM	Gringo's photo is now up there too. Polly ---------- Bitless - not witless!
LC 206 posts Jun 10, 2009 5:47 AM	WOW!! He's beautiful :0) Megan
SnickersMom 254 posts Jun 10, 2009 7:59 AM	Gorgeous.....you look great on him! Snickersmom :)
Meezer 370 posts Jun 10, 2009 8:34 AM	What a beauty! Are you CANTERING on him in that picture?!
cckiger 119 posts Jun 10, 2009 8:37 AM	Really neat picture! you guys do look great and not like you are lacking confidence it all. Great photo.
rujettinit 229 posts Jun 10, 2009 1:43 PM	He is super cool looking, that white face is very flashy - love it - you guys look great together.
krystle09 81 posts Jun 10, 2009 3:33 PM	You look like you are in command for sure. He is lovely! Marcia
dog-shrink 467 posts Jun 11, 2009 3:25 AM	Yes I am cantering! Can you believe it? Me? He has such as fantastic slow canter unless you ask for more! He is the best horse I have ever ridden. Well, thanks for the lovely comments. He's really not the best looking horse in the world, that half white face is a little odd! But he is beautiful to me! These days it's covered with a fly mask with UV protection as the white half is very sensitive to sunlight. He's starting to look better, he was a bit mangy when I got him and has put on a bit of needed weight. The work on trust and leadership goes on and he is definitely making progress. ---------- Bitless - not witless!
Glad2B 116 posts Jun 27, 2009 12:36 PM	OMG! I have not posted for quite a while....what progress for you dog shrink!! How great!!!
dog-shrink 485 posts Jun 30, 2009 3:15 AM	All goes well with big G. Lots of desensitising and walks in hand out alone and sometimes with Iroquois. Every day he gets more relaxed and trusting. I really think he sees me as his leader.If he gets scared of something I just make him work a bit and then he faces it. Once he realizes it's OK he relaxes completely. The other day I built up to tapping and rubbing him all over with a foam tube (he thought it was a stick at first) He stood like a stone. I feel such an affinity with this horse. He is NOT the bombproof one I set out to buy but I think given time he will be my ideal partner.I have decided that if it takes me 6 months or a year to be able to ride him out alone that's OK. At first I thought I could do that straight away but now I think all the ground work will pay off. When we do get out there on the trail alone he needs to know I will protect him and he needs to listen to me. All good things come to those who (work at it) and wait!!! ---------- Bitless - not witless! Last Edited on 30-Jun-2009 3:20 AM
Glad2B 119 posts Jun 30, 2009 9:15 AM	Dog-shrink- was G already used to a bitless bridle? g2b
trina24 19 posts Jun 30, 2009 1:15 PM	thats a great pic Polly! Your bridle looks slightly different to mine, where did you get it?
dog-shrink 487 posts Jul 02, 2009 9:04 AM	Gringo had always been ridden in a bit. When we tried him out in the city the second time we put the BB on him and because he has been mainly ridden neck reining he was perfect.We started in the corral and then Howard rode him at canter in a field then up a very busy road at rush hour. You don't even need to pull back to make him stop, just shift your weight. In fact he can be ridden in an ordinary headcollar and lead rope. We had taken off the BB when the seller asked us if we wanted to buy one of his saddles. So we tried it on and Howard hopped back up with just the headcollar and lead rope. He even cantered him (though for the first time ever I did see him hold onto the horn!!!!) It's a Dr Cook's bridle from bitlessbridle.co.uk the Beta one. ---------- Bitless - not witless!
trina24 20 posts Jul 02, 2009 10:49 AM	Got mine from there, just looks slightly different in your photo. Wouldnt go back to a bit now for all the tea etc...!!
dog-shrink 494 posts Jul 08, 2009 9:50 AM	Today I took the big boy to my horse trainer Jo to do obstacles. he was brilliant. He walked over a huge tarpaulin, stood still, backed up. Then we did: walking through a narrow space, through poles on the ground in an L forwards and backwards, round cones, over a wooden ramp, under a framework where he had to duck and it had Christmas tinsel hanging from it and under another which had ping pong balls threaded onto string. The only one he didn't like was the balls. Jo made it easier by pushing them to the edges and then getting him to walk through loads of times. There was some resistance but she just made him. Then the balls were gradually brought back to the whole width. Jo went to get my saddle and I led him through all the obstacles including the balls. He ended up going through that one with them bouncing off him and no reaction. Because we are sure he's been whacked in the past, when stuff lands on his body he gets scared till he realizes it doesn't hurt. I then got on and rode the obstacles except the ducking under ones. He was perfect! Jo says I am ready to ride him out with her on her very calm horse Jimmy. I'm nervous but excited. She said it was obvious just how much work I've been doing. Happy! ---------- Bitless - not witless! Last Edited on 8-Jul-2009 10:00 AM
Meezer 387 posts Jul 08, 2009 10:15 AM	That's awesome, Dog-shrink! I'm so happy Gringo is working out for you!
SnickersMom 276 posts Jul 08, 2009 1:29 PM	Fantastic, Gringo sounds like a real "gem"! Snickersmom :)
dog-shrink 495 posts Jul 12, 2009 3:19 AM	Today Howard and I rode out for 30mins. He rode Iroquois and I rode Gringo. All was OK till Iro saw some cows and decided he wasn't going forward. Gringo wouldn't go in front and so H got off and led Iro and then got back on again. Coming home Gringo was quite happy to go in front. I think it was an achievement as it's only the second time Gringo has been ridden out and Iroquois hasn't been ridden since April. He used to follow Emerique so it's also a shift in routine for him too. So we'll just carry on like that .Em is getting used to being left alone as long as he has hay! I've decided to set up a little obstacle course at home and am getting stuff together. The more I make Gringo do the better he is. I can now usually go up and pet him without having food. ---------- Bitless - not witless!
dog-shrink 502 posts Jul 17, 2009 9:59 AM	I rode out with my trainer Jo today. I was really nervous but Gringo was a star.All went exremely well. Jo just kept talking to me and I calmed down. Gringo looked at everything we passed with turning his head all the time but no spooks. We did tracks by fields, woods and down and up hills and the village. The only time he faltered was back in the village over a grate across the road. He stopped, looked at it then skipped across. It wasn't a jump and I'm sure he would have gone back over it if asked. Jo says a lot of horses refuse to go over that grill. So he was fine with a horse he doesn't know and seemed quite relexed. Will do it again. Another milestone. ---------- Bitless - not witless!
Glad2B 122 posts Jul 23, 2009 6:23 PM	Hey, do you remember the challenge of the "big" field ? You and Gringo are amazing, and it sounds like you are having fun!!!
dog-shrink 506 posts Jul 24, 2009 3:42 AM	Yeah Glad, I remember the big field, it seemed so huge and daunting. I also remember all those times being led round the corral me in tears. Oh I'm glad those days are over! I went out with my trainer again today. Gringo was a star. We went passed irrigation guns, through woods up and down fairly steep slopes (for me) and over the grate with no hesitation at all. She has also given me advice as how to get him out alone, little by little. Today I feel happy, possitive and confident (of course tomorrow is another day!!!!!!) ---------- Bitless - not witless!
krystle09 121 posts Jul 25, 2009 8:20 AM	Polly, You're story is inspiring. : )So much success and joy. I know that joy is what this is supposed to be all about. Good for you and your boy! Marcy
dog-shrink 509 posts Jul 26, 2009 2:58 AM	Thanks guys for your interest and support. I really value it. Had a ride today with Iroquois who is having trouble going in front. We went right the way round a really big stubble field and walked side by side most of it. Gringo will not go in front of Iroquois and stops when Iro stops and is messing around. Poor Howard, he has swapped the bucking Fjord Emerique for the bolshie Landais!! He really wants to ride Gringo! I need to do more work with Iro as he's getting pushy again and headstrong. Oh by the way having done all the despooking stuff I put up plastic bottles to walk through. Did it first time and happily backed all the way through them too. So I put some stones in them so they rattles when they bounced off his sides. Was he bothered? No, not in the slightest. This is the same horse that you had trouble putting your hand up to in the beginning. It's so nice to see progress. ---------- Bitless - not witless! Last Edited on 26-Jul-2009 2:59 AM
horseinaround 218 posts Jul 26, 2009 7:16 AM	That great ! Yes, being able to see progress is so motivating to keep moving forward. Keeping a journal can show us how far we have come. In June of 2007 I was afraid to walk Jake from the pasture to the roundpen because I thought he would pull away. In Nov. of 2007 I had a lesson with my trainer on grooming because he would try to bite me when I groomed or petted him. Haha ! Those days are looong gone !