As an aside, we have a new horse (Morris) boarding with us and Jake won't let him anywhere near the rest of the horses OR near the water. I've had to catch him every day to bring him to the water (our water is situated in a place where Morris would feel trapped, so doesn't feel safe going there). Long story short, Gypsy got the whole herd trotting around while I was playing the catching game with her and eventually they made their way back to the water at the other end of the field. As soon as Morris saw everyone leaving, he followed me through the gate toward the water. Jake tried to get past me to go after Morris and I stopped him. Jake had also been following me around while I was chasing Gypsy before, so I just decided to catch up Jake (since he seemed to want me to). I figured that would help Morris get a turn at the water as well, and help him bond with the rest of the herd without Jake in the way.
Sarah (my friend from England) was the last one to work with Jake at the end of June (yeesh!). So I repeated what she did with the 7 games. Again Jake flew around me as I was rhythmically 
slapping the ground with the savvy string. He really doesn't like that. It took quite a while for his feet to stop. Eventually I stopped moving the string as soon as he stopped trotting. He stopped. I let him think about that a while and then walked away and started again. Again he started trotting around, but not too long after that, he snuck up behind me (like he was hiding behind me) and stopped. I stopped too. A couple more of these and he started to figure out that I wasn't asking him to move. He wasn't calm, but he was getting it right at least, so I moved on to porcupine and driving games. Porcupine was great one time, then ineffectual the next. He was having a hard time focussing. I quit on one of the times he got it right. Yoyo was a banana to the right each time (he had to keep me on his left), but once I stopped he would eventually look at me with both eyes. I accepted that. We can work on straightness later.
slapping the ground with the savvy string. He really doesn't like that. It took quite a while for his feet to stop. Eventually I stopped moving the string as soon as he stopped trotting. He stopped. I let him think about that a while and then walked away and started again. Again he started trotting around, but not too long after that, he snuck up behind me (like he was hiding behind me) and stopped. I stopped too. A couple more of these and he started to figure out that I wasn't asking him to move. He wasn't calm, but he was getting it right at least, so I moved on to porcupine and driving games. Porcupine was great one time, then ineffectual the next. He was having a hard time focussing. I quit on one of the times he got it right. Yoyo was a banana to the right each time (he had to keep me on his left), but once I stopped he would eventually look at me with both eyes. I accepted that. We can work on straightness later.Driving game he did really well at yielding his hind end, but it took some bumps on his nose to get him to yield his front end. And then when he did step over, he also walked off. So I had to check him back by bumping the lead line; he tried to turn into me and his hind end away, so I had to bump his nose back away from me while bumping the leadrope back
until he stepped back rather than sideways. We repeated this about 5 or 6 times on each side and by the 4th or 5th try, he was stepping across and stopping. Good enough! Boy, this just REALLY speaks volumes about being inconsistent! Just like with Indy.... I really have to work with ALL of the horses more regularly. I need to set up a schedule and STICK TO IT. Sheesh.
until he stepped back rather than sideways. We repeated this about 5 or 6 times on each side and by the 4th or 5th try, he was stepping across and stopping. Good enough! Boy, this just REALLY speaks volumes about being inconsistent! Just like with Indy.... I really have to work with ALL of the horses more regularly. I need to set up a schedule and STICK TO IT. Sheesh.Anyway, after that we did some circling/squeeze over my barrels (walked over). He seemed to like that. He always stopped to look at me with his ears forward as if to say: how was that? There was even a point where I was trying to get him to change direction and he was resisting, so I started waiving my stick in front of him which he skirted around, then moved toward the barrels, stepped over and turned and looked at me. I had to smile. He's trying! I'll take that.
At this point I felt he'd calmed down enough to ride and went to saddle him. Since we got the 
natural performer saddle, saddling is no longer an issue, which is phenomenal! Jake used to bolt as soon as we brought any saddle out. And I couldn't blame him. He's such a wide horse that no saddle ever fit him properly. Now mine do and he's visibly improved as a result. And now he's even wider what with all the grass and lack of exercise!! I felt like I was riding a tank! Look how fat he is!! :-)
natural performer saddle, saddling is no longer an issue, which is phenomenal! Jake used to bolt as soon as we brought any saddle out. And I couldn't blame him. He's such a wide horse that no saddle ever fit him properly. Now mine do and he's visibly improved as a result. And now he's even wider what with all the grass and lack of exercise!! I felt like I was riding a tank! Look how fat he is!! :-)We rode around the pylons and over and around the barrels, then I got my son to open the gate and we rode down the road a bit. He's really unconfident on the road. Lots of stopping and trying to turn around. So we did quite a few circles or I'd just let him stop and work through those thresholds. Good thing we didn't have a destination or we might never have got there!
It started to rain as we were making our way back, so our ride was cut short (yes, I'm a fair-weather rider!)
It's a start (again), so if I can stick to a schedule, hopefully we'll move forward rather than keep repeating the same thing over and over as if it's new!
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