jolly ball beatdown

What a seriously fabulous day at the barn! Except for maybe the Jolly Ball beatdown. But I can look past that in light of how great today was.

I did my usual spiral lunging with Shyloh. She looked better to me and was really forward. No problems there. But the best part. . .when I ask Shy to stop she normal turns in to me. The other day she took a step forward to me, but stepped on the lunge line and stopped herself. Today, she walked all the way in to me! She has never done that before! And it wasn't a fluke, she did this more than once. 

I think we have reached another new level in our relationship. The last significant level up was in December of last year. . .almost a whole year! Now, Shy is letting me catch her in the pasture without treats (as long as she was not just let out) and it just seems we have morphed into something new and better. 

We lunged, mostly at a trot in both directions. I used the timer feature on my phone to time us, just to make sure I am lunging both sides evenly. Then we went through our stretching routine and I lunged her once more for less time. Great results again!

Shoulder release down and back

Bringing the  hind legs forward

The chiropractor was scheduled to come out today, so I kept Shy busy by working on some clicker training with the mat. I used a new mat and not a piece of wood. Now she does not tap dance on it. 

What a cutie!

Then I tried something new. I moved Shy a few feet from the mat and told her to go to it. She did! I was stunned! We did it a few more times, clicking and treating each time. It was really cool to see her do that!

We were still waiting on Dr. Dave, so I put Shy back in her stall. The Jolly Ball, which I have never seen her interested in, except when I introduced it to her as a click and treat exercise, was not the object of her affection. All on her own, she kept picking the ball up and swinging it around. Then she got me. . .right in the nose on one of those swings! Ouch!! She got me again in the chest. I was stunned! Beat up by my own horse! I was still awestruck by how she was all about the Jolly Ball!

Finally, Dr. Dave got to the barn. Shy was dropping her right shoulder kind of hard, which crosses over to that darn left hip. Shy got her adjustment and was very well behaved for Dr. Dave. He said the lunging, backing, hills, and stretching were the best thing for her. He also said to add stretches where she bends between her front legs (like practicing for bowing), and this will stretch her withers. And then he said to add a saddle to the work. This way, she gets used to the saddle and will have a little extra weight on her. He even said eventually to put sand bags around the horn to add even more weight. The saddle and no rider should also help with her breathing. Shy will learn to breathe, since she trends to hold her breath for a while when we start working. Then she does a series of blows and starts breathing. 

Overall it was a great night! Shy is doing well with her chiro work and her strengthening exercises. And she seems to be connecting with me on a new level. Happy dance!!

Super relaxed pony

touch game

I read about a mentally stimulating game from Laz and his owner, Kristen at sweet horse's breath. This seemed to be just what Shyloh and I needed! After a couple of emails back and forth on how to play this game, I headed out to the barn. But first, I grabbed my clicker.

I decided to try clicker training with Shy. I thought she would do very well with it. She is smart and she is able to quickly make associations, as evidenced by her waving whenever she feels she needs a treat, even without being asked.

Trying out a wave to see if that gets her a treat.

When I got to the barn, I loaded up on treats and got Shy out of her stall. I worked on getting her accustomed to the clicker and what it means. I would click and treat, click and treat. My first thought was that I need to find some smaller treats that have less calories and sugar for clicker training.  

When I felt Shy may have started to make the association between clicking and the treat, I waited until she was not paying attention to me. Then I clicked. Shy immediately looked at me, expecting a treat. Smart pony! I did this a few times until I was satisfied, then I moved on to the next step.

Touch it!

I used a Jollyball for the object to touch. I held out the ball and said "touch." It took a minute for Shy to get interested in the ball enough to touch it with her lips, but eventually she did and I clicked.

Whoa! Shy was not expecting that and ran off! I approached her and gave her the treat. Then I repeated the same steps and got the same results. By the third time, Shy realized what was going on and was not startled by the click any more. We worked on touching the ball while I was holding it in the same place until I felt she understood.

Got it!

Next I asked her to "touch" when the ball was held out to my side. This was a whole new concept! Shy walked around me, but then approached and touched. Click and treat. I held the ball in a few different locations around me and each time Shy touched it. Click and treat!

Shy seemed to be enjoying herself. She was engaging with me, so I pushed on. I put the ball on the ground, asked her to touch and she did! Click and treat. Shy was really using her noggin! We ended on a positive note and before Shy got bored with the game.

Fun and easy!

We worked on touch again a few days later. She remembered what I was asking and touched the ball. Click and treat. Kristen provided a valuable suggestion of cutting a carrot into thin slices or using grain, a few pieces at a time instead of treats. I used grain. 

I discovered that Shy will touch the ball in any position, except up high (which really isn't high, it is just barely above her eye level). Not sure why, but we will work on it later. I can even roll the ball away, say touch ball, and Shy will go and touch it! Pretty cool! We worked on touching different objects in the arena; cones, a muck bucket, a hose, the walls of the arena, and poles. 

Shy can touch this, too!

Shy stayed engaged and interested the whole time, even though I pulled her from her stall while she still had hay left. She had free reign of the arena and only went to the doors twice, and that was when I was asking her to touch the ball when it was held high. When I lowered it, she came right to me and touched the ball.

On our third day of working on touch, Shy recalled it right away. I then tried a new word, "take." It took her a while to open her mouth and take the handle of the Jollyball, but eventually we got there. My next step will be to get her to keep the ball in her mouth for a longer time. The click and treat is very effective for Shy. We are building our bond and spending some time together having fun.

Shy is learning so much!

I am open to any other mentally stimulating games for me and Shy to try!

struggling

Today was not a good day in general (silly work), so it gave me lots of time to think. . .and what I thought most about was my decision to board Shyloh inside. I am really struggling with this decision. Living outside is so much healthier, healthier for her hooves, healthier for her respiratory system, healthier for her digestive system, and healthier for her mental well-being. It is just more natural.

I can't think of a worse time to transition Shy inside; it has been constant rain. Since she has been inside, she has only been out a few times. Shy was in all day today due to the rain, although I will be forever grateful for Kathy for turning her out in the arena when she is stuck in all day. Did I ever mention that the people at my barn are the greatest?

Picture sent from Kathy! I love getting pictures of Shy while I'm working!

Since being inside, I have gotten mixed feedback. She does fine in the stall and has not exhibited and negative stall behaviors, so far. Robin said that she is loving the attention of being inside. Shy has pressed her nose between the bars when Robin was in Ryleigh's stall and Shy was grunting at Robin to scratch her nose. Robin also said that she gave Ryleigh a flake of hay and he would take a mouthful, raise his head, and Shy would grab some from his mouth between the bars! I wish I would have witnessed that! Robin said it happened about three times, so she does not feel it was a coincidence. 

Behind bars. . .help I'm in jail!

But today, I spent some time with Shyloh in her stall and she was licking the metal. . . a lot. And I have noticed that she licks when she is anxious/uncomfortable/nervous. And she did this for quite some time. . .

Looking outside. . .longing to be outside?

When I took her out to work, she was ready to go! We did some lunging and she wanted to trot! I did not get a canter today, but I did get her amazingly fast trot. The real disaster started when I hooked up the long lines. Shy would take about five steps, then turn completely sideways. What? She never did this before. Shy was kinda craning her neck to the side. We went around the whole arena like this. . .five steps, craned neck, sideways turn, repeat. I made her go all the way around in case it was an attempt to get out of work, but it could have been anything really. Maybe the bridle needs to be adjusted with the new bit, maybe it was the torrential downpour (sounds much louder in the metal barn), maybe she just didn't want to work. I have no idea. . .

Bored?

Ready to go!

So, I am going to give her some more time to adjust to being inside, but if it doesn't work, I'll have to re-think my decision. In an attempt to cheer her up some, I dunked her Jolly ball in water and sprinkled some sugar on it. She has not touched it yet, so I wanted to get her interested in it. I think it worked!

Jolly ball tastes good!

Checking it out. . .