Hands Free Max

For the first time in a few weeks Max and I tackled his obstacle course in the school. This is a L-shaped group of poles set out that we use to hone our skills on reversing and moving his quarters and shoulders around to manoeuvre through the “L” on just voice and hand signals.

Well, that’s the theory. We have been doing it with the aid of a head collar and slack lead rope as well, to help Max with the signalling (and me too, there are plenty of times where a pause must be taken to figure out the best way to get direction and motion without going over the boundaries of the poles.

We started off with a warm up doing our regular box of tricks, to which we have now added “Whoa” with a hand signal, then “walk on” three steps, “whoa” then “Spanish for a leg lift, and on we’d go again.

Then approach the obstacle course, he’d follow me in, then “whoa” then “back” for a few steps, then forward and out.

He was doing so well, responding so quickly and correctly, that I decided to give it a go free style, no lead, no head collar.

Can Max do it? Oh yes he can! Not quickly (yet) but unfailingly and thoughtfully we got through our L, wandered around the school pausing for various commands, lateral moves, more backing up, more raising forelegs, and then through the L again.

We then worked a little bit on just hand signals with no voice to back it up (pretty good but less focused) and then just voice and no hand signal, better, and more useful in preparation for the same commands from the saddle, when the hand signal is likely to be unseen.

This is a two pronged thought process, which I hope will eventually brings us to good response to voice in the saddle, and good response to free work with just signalling. For now, our liberty work is only successful when I am close by, but with time and patience, I hope that I will be able to get the same responses at a distance.

I just love working with Max like this. The time flies by and I have to be alert so that I don’t press on too long and flood Max’s head with too much stuff and let him get frustrated.

We’re still after win/win when it comes to schooling, and that will always be my priority.