Today I put a bunch of barrels out around the arena. I placed three of them lengthwise across next to the rail. While lunging I urged Rob to approach. The first time he came up to them counter-clockwise he stepped on front foot over (and got stuck), then then mustered the other front leg and now was straddling the center barrel and parked out like a Morgan..
He scrambled his back legs (stepping on and crunching one of the barrels down). But he bunny rabbited his back legs over and then stood and licked.
I lunged him around, without attempting to jump a few times each direction. Then I had him approach the barrels going clockwise and he sailed over them easily, stopped and licked and chewed. I praised him and rubbed his forehead. Then again a few more circles both directions without jumping.
I asked him to take the jump again going counter clockwise and he was very hesitant and balked a few times. But I just kept pushing him forward and eventually (after a few attempts to turn around, switch direction and flee) he did it.
Then I rode him around and he was great. He's not ready to be a barrel horse however as he likes to keep a nice safe distance from those crazy barrels that might eat him (he jumped over them with 2-3 feet clearance each time too).
Cobrizo on the other hand knocked a barrel over he got so close. Both horses don't understand the concept of running home and I'm fine with that ;)
He scrambled his back legs (stepping on and crunching one of the barrels down). But he bunny rabbited his back legs over and then stood and licked.
I lunged him around, without attempting to jump a few times each direction. Then I had him approach the barrels going clockwise and he sailed over them easily, stopped and licked and chewed. I praised him and rubbed his forehead. Then again a few more circles both directions without jumping.
I asked him to take the jump again going counter clockwise and he was very hesitant and balked a few times. But I just kept pushing him forward and eventually (after a few attempts to turn around, switch direction and flee) he did it.
Then I rode him around and he was great. He's not ready to be a barrel horse however as he likes to keep a nice safe distance from those crazy barrels that might eat him (he jumped over them with 2-3 feet clearance each time too).
Cobrizo on the other hand knocked a barrel over he got so close. Both horses don't understand the concept of running home and I'm fine with that ;)
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