A Song for Motown Foundation is Important Smokey Robinson and the Miracles are blowing The Tracks of My Tears as I watch Motown watch me. I am walking up to his corral to see where his attitude is today. Motown sees me and stops in his tracks. His ears are upright and his posture is alert and asking. I say hello to him with a big smile while asking him if he is ready for a session? He looks at me with the wide open eyes of surprise that only a wild horse can do. Motown is not so wild these days but he still holds on to the round pen panel with one hoof while giving me the rest of his body. Little does he know that his body is not what i am after....it is his mind that interests me. His mind is what must be more than tamed. It must be partnered with. I must convince this alpha horse that the key to everything is the foundation that must be set, taught, accepted and exercised if this partnership is to succeed. Foundation training is the hallmark and the key to all future training. This is essential not only for our equine partners but for us humans as well. This foundation must be so complete and exact that it will remain in place for years to come. It is, indeed, the basis for all future training and disciplines. I have been asked many times recently....When are you going to ride Motown? My answer is and will always be...When he is more than ready! Motown has no problem speaking for himself. He will let me know when he is ready. The Gentling Process is now over. Training Day #1 started today. Keep in mind that during the gentling process many things were accomplished that would normally be accomplished during the initial training of a domesticated horse. The order of the training process is as individual as the horse or trainer being trained. Then....there are mustangs. Wild Mustangs! None are the same. All are different. I am sure that almost all of the trainers for this competition are convinced that the mustang they are training is the one mustang that is really different from the rest. I know the feeling. My take on Motown is no different. I open the strategically arranged gates and Motown walks from his corral to the round pen. He sniffs the grounds, snorts, then goes to his position on the opposite side of the round pen. He is waiting on me to enter. The ground is still wet but not overly so. I watch Motown as I enter the round pen. I can sense that he is eager for this session. I make my way to the gate. I open the gate, walk through and then close it behind be as usual. I stand by the gate a moment to take a good look at the footing throughout the pen area. I do not want Motown to slip on any wet spots. I make a mental note of where these few spots are. I move normally to the center of the round pen. Motown sees my movement and begins to snort and move in his usual clockwise trot around the round pen. I stand still and let him get his bearing and excess energy out. After two to three trips around I move to my right slightly while backing up. Motown does an inside turn as if on que. I move to the center of the round pen as he completes his inside turn. I move to the center again so that I will not be blocking his path as he comes around me counterclockwise. All goes extremely well and disciplined. After two counterclockwise trips around the pen, I move slightly to my left and backward. Motown adjust his body to face me then he completes the turn to his right and does his second inside turn. I see that he is paying attention to me so I wait until he comes around to my left before I slowly back up. Motown sees this and turns to face me. I see him face me so I take another step or two backward so that he can come toward me. I stop my backward motion before I get to the track. The track is Motowns space in the round pen. It is where he travels. It is his space. I stay out of his space and he stays out of mine. My space is a small circle in the middle of the round pen. Respecting each others space is fundamental to foundation training. I stop backing up and watch Motown. Motown usually stops his forward movement when I stop my backward movement. Not this time. Motown looks at me but instead of stopping, he continues to walk right to me. He is so close to me that he is sniffing my jacket. He bumps me. I stand still. He bumps me again. I continue to stand still. Before he can bump me a third time, I reach up with my right hand and I rub his muzzle. I rub his nose. I rub his forehead. I rub under his chin. I touch the round buckle underneath his chin that is attached to his halter. I touch the rope around his neck. I pull the rope. Motown stands there with ears up and eyes wide open. His body leans back but his feet do not move. I lower my hand, turn around and walk away. Motown follows me. I walk around the round pen to the left then to the right. Motown follows me. I stop and back up. Motown stops and backs up. I turn around and slowly raise my left arm and hand to touch him. As he leans back, without foot movement, I rub his nose and forehead. I turn away and walk to the round pen gate. I go through the gate, close it behind me and walk away from my mustang. I feel a sense of accomplishment that only a trainer can feel. Today was a major breakthrough. Major breakthroughs, for the most part, may not be earth shattering huge events with your horse. Small, seemingly insignificant changes and adjustments in Patience, timing and feel can mean all the difference. Motown is not losing his fear and cautiousness. He is replacing it with trust and familiar understanding. Care must be taken to keep and even improve on the trust that was earned, not today, but over the last 6 weeks and certainly through the weeks to come. Stevie Wonder is singing..Signed, Sealed and Delivered as this session ends calmer than it started.
Posted on: Tue, 06 Jan 2015 03:09:42 +0000
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