My pole dancer

Today Max tried something new.

Having conquered backing up with ease through an "L" shaped pole obstacle, I was casting around for new ground work ideas for Max.

A friend suggested setting a pole up lengthways to get Max to move laterally, sideways, along the length of the pole, with the school wall at his bum to try and keep him focused on sideways, not forward or back.

We had a go.

This is all about Max getting his confidence back again, and both of us focusing on moves that we can eventually transfer to ridden work.

We started off with a groom and for the first time in ages, that included my back allowing me to find the strength and stability to pick his feet out.

We walked off to the school, and once in, I took Max's head collar off and walked away from him, to let him have a bit of leisure time to do as he chose. I hoped he would have a roll, and he did. Three full all the way over rolls, which always makes me happy because to do that, it must mean his back is in good nick.

When he was finished I gave him a polo to take the dust of the school out of his mouth (he always has a series of lusty coughs of dust after a roll) and then I moved to his back end to pick the school rubber out of his tail.

Whether Max thinks my position is akin to longlining I know not, but as soon as I pick up his tail, he strikes off and walks himself round the track in the school, moving purposefully forward while I pick out his tail. Funny boy.

When we'd done that, I left him in the centre and set up our reference pole. When that was in place, I focused his head on work by going through our well established
moves in clicker training, then collected his headcollar and put it in place.

I led him to the pole, positioned him over it and then worked on getting the sideways movement with his quarters, holding his head away from me and turned in the direction we intended to travel whilst trying to stop him coming forward over the pole.

From my right to left, we had limited success. With his head turned slightly to the left, I applied pressure with my hand on his side, where my leg would be in saddle if asking for the same move. One teensy muscle twitch in the correct direction got a click treat.

I watched Max's face carefully. He got the idea that this was something new, but he wasn't completely sure what to do about it. He was inclined to try "over" which he already knew, so I backed the movement and pressure with the word "side" to help him establish the subtle difference.

The pressure on his side wasn't really giving him a proper clue, so I twirled the rope at his hind, as I had done when teaching him "over".

Ah, lightbulb moment, he swung his backside, but lost his front end and stepped over the pole. Good try though, so he got praise and we repositioned.

Once we were set, I gave him the sign for "kiss" with click and pony nut for positive reinforcement (and to let him know everything was fine), and then we set to it again. Two good sideways steps met with enthusiastic praise.

He nodded and chewed his pony nut, but his face told the story. I have seen it so many times with clicker training - he knew he was doing the right thing, but he wasn't sure how he'd done it, or what bit of it to repeat to get his prize. It is always thus in the early stages for Max and me.

"I don't know what I did, but I know I did something you wanted! Ask again! Ask again!"

So I asked again.

One good sideways move, and then over the pole with his hinds, which was not so great.

No reprimand, just a pat, reposition, signal for kiss, pony nut, and focus.

We'd shimmied along the pole right to left, so I decided to try him left to right.

Much better! He knocked that one on the head in a much more fluid way, and to his great surprise and delight, was met with high praise indeed!

"Wow! What did I do? Ask again! ASK AGAIN!"

Again I set him up, again I asked, and off he went.

"Woo hoo, Max! Clever boy!"

"Hurrah! I still don't know what I did! Ask again! Go!"

We had another go at right to left with less success and much more concentration. He tentatively stepped forward over the pole, his back hoof hovering, like he wasn't sure whether to go forward or back. My boy was thinking about it and trying to work it out.

"Good try, laddie. You're almost there."

A pat, and a signal for kiss so he could work for his pony nut.

One more go, one good step in the correct direction and more effusive praise and the jackpot of a pear, head collar off, and pole put away.

It's a good start, and we will build on it. Best not to belabour the point in the early stages which just muddies the waters. It's isn't hard physical work for Max, this, but it is taxing for his mind and it's important not to let him reach the point of frustration. It should be fun, learning new stuff, so best to stop while fun is still being had.

I know it will take him a few more goes for the penny to drop for him, and to be fair, it will take me a few more goes to be implicitly clear in what I'm asking of him.

When he shows me his willing confusion, I know it is because I am not being direct enough in my communication. He's trying like heck to work out what I want, but it's new, it's slightly different and he needs me to be very clear indeed if he has a hope of offering up what is required. That is never his failing, it is mine.

So a rest, a re-think, and we shall tackle it again, a little at a time. Once he's sure what I'm asking, we won't need the headcollar, or the pole for that matter. Sooner than I think, I'll be able to say "Max, side" and point which way I want hiim to go, and he'll go for it.

Max aims to please, and I'm loving the ground work. Today was so calm for both of us, with such enthusiasm and energy from both of us.

I love my pony for his kind heart and generous, willing nature. Also for the very fact that he forces me to re-think so that I make myself clear. You can't skirt around it with a horse; they want honesty of emotion (they can deal with any emotion as long as it's honest and not hidden) and clear direction. They also give clear directions themselves, if you care to "listen" to what they have to say.

We haven't directly addressed Max's "Arab Mist" yet out in the wild, but we are indirectly addressing it through groundwork. It isn't just the new moves we learn together, but the bonding that happens while we're learning them. It's a trust exercise as much as schooling exercise. As we build confidence in ourselves and each other on the ground, so will the confidence build when we choose to venture forth, two friends adventuring out in the wild.

It may not be a quick fix, it sure as heck isn't a forced fix, but in the end, our slow and softly approach will pay much bigger dividends. You always get back what you put in.