Learning by repetition?

[Trewsers]

Hmm, some new and interesting behaviour from Storm. For the past week I have been riding her (no differently I might add from usual) and she has started behaving rather oddly. For the first 15 minutes of our ride she is fine and listening to me. Then, she starts fidgeting / spinning / generally not listening, and won't stand still. This results in me getting a bit panicked and getting off. Then, OH is carrying on schooling Joe - but then I get back on again - DIFFERENT HORSE:confused: most odd, she is then totally settled and we can continue our session. Most odd - do you think it has just become a habit she's learned by repetition over the last week? Do you think there could be a pain related issue? ie, having to have a break or something? Any ideas appreciated.

[Yummymummy]

Sorry I dont know your history with this horse, but it sounds to me that its bored with what you are doing with it and is trying it on! like a stroppy teen and you getting off is just what it wants cos then it doesn't have to do boring stuff any more......I take it you are schooling, some hate it, what happens on a hack??

Sorry to get straight to the point,....no offense intended....sometimes I sound a bit blunt:D

[wundahoss]

Without more info, it's hard to guess. It sounds like it could be fear related. What is different between the first ride & the second?

Is OH not there with Joe when you first ride? Perhaps then it is that she feels insecure about being alone with you. She can handle it for a while, but then it all becomes too much after 15 minutes....

Do you ride or do stuff differently in either situation? Perhaps you've been on her case doing very particular Work when you start and after 15 mins she's had enough or is bored. Then when you get back on you're less demanding, more easygoing with her? Or vice versa?

Perhaps the first time she did it she had a different reason for it - fear or discomfort - but when you reacted with nervousness, it made her more nervous & reactive, turning the molehill into the mountain which made you get off - negatively reinforcing her behaviour & teaching her to repeat the behaviour/feelings.

[Trewsers]

Sorry to get straight to the point,....no offense intended....sometimes I sound a bit blunt:D

No offence taken:D!!! Thanks for the reply - I know you are probably right, and that she is getting bored with schooling - but at the moment, I am slowly building my hacking confidence back up - so its a fine line and I am trying to do a bit of schooling before going out there into the hacking world again. She worked better at the weekend following Joe around - rather than leading - which helped as I didn't panic as much and we managed a good half hour with her listening.

[Trewsers]

Is OH not there with Joe when you first ride? Perhaps then it is that she feels insecure about being alone with you. She can handle it for a while, but then it all becomes too much after 15 minutes....

Perhaps the first time she did it she had a different reason for it - fear or discomfort - but when you reacted with nervousness, it made her more nervous & reactive, turning the molehill into the mountain which made you get off - negatively reinforcing her behaviour & teaching her to repeat the behaviour/feelings.

Yes, OH is riding Joe at the same time, we mixed it up a bit this weekend and instead of Storm leading the way around we followed Joe (like old times, but I was trying to get her out of this habit!) Anyway, I found that she concentrated better - and we did manage a half hour without any spinning and silly billying!! Horses eh?! They just keep thinking stuff up to keep me on my toes.........:D