Softer

After Goggles' acupuncture appointment we were assigned some homework - some manual therapy I could use to help supplement between appointments. The first step to let him know good things are coming, loosening up a few fascial connections, and getting him used to touch, is skin rolling. 

Almost like a neck twitch, but a looser pinch, and continually moving

This is done starting close to the poll and going all the way down to the shoulder on a few different planes. He quite likes it at this point and starts licking and chewing when I start doing this. He is most sensitive up near the poll which makes sense. 

Then we move on to the muscle releases. He is getting sooooo much better about letting me do these. He's really, really smart. At first I had to just kinda do it softly and stay back out of the way of his mouth. He never really tried to nail me, but definitely wanted to turn and nip when it was a little uncomfortable. I don't know if it is more and more comfortable or if he is learning the release is coming, but he barely turns towards me now. 

Usually those two get some big sighs and releases. He got a great review at his second acupuncture appointment - she scanned him all over and only got a few areas to focus on. At the first appointment he was so uncomfortable she couldn't scan him at all. His poll also felt much better, which is definitely good news. She worked on his hindquarters a bit more and got some good stuff done there. 

Each time I start his manual therapy, he is much softer than the last. His brachiocephalicus is now loose from the get go rather than needing some time to soften and relax. Overall quite encouraging that we're on the right track. 

As we've gone back to a routine this week, we've been starting each day with the cowboy homework. This means patience on my part. We're hanging out for somewhere between 20 - 60 minutes, just hanging. 

Which is mostly him eating

And me standing, using the dried poo pile as my marker to make sure I'm not migrating as he does

But then at some point he comes and checks in with me. 

And then takes a little nap

We did our first ride back yesterday after starting his ulcer treatment. He was great. A car drove by and he noticed it, but quickly returned to focusing on me. We kept it low key with lots of stretching and walk-trot and walk-halt transitions. We didn't canter yet, I wanted to just let him succeed at everything we did. 

Cowboy time

Goggles and I had a lesson with the cowboy JT uses for ground work. It was great! I learned a ton and had a ton of fun watching the cute baby horse learn things too. His actual techniques are not supposed to be shared online for free, so I'll share some general take aways: 

• MANY horses are used to only finding relaxation in movement. We want them to be able to find relaxation in stillness as well. Finding that will help with square halts too. Why do we focus so much on a square halt? It shows relaxation and stillness. 
• If you push past the fear line, they will often go with you. But then when they realize they're past it, they will panic. This came up because we were discussing trailer loading. I certainly pushed Goggles past that line and then did see the panic that occurred. This also makes sense with his original trailer loading behavior - flying in and out. He was responding to the ask, then realizing he was actually scared, and then reversing at warp speed. I certainly saw the parallel to horses that rush jumps. When you actually break it down, they're doing this because they're terrified not because they are eager. 
• Horses can learn in several ways: finding the answer on their own, being helped to find the answer, being told the answer, and being forced into the answer. We don't do enough of letting them find the answer on their own. 
• Horses think in millimeters, we think in inches and feet. This applies to being in your space, loading on the trailer, etc etc 
• We're pretty bad at charades most of the time. If we ask consistently (consistently to them, not just us), they give us the right answer almost all the time. 
• You want the four C's in everything you do: calm, confident, communicating, and connected
• The posture and relaxation they learn to adopt the majority of the day will do more for their topline than an hour of riding each day

I'm excited to keep playing with these things, especially while we try to get the weight onto him and it is bloody hot. 

Our lunging session the next day was the most relaxed and confident he's ever been. **Coincidence? I doubt it. 

**(just re-read after writing this post by swyping on my phone and realized I had confidence in here... which is the exact opposite of what I wanted to question)

Hanging out, relaxed, post hosing