| Archive for It's About The Horse The Free Forum for those Doing Parelli - and a whole lot More! "Anything forced and misunderstood can never be beautiful." Xenophon (430-355 B.C.), |
| fjordnaturally |
Ears back on the Figure 8I have a bit of a problem with the figure 8 with Sugar.I feel like I'm pushing a rock through the turns, or at least molasses. It's not that she WON'T go...she's happy to move her feet, but then she just runs in circles, not a figure 8. I move the stick and then she goes, but she puts her ears back all grumpy, and looks very unhappy about it. I thought okay, maybe I'm using too much stick. So I tried to use very little stick...but then she wouldn't go through the figure 8 and she missed the target and went ambling around in a circle again. -sigh- I'm not sure what to do. If this is the wrong place to post this, I apologize. |
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| merle |
Re: Ears back on the Figure 8
It sounds like when you send her she puts her ears back does the grump look. If that is correct, then you can try an approach that David Lichman suggested years ago. You send your horse, if she does the grumpy look, you politely think 'thank you for trying' while you disengage the her and ask her to send in the other direction. You repeat until she goes without a grumpy face. You don't get firmer or change anything, you just disengage, resend, disengage, resend until she goes off with a content face. She then finds comfort with the correct response AND correct attitude. You can shape attitude just like you can shape physical behaviors. The other thing you may want to look into is Karen Rohlf's concepts of matching energy. The person picks the energy they want the horse to send at. If the horse does not match that, the person does some thing to get the horse to match it (higher phases to increase energy or decrease it depending on how the horse responded). As soon as the horse matches the energy, you let the horse stop. Then repeat until the horse will match the persons energy. Karen Rohlf says not to maintain any thing that is not willingly offered. If the horse is grumpy and you have to go up phases to get a trot (or whatever) then you should not maintain that trot according to Karen Rohlf. Good luck. |
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| PasoBaby_CarolU |
I like Merle's suggestions. I also use a treat reward once through. Once they see there is a REASON to do it, they generally change their attitude - even becoming eager to perform it. Rosie is so eager to do things I have to pile all the obstacles in the middle of the round coral in order to get a circle. LOL | ||
| cokey |
Just set up your figure 8 so you have your back to a fence. Et voila! She can't carry on on a circle! Get it good on the fence and then move away. Have the fence be the bad guy.... 
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| bit |
I'm learning to literally take it one step at a time. If two steps are too much, ask for one, and reward! You don't have to give a treat, but give her some time to think about it. Take your time. HAVE FUN.
I was watching Jean-Francois Pignon video. Awesome connection, for sure. I noticed that when playing, his horses would sometimes pin those ears. He wasn't too worried about it. Eclipse will pin her ears when sorting cows. I didn't get the feeling it was about her being grumpy, more like she was using her energy to move those furry cow butts. My opinion ok? I don't think pinned ears always means po'd. Now relax. Some good stuff I think posted here. I like the fence idea. Makes it her idea. That's always a good thing. In Parelli, "it's not about the figure 8". This is your opportunity to work on your driving game, and I believe your draw. Your sendl. So break it down, and try again. Little steps. Maybe you are asking too much of her. Ok, so how bout one step in the direction I'm asking you to go. How bout one step back towards me? How bout one step to the side, then back? How bout moving your butt? Now your front. It's all little pieces of the whole. You get the foundation down, that figure 8 will be easy. Don't forget to have fun! Drag out the boom box and put on some music. Give her time to lick and chew on things. Treats work pretty good for my horses. Do what works for your horse and you. 
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| fjordnaturally |
Thank you for all of the great ideas!
She is VERY food motivated, so I have been thinking about using treats for her. I also really like the fence idea...I never thought of that. Our riding arena does not have a fence, but I could start the figure 8 off in the paddock. The David Lichman suggestion also sounds interesting (disengaging her when she's grumpy). Well, I've got quite a few things to try! I have also just returned to playing with Sugar after not being consistent with going out with her for many many months. I'll pop out once and sometimes three weeks can go by before another session. I was ill, and that was why, but I think that I recall once we consistently play for a while she gets the grumps out of her. Hopefully that will be the case this time! If not, I have good strategies thanks to all of your helpful suggestions. Thank you for your help! I will report back. 
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| CoolsLadyInRed |
When I used to send my horse over barrels or to do a figure 8 she always pinned her ears. When I used the 22' rope and did the falling leaf her ears were flat back but it was as if she was using her energy and thinking hat I can't say she enjoyed what she was doing or not. But I do know my mare would rather stand and look pretty rather than do any work. LOL The fence idea is a good one! Will have to try that next year.
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