Shari and I are starting to integrate something new into our rides--cantering. I have cantered Cole plenty on our own and fairly often with Ellen and Kevin. When I ride with them, I take the lead at the canter because Cole is so fast. He can be like a bullet when he canters. Without a doubt. he is the fastest horse I have ever ridden. (Keep in mind, I have had just about no experience with Thoroughbreds.)
Bella likes to be the leader, and Cole has no trouble being a follower, so I decided it was time that he learns how to follow at a canter. One day, when the horses were being very good, I suggested to Shari that we try it. We did it on a particularly good, but short section of trail. They were fast, but they were good. It was only when we were finished that Shari told me that she hadn't cantered Bella on the trail in years--since the one day she was cantering her in the arena and Bella fell and Shari broke her shoulder. That is when I told her that Cole never cantered behind another horse before. We were both working on something very new for us.
Since then, when it is just the two of us riding and the horses are in the right mood, we have done little sections of cantering. My biggest problem is getting Cole to take up the canter. It seems he prefers to trot really, really fast. Since I love riding a very fast trot, I am still enjoying what we are doing. Bella is cantering fast, but not crazy fast. We have no trouble keeping up with her.
The problem that Bella was having was that she got very excited after cantering. She would be doing the Bella dance/prance. She wanted to canter again! Shari just wanted her to walk and settle down. This was happening every time.
You can't put two clicker trainer in the same room, (or on the same trail,) with a problem without them trying to find a solution. I suggested that Shari click Bella the moment she quiets down. I felt that Bella might not know what Shari wants of her, so she is suggesting what she wants. This way, Shari can explain it to her. Walking quietly with a lower head, (remember, she is a National Show Horse,) is what Shari wanted, but Bella didn't understand. Shari decided to call it "relax mode."
It only took a few rides for us to notice a huge difference. We would canter, Bella got wound up, Bella put her head down and walked, Bella got clicked--and Bella remained walking with her head low.
Shari practiced this only a couple of times that last ride, and then Bella just decided to keep her head relaxed all the time when she is walking. She went from National Show Horse to Quarter Horse. The transformation is amazing.
I have to wonder if she is simply just happier with her head lower. It makes sense. It may be a self-reinforcing behavior. Once Shari was able to show her that it is a more comfortable way of going and it was something she wanted her to do, Bella agreed with her. Bella likes "relax mode."
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