I’ve been working with Z on ground driving. We started with one line and have graduated with two, but are still working on walk, move on, halt, back and turn cues in the round pen.
Archives for category: Ground Driving
I’ve spent the last month preparing Z for ground driving. I held off actually doing it because her gash on the right leg would have been placed exactly where the line might have struck during the work, causing her pain or discomfort. However, that has healed up now so it’s time to move on.
I’ve continued working her in the Round pen and getting her used to the idea that I can be behind her and she moves forward. Also, that the line itself can touch her sides, hip, and legs and she doesn’t need to get concerned. Even when we’ve done walks outside to graze, I’ve done it with a long line and moved about in different positions, getting her familar with me being there and the long line moving over her side, back and hindquarters.
It’s important you take the time to get your horse familiar and comfortable with the feel of this. I stress this because when you actually start the horse, if they panic they can get pretty tangled up with two long lines - causing more fight and panic.
In this photo I am quite a bit away, but throughout the work, I will close the distance, paying attention to her mood. I also move the rope against her side and ask for the walk and whoa cues aided with the whip and voice.
Prepartory work is getting the horse to respond to voice cues - especially WHOA! Training like this can settle a panicked horse and help them wait until you can rescue them out of their predicament. Anyone who has had to cut a horse out of wire wrapped around their legs knows what I’m talking about…
In previous sessions, we’ve worked a bit on side rein pressure (lateral yields) too using the shorter, detachable reins:
If she feels like you are getting too close she might threaten you by angling her hips to you and striking out with her hindfeet – she prefers the left. So working in this area is a challenge that needs to be consistently done but also sensitive to how she is feeling.
With that in mind, I worked her with the surcingle on a free lunge in the RP. She was not happy but we worked through it until she was ready to behave appropriately. Considering how hot it was this (105, 57% humidity, heat advisory) resistance did not last long.
Next I put one long line on – through the side circle of her surcingle and then attached to her sidepull. We worked one line for a few moments, making sure she responded to whoa and walk, letting her get used to the tension that the surcingle provides to the line as well as how it brings it more parallel to her ribcage and rump.
From there I moved to the second line. Again, prepatory work was teaching her to stand still and let me attach stuff to her. Having a horse that is calm through this procedure (i.e. tacking up saddle, bridling, putting on surcingle, tightening girth) allows you to get both lines attached without a tangled blow out.
Because I didn’t have a second person to help me out by leading her, what naturally occurred is that she felt the tension and started turning to the inside, wrapping the outside line around the length of her body.
SIDENOTE: With a horse that was more spooky or not as calm as Z, we might have gotten into a lot of spinning and eventually trouble.
The tension on the side lines, supported by the surcingle rings, at first confused her. She either wanted to turn to the pressure or to back up. I just quietly stepped to the back and kept asking her to move forward.
It took her a while to figure out what I wanted but when she did I gave her a lot of verbal praise and her favorite scratch on the belly.
Once I felt she had her AHA moment, I stopped her, removed all the tack and took her out to graze. Afterwards, she dropped her head in my arms, eyes closed completely EXHAUSTED!!!
I HAD TO USE MY BRAIN, MOMMY!
BRAIN MELLLTTIINNNGGG….
Things are going slower with Z then I had anticipated. She is still quick to use her hindlegs as attack weapons so getting her comfortable with me being close to her is still a high priority. This is essential so I can start to do the driving I want to get done as well as the in-hand work.
Over the holiday weekend, I started with this gameplan: free lunging in the roundpen until she starts connecting with me. This allows her some freedom to work out her high spirits. If we use the big arena, there is too much chance for her to get distracted. However, on days I can “play” longer then we can use it for a change of pace and for driving lessons.
Using the longer dressage whip along her body, I start asking her to shape her bends better. Because she likes to angle her hips towards me, to dominate and intimidate, it’s important for her to learn that this is not acceptable.
I think this next photo is so cute – look at her hind leg position and my legs. 
The whip can be used as a cue to move forward from behind or to ask her to give me more space – such as moving her hindquarters further away from me when she wants to edge in aggressively.
Being behind Z can be a test of fortitude and faith in your God. This is her favorite position to kick you so before we move on with driving and much more in-hand work she has to be comfortable with me being there, not only with a line, but also with a whip (which will be used for cues).
Her favorite place to get rubbed is in the center of her belly on the midline. I am now using this after a good job and decreasing food rewards.
Mutual grooming really is far more desireable to her even then treats! I allow some grooming if she uses nose only and I limit how long she can do it. As it is I am taking a chance that she will get too happy and bite me by mistake! I am not sure I would recommend it… 
Here she nuzzles my hair as I scratch her neck.
Something I forgot to post about today – I think Pandora has figured out that I want her to lie down!
We did some arena work. To get there I had to go into the field where Caspian is temporarily. All of his 16.2 h. pranced over! He was so happy to see her! Pandora turned her butt and said, “look buddy, I’m 39″ of total horse-butt-kicking power so watch your familiarity!”
In the arena we played several games. It got a bit wild and she ended up kicking me in the thumb – not on purpose – the play was just too rambunctious and that is why I have dropped playing games such as Tiger with her or ZZ. Too much potential for injury…
Anyway, at one point I pawed the ground, circled and squatted. Hm? She thought I wanted her to paw but I stayed down and then down she went! LOL
Then she decided she would just keep going down, down, and down again for treats. It got rather out of hand so I changed the game and she wasn’t too happy with me. Laying down was much more less work then playing “Go*Come”.
Funny day with Pandora.
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