Another Fluke....??

[Monty]

You must all be heartily sick of hearing about my problems with Rebel.Especially as I get excited every now and again thinking I've cracked it, only to have my hopes dashed two lessons later with more bucking.

Today, I decided to try him without his flash noseband.His outline was neither better nor worse than usual.Maintained quite well for short periods, then going behind the vertical, briefly and then tossing his head up with a bit of an evasive sort of air about him.Then back on the bit...and so on, and so on.....Periods on the bit getting slightly longer by the end of the lesson.

That was much as usual.He didn't seem as cross as usual today though.He did occasionally think about giving me a warning twitch of the back-end, but never did it. For the last couple of months, my leg aids have been very tentative, because I've been waiting for the buck to follow. And I think that has confused him a little, but I haven't had the courage to rectify it, for fear of what's coming.Today I was able to give him a very definite squeeze, and rise...sort of able to at least pretend that I expected trot and no less from him. Let's just say there was much smaller portion of the grey matter waiting for me to do my flying act again! He seemed to fall for it.

I don't know whether you think it has anything to do with the fact that I left his flash off, or because he's on the 10th of his 14 day trial on Bute, or just a fluke, or just a good day for us both.
Oh HOW I wish I knew!

[Kerry's Partner]

Kerry was put on Bute as a trial for a while early last year. After about 3 days I "knew" the Bute wasn't influencing her behaviour. I think you would have also known Monty before day 10 - that's just my opinion but!!!!!

I think that if he doesn't "need" the flash (whatever that means in respect of the flash!!!) then he will become increasingly more comfy without one. I also think that your less tentative aids will have helped. So I think you both had a good day which you were still instrumental in bringing about.

If I can also think and say more (sorry) - my experience has taught me to still expect things not to remain 100% - I kept falling into that trap and it is SO discouraging when you think you've "cracked" it and then find you haven't. As you know, our reality was that there were several different things that needed sorting out so we've done that bit by bit. Now, when I reflect about it all, I think of it all as being a bit of a journey (my head hurts, there's too much thinking going on!!!!!) so I expect that there will be other stuff I'll need to sort out as time goes on. I know you will say that time isn't on your side but the inbetween times can be quite a fair bit of time I'm sure - I don't mean that I expect things to go wrong every other week, just that I don't expect things to stay right forever anymore.

[Heather]

Monty,

Do you lunge Rebel before you get on? This can help enormously - I often do with Fanta especially in this cold weather- in his case being Spanish - he is not used to such cold and gets a bit whoopee at times. Best liet him do his whoopees on the lunge!

By the way, I am doing another lectuer demo at Alsager on April 9th - and a clinic at Somerford Park, Congleton, on 10/11th - pity you couldn't get along to it, or can you?

Heather

[Monty]

OOooooh Yes, Heather! I can, I can, I can!! How do I get in for the clinic?? Got any slots left??? PLEEZE...Pretty PLEEZE!!

Yes, Rebel always gets approx 5 minutes in each direction, and very often gets his whooppees out the way, that way! But those are completely different sorts of bucks. Those are full of beans bucks.
What he does with me is definitely not a fun whooppee! I'm not talking about what I think of it, I'm talking about the general manner in which it's done. It's an irritated/cross sort of buck or threat.Gerroff! Stoppitt! Ears back...a bit, but not pinned back flat, really angrily. But I don't know stop what?? Otherwise I WOULD try to 'stoppit'.

[Tootsie4U]

Monty-

Do you think that he has "learned" that bucking gets a specific result? Not saying that this happens, but like if you get off when they buck, they learn that IF they buck, you will get off and they can go back to the barn???

[Monty]

I don't THINK so T4U, as I don't get off....unless it's involuntarily!!!
I always stay with it. I'm then just a bit of a whimp when asking for what causes the bucking, which is a better quality walk, and then trot!! That's one reason why I'm so puzzled!!