Comfort Zone Training

Forth Session: 

 

 

A lovely sunny day at the end of November SO we go out for another walk through the fields for some CZT.

 

 

 

 

Some okay moments, and some out of CZ moments. Going up and then down the short hill where we had a ‘moment’ last week was still a bit of a worry. Both horses spooked for no apparent reason but we got over and into the next field without incident. To be honest I was glad not to be riding at that moment!

 

 

We also went further down the track outside the fields which was good, so distance progress was made.

 

 

 

Mr Solly was pretty good, he had a few ‘high headed’ moments but was only looking which is okay and he didn’t spook at anything apart from that ‘hill’ 😉

 

 

 

We went back following exactly the same route as going out, Mark rode Stormy for a bit but I decided to walk it  as I wasn’t feeling safe.

 

 

 

Mark and his Stormy riding along while we walked calmly 😉

 

 

 

Nearly home and it was a good walk…exhausted and tired but happy to have done the same walk again. We need to go over it again and again now to settle all our nerves on the ‘hill’ part. Maybe go out again tomorrow to see how it goes.

 

 

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When we got back to the field I rode Solly as I wanted to ride him after all that walking. We did some nice walk weave, leg yields, fig 8’s and over poles but couldn’t do much else as the ground was ROCK HARD and I didn’t want to hurt Sol’s feet. Enjoyed the ride even though short and it was lovely to see Solly riding so nicely with just the rope halter and 22′ line 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Winter is coming and at the moment at the end of November the ground is very hard and the horses can get sweaty if too much is done with them SO am taking it slowly with them although still trying to do ‘stuff’ with them to help keep the consistency of the CZT.

Today I played for a short while with Solly in the lowest round pen, this one is nearest the gate to the next field. We played with some gentle mind exercises to get us mentally connected first, things like sidepass a few steps then DHQ and halt for 5 seconds, then same on his other side. Then some backing up to connect me to his feet.

 

 

 

We connected very quickly so went on to circling in trot for relaxation (where he’s learned to blow out to relax his lungs and body) and to go long and low to stretch his topline and mind before trying a few strides of canter. I always check these to make sure the saddle is sitting well and to release any stiffness in his mind or body.

 

 

 

All went well so I did some work for the mounting block. Solly likes to ‘play’ a lot so when asking him to the mounting block he usually comes but not quite far enough, then he fiddles and chews his reins for a bit SO today we worked on getting this smoother with some treat training techniques. That went really well so the last time he came up to the mounting block nicely I mounted and rewarded him for willingness and nice behaviour.

 

 

 

 

Riding was short but good. As we could only do a bit I decided to do as much ‘without the reins’ as I could. I didn’t just ride with loose reins as Solly likes to have a ‘feel’ from his rider to keep connected, so with reins held we did turns from our focus/body/weight/leg aids and they went really really well….I was actually really happy with the results. Transitions from walk/trot and halt/backups were light and willing and we did some very subtle turns on the hq’s and  then the forehand which I was very impressed with….the whole ride was lovely. Progress 🙂

My thoughts are on riding in the next field so I  need to do more riding towards that area soon…before Winter sets in and the chance goes until next year!

 

• Shelley – HorseSavvy

 

 

Second Session:

 

Our 2nd session was an in-hand walk again, me and Solly with Mark and Stormy for company and this time we decide to go in the opposite direction from last time. This is mainly because soon the horses have to come home to the house paddocks for Winter so I thought it would be a good idea to walk that route as we have a new track in unfamiliar fields this year. SO…..off we went. This time too I made a small change with Solly as I asked him to wear/carry a horsey ‘backpack’ which he actually did very well for me. It was very handy to put my excess clothing in as I got warmer. Here are the pictures from our walk……

 

 

 

Out of the gate and down the first hill, keeping off the frozen section so that the horses didn’t slide. Along the flat field at the bottom wasn’t a worry at all, we used to have the herd in this field so they know it. I’m also better on this walk because we travel this route twice – three times a day when visiting and feeding the herd so I know what to expect along the way. Out of the 2nd field and we have to go up a pretty steep ‘new’ road that was put in this year for logging purposes. The horses have not seen this before and took it pretty well.

 

 

 

 

We went slowly as the track has stones on it and a steep fall to the left to the river. My heart was going slightly but because I knew the route I was able to keep calm and help Solly stay with me emotionally.

 

 

 

 

At the top of the hill Solly went much slower, his head low in a stance I usually take to mean he’s out of his CZ and a little introverted. We go really slowly for him and let him take his time to come back out of his shell. When I could feel him trying hard to come back to me I ask him to just do a couple of ‘games’ to test he’s connected tome and not disconnected and withdrawn.

 

 

 

 

The games I ask are: touch it with his nose to the log pile (to help him smell and touch his environment and to let me know if he’s frightened); move fh & hq’s to where he’s sidled up to the log pile (again to see if he’s frightened of it); back up away from the log pile (to allow his brain to reconnect with his feet and shows me he’s listening to me and back in the world).

 

 

 

 

 

The wood pile is HUGE so I was very pleased Solly walked by it so well.

 

 

 

 

 

Then we’re onto a small pretty piece of track that goes through a small wooded area and to the last gate for today.

 

 

 

 

 

We all take a rest and a good look around.

 

 

 

 

From here we can see the rest of the road and the uphill track that goes to our house, which is where the herd will be coming when the weather turns really nasty over winter.I feel very confident that they’ll know where they’re going when we do this walk later on and I felt very confident walking Solly to this gate today. Such a HUGE difference to me from a track where I know where I’m going to one where I have no idea, I’m sure the horses are the same so it was good to let Solly and Stormy have a ‘recce’ trip out today.

 

 

 

The whole trip back was pretty nice, some grazing for the boys and also Solly showed some curiosity over things he’d just walked ‘blindly’ past on the way up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Curiosity shows he’s ‘awake and paying attention’ to the world around him, lack of curiosity for him means that he’s gone introverted
and not paying attention.

 

 

 

• Shelley – HorseSavvy
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