Dolly is a gorgeous dun with a big white blanket on the bum and white sock on her hind leg. She stands just shy of 17 hands with a 29 inch neck, and when we taped her weight there was a gap at 1,500 pounds where the tape ends couldn't meet. Dolly does whatever Dolly wants to do!
I read Alexander Kurlan's book, and did some ground work with the clicker on her. I struggled with some of it - as she is so big. Still, we had a good understanding of the clicker - and Dolly loves it.
Today I started her training like usual, lunging her in her bridle with side reins - working both sides. She did great. I got a teen up on her while we lunged, and again - she did very well. The problems didn't start until I unsnapped the side reins and let young Candace take her out without the lunge line. Dolly figured that her training was over. She tossed her head and pulled the reins out of Candace's hands. She didn't crow hop or anything, but she sure was ignorant. Clearly we couldn't outmuscle her - so we needed to outsmart her!
It had been a good six weeks since I had used the clicker. I had never used it on her under saddle. It only took one click for those ears to go straight up and a smile to come to her face! We clicked and treated for her head down - as she offered it right away - it was her first clicker lesson, and she remembered! She is horibly stiff on her right side, and I got Candace to treat her from the saddle on that stiff side. Amazingly she had no trouble twisting around for her treat! In two minutes we had the problem solved. We had a soft mouth and we had steering! We schooled corners on a square I had laid out with poles. She was awesome - even turning on her stiff side!
After schooling her turns and circles, we decided to go all out and tackle a bit of leg yeild. Just try leg yeilding a moose like her! With the clicker it was possible, and we got some decent yeilds towards the arena wall going both ways. It was great to be on the ground to catch her cross-over right as she does it, and she got the right idea - even though it is tough for her to do. I know with practise and time it will get easier. I traded spots with Candace and rode her myself - it was the best ride I'd ever had on her - even when Candace left to water the horses and I was alone with her. She was willing and compliant all the way!
Who needs a 20 pound bit, draw reins, 8" spurs and a bad attitude, when all you need is a clicker and a pocketful of treats! It turned my 15 hundred pound moose into a circus pony (well almost!)
