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- #21
She really is smart, lol! One of the ladies at the barn has worked with Thoroughbreds before I believe and she said that Ginger is much smarter than most Thoroughbreds, ha.She sounds like an intelligent mare who anticipates what you're going to do and plans out how she's going to evade it! What you're doing with poles is a good idea - if she takes the correct lead (at least most of the time) over a pole, switch around where you put the pole so she can't anticipate it.
I wouldn't worry about her mane - trying to look at her shoulders to check your lead just encourages you to look down, which affects her balance. Try to train yourself to feel the lead - I know, not so easy to do when her leads are all over the place - just let her canter while you're looking up and towards the direction you want to go, keeping your weight centered. Cantering the whole arena like you've been doing, helps develop her fitness and keeps her from becoming sour, good job!
Here's another hint that has helped me, with my very own Mr. Grumpy who hates the wash rack and sometimes gets kicky when doing his flanks or rear legs: I grab his tail and pull it towards the side I'm on, so his weight is on the leg near me and he can't kick with that leg. He lets out a big sigh and gives up, LOL.
I have noticed that since we mostly have been focusing on the pole and not other tricks to get her to pick up her lead, she's been less sour about cantering that direction, which is good! Yesterday I set up the pole the way my trainer had it on Wednesday and also the pole down a straight line to try both, and she did well. If she wasn't switching over one I put her over the other, although she was pretty stubborn about turning in a circle around half the ring so I didn't try that pole too much.
Oh yes, thank you for reminding me about her balance! I had forgotten about how looking down too much can effect her. It can actually be fairly easy to feel her lead--she feels very uncomfortable when she does pick up the right one and she often feels ready to stop. It's nice to check her shoulder to be certain I'm on the right one, but I'll work on only taking small, quick peeks to help me learn how they feel. I may still attempt to braid back her mane anyways so I'm not falling into that habit of staring at her shoulder when I'm uncertain about her lead, lol, and that way it's easier to take a fast glance if I need to. Even when there are tells like checking the shoulder or feeling her discomfort, I still feel insecure sometimes about if I'm right or not, aha. And I want to do everything I can to help us both!
And thank you for telling me about that trick with the wash rack! lol I think I have heard of it before but I'll have to keep it in mind in case she tries anything next time.
Thank you!!!My goodness what a beautiful horse! She is just gorgeous