it's the little things!

The sun was shining and it was tropically hot ( 10 degrees!), no wind and it had been raining but no more ice

I've been reading Ben Hart's ebook on shaping plans so have been structuring a 'SMART' goal and target. My SMART target is 'to be able to mount Shadow from a mounting block or from the ground, at home or outside of the yard'.

I've not had Shadow in from the field really for a few weeks due to snow, ice hazard and illness, so I've only really flicked him off and picked his feet out. Today I decided I'd get him in before we did some clicker, to pamper him.

On our way in from the field, Shadow suddenly pricks his ears, starts breathing heavier and stopped in his tracks. I had a look round and told him he was a good boy and then realised that by one of the fields, was a hay bale covered in one of those yellow tarp covers. There are quite a lot of puddles at the yard where it's been raining/snow and ice has melted, and the next thing, he took a step backwards and soaked me as he legged it. When he stopped, I walked up to him and slowly told him he was a good boy. I unclipped his leadrope ( in case he did run off again, I didn't want him tripping) and left him there and I walked up to the hay covers. I stood and started touching it and then walking past it. Shadow watched me and the look on his face. I called his name and he slowly started walking over. I know it sounds silly but it was that sort of moment where I felt he trusted me, because he was coming up to me, he came over and we had a sniff off the cover, I told him he was a good boy and I was kicking myself for not having my clicker- fortunately, he finds strokes rewarding- so got lots of that... and we walked back to the tying rings and he got a nice groom.


Started clicker training and our first session was with recapping ground-tying. It appears I've conditioned him to my hand cue, but not to my voice cue- and I feel that my voice will be more effective when it comes to the likes of mounting. So today was conditioning Shadow to the word ''stand''.

We had a bit of an issue with my lack of organisation- I had removed his haynet and put it over the middle of the rings so he couldn't get it....stooopid Amy! We had some nice work and then suddenly he caught sight of the hay net and that became more interesting than the clicker training. So; I remembered something Jeanette said to me the other day about 'cueing' head up and when they can eat. I will admit I did find this hard because Shadow obviously found the hay a lot more rewarding, but I did manage to encourage his head up and remove the haynet before any further hay net issues arose!

Finished on a good note and I left him with his haynet whilst I had a quick bite to eat and went for a wee. Came back and groomed him again for a little bit more and then forgot to remove the haynet- surprisingly, Shadow actually didn't seem to be bothered. We had a cracking session and I'm gutted my camera had died ( always the way) so I hadn't the chance to film it at all. We achieved our first 5 steps of the shaping plan. Which was how I had planned to end the day. He is now conditioned to the word stand and let me walk away, he stood for over 10 seconds required without me using my hand up to ask him to stand, only my voice. So I felt this was a perfect place to end and I jackpotted him and left it at that. Let him finish his hay and then was going to take him back to the field and poo pick...

We've had this issue in the past, and I will be honest, am not sure how to solve it really. Shadow leads in from the field like a dream, but 90% of the time, will plant himself and won't lead back to the field. I tried tickling his sides, I tried removing the haynet totally, letting him finish his haynet, but 10 minutes in, we hadn't got no where.

So I made a makeshift 'target'. I got a short crop, a glove and elastic band and created a rather strange looking target. Shadow clearly liked the look of it and I was getting him to bump it. It certainly got him moving- however; this is where our problem was. He became a little bit aggressive with it. He wanted to touch it the whole time, and would run at me if I was holding it, he would snap at it and then started trotting all over the place. I will say, it did actually scare me quite a bit so I'm sure this impaired my focus. But now I've gotten home and reflected on it, is it because he's still not totally conditioned enough? I always have used the 'touch it' cue, but perhaps he's not yet conditioned to it? How can I extinguish this frustration and how can I overcome the leading issue? Is there an exercise I can do in the field or during his time in ( he's fine to lead in) which will benefit leading back to the field at all? Any tips would be greatly appreciated or any ideas as to why this is, would be even better.

The next thing Shadow did was so silly and to most people such a silly thing for me to get excited and happy about... but it's me so I don't care ! I was poo picking and Shadow was following me around and he stopped and was just staring at the trees. Anyway, I said 'What's up Shad's', he turned his bum to the poop scoop and pooed in it. Now, it must be something in the air ( i.e Star cueing herself), but what a clever pony and also VERY helpful! He stayed with me for a bit and then got a bit bored and started grazing
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“Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who could not hear the music.”

What is this new leaf I'm turning over in my life!? 


I feel I've been a nicer person, but more importantly, I've been trying to achieve some of my goals. 
One of my life goals, is to learn the piano. I love piano pieces and I would kill for a piano at home; my friend at school is very good on the piano and we've been practicing at lunch times with it; doing one of my favorite songs ''Always Attract'' by You Me at Six. Okay; so I'm still getting to grip with the keys but I can play D G G D G F+ D G G D G so far... so I know where D and G are for sure ;)! I have managed to get a little quicker on the piano, but I don't expect miracles- but I didn't give up. So for me, that's progress. To stop throwing in the towel if I can't do something. Hopefully by putting perseverance into practice on an instrument, it will spare Shadow having to deal with me trying to find myself a little bit more! 




Am nervous as I get my English Literature ( final ) results next Thursday! So am feeling slightly nervous! I felt the exams went okay, but I am keeping a level head over it ( more so as I don't want to upset Karma or tempt fate...!)


It's nearly the weekend and I've got my shaping plan at the ready! Our 'SMART' goal is too; 
'Stand still when being mounted- either on the ground or from a mounting block- at home or outside of the yard'. 


A SMART goal is creating a shaping plan using the following steps; 
Specific- the goal must be accurate and allow us to identify clearly all the elements of the final goal.
Measurable- If we can measure the outcome of the goal, we will assess whether we have completed the goal.
Attractive- We are unlikely to be motivated at working towards a goal which is 'unattractive'. Consider the benefits and the consequences of the goal.
Realistic- Our goals should be realistic enough for our horses to achieve them.
Time-bound - A realistic time scale for successful completion of the goal. 


Shaping plans have always been my downfall, so hopefully these can help me re-organise things and we can get back on track! 




I feel our goal is realistic enough. We're still needing to refresh the use of the cue in ground-tying ( my voice is still not the reinforcing cue), so I need to condition him to my voice cue- once this is in state, we can then continue working toward our goal. 


The time frame for the goal is to have it completed by February 28th 2011. I feel this gives us enough time, weather and time permitting to spend enough time on it. I'm not totally set on the goal, as I can't predict how long it will take, but this is my rough estimated time of completion! 

‎''The past is a ghost, the future a dream, and all we ever have is now.”

I love quotes a wee bit too much; but I don't care 'cos they provide me with philosophical meaning at the best and worst of times, when all else is at loss.

I've been reading Ben Hart's e-book's and re-reading his one on shaping plan, I bought myself a pretty little notebook and it's now my 'shaping' book. I enjoyed reading how he highlights the importance of creating a shaping plan- I'm guilty of never really planning it and doing it in my head- and it makes me a prime candidate for falling into the category of forgetting stages- particularly crucial ones and missing things out- as well as not being able to write it down, log it and record progress. ( I'm quite a forgetful person as it is naturally!).

When I create shaping plans, I am in essence planning my future- but whilst I'm a huge advocate of living in the present moment, and living each day as it comes, I'm also contradicting my beliefs- I spend a lot of time dwelling on my past- not so much any more, but every now and then, I reflect upon my past. I think this is both good and bad. Bad because it impairs my appreciate for the present moment, but it is good because I can highlight where I went wrong, I can make sure I don't make those same mistakes again and find my way.

I look at my future and tend to worry about it too much sometimes- it's a habit I wish I didn't possess- I like to ponder on my future and help create a strategy to work towards my goals- but I don't wish to spend all my time planning for next year- when I have now to focus on and create.

Hopefully, by becoming a lot more organised ( another resolution of mine!) I can begin to develop our work a lot more, so it has more structure, consistency and we can track our work a lot more efficiently!

Sometimes one could say that spending all the time on the ground, not getting up and going riding is tedious but to me, it isn't that any more- I'm having so much fun planning things out and not really knowing where life is going to take us.

So here's to living for the moment!

Another year bites the dust...

It was a little weird last night; as we watched the countdown on BBC as we watched the last minute of 2010. 

I usually don't see the big deal made over New Year's- another year which never seems any different, but as I watched this countdown- it felt really weird. It felt like I was leaving things behind in 2010 and ready for whatever is lying ahead for me and Shadow this year. 

But anyway; one of my New Year's Resolutions was to be nicer to people and I woke up feeling happy. I felt happy last night too. I'm not usually very good with children younger than me ( and they don't tend to like me- babies cry, kids kick me). But I felt nice- I made the baby smile and it was a first. It made ME smile too, I wanted to sit and play with the baby, which is unusual for me. So; perhaps I'm turning over a new leaf?!

I was nice this morning too, to someone who I used to totally clash with, but now I've realized what a hard time she must be going through and need to drop my grudges and my defences. 

I can't wait to continue with Shadow and see where this year brings us. I can't wait to find out what this year will lead too. A lot of people said they had a crap 2010 and I know a few people did; but so many people moan about how bad it was. But was it really? Why aren't people grateful and happy enough? Life could be so much worse for us and we have to keep optimistic and happy about the things we DO have- not the things we DON'T have. 

So; here's to another good year!