Wrong Answer

The temperatures dropped and it was the perfect excuse to not have to get on my horse. I can count on one hand the number of rides I've done in the past two weeks. 

I touched base with the changes and completely lost control of Opie. The draw reins fixed the head in the air issue--even without them, that evasion was nixed. Instead he moved on to putting his head down and bolting. As in, leaving the starting gate and GONE bolting. No matter what exercise I tried, it devolved into not being able to touch him without him leaving--leg, hand, seat, circle, come off the rail an inch--peace, bitch. 

So that was great. 

I tried doing some ground work with him after his PEMF appointment. We started with a little longe where he kept wanting to quit, but while he was quitting he'd snark me. That being not at all productive, I switched to in-hand work. Some SI, TOH and turn on the forehand, and flexing each way all well and good. Once he got over the attitude. His default answer to anything I asked was an automatic, "No." No, I don't want to try. No, I'm not going to listen to what you're asking. No, I'm going to do it this way. 

This is exactly the vibe he has with the changes. "No, I don't want to let you explain the ask or manipulate me in any way that will make these easier. The answer is going to be no either way and FUCK YOU for suggesting otherwise.

will at least always say yes to gallops in the snow

BM and I did set up a riding date which held me accountable to get back on after the previous week's sole cluster fuck of a ride. We jumped around a course set between 2'3" - 2'6". Lots of lines and fun turns with a couple singles. Opie was perfect. He did literally nothing wrong. 

That inspired me to get back on the next day. I set two of the jumps on diagonals down to maybe 12". Good bois like jumping? Great! Let's casually get the changes over jumps so I can reward him for them!

It worked one time each direction. Asked for the change over the jump, he landed on the new correct lead, and got ALLLLLLL the praise and candies. Asked a second time and he was on to the game. The game he hates, that is. Middle fingers went up, the resounding NO came out. Pretty much immediately I couldn't ask for anything without the drama. 

So I went and got the double bridle to try to regain an ounce of control. 

sometimes needs a double, sometimes needs nothing at all

After I put it on we walked and walked and walked and walked until he'd taken a breath and softened his crazy brain. A little trot to make sure we had an honest connection and then my latest plan of attack: We're not even going to leave the rail. 

Into true canter, walk, counter canter, walk, true canter, walk, etc....

At first there was a tantrum over this. We've tried asking out of the counter canter in several different configurations so he knew something was still up. The first time I asked for it we went shooting backwards. The second time, sideways. The third time, there were about ten changes in the space of three strides. It finally started to settle down after that. I just kept asking the same thing. True canter. Walk. Counter Canter. Walk. Rinse and repeat. I don't care if it's ugly as long as it's happening when I ask. The routine quieted his angry brain and as we reached one corner where I'd been asking for the walk, I barely breathed the cue for a change and he popped right over cleanly with no fuss. 

And then got mad at me for tricking him into it and while I was scratching the shit out of his neck and telling him he was the smartest asshole in the whole entire universe he was wagging his tongue around and shaking his head. 

Like, good grief, sir. Do you want to say yes? EVER?

That was where we left it. It got down to single digits again for a couple days, but yesterday we went out with two friends to rip around the back field in the snow. He was perfect for that, too. And now maybe I think we should stick to changes in the field? Put it on the list, we're running out of things to try.

left lead

quiet, clean, no drama involved flying change

right lead