Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Lady gets better!

Using the Spookless CD has really helped me with Lady! We started using it with our riding lessons, then with clicker training. A few days ago, I turned on the boombox while standing next to it, and Lady did NOT spook at all. I picked it up, walked around the arena beside her, while carrying the boombox as it played all those "spooky" sounds of trucks and chainsaws and such, and she didn't mind at all. I've also been using Mare Magic in her feed, and that alone has seemed to calm her. Not long ago, I had her in the front paddock near the road. When that big spidery spray machine rolled by, she looked up a moment and went back to eating her hay. Then the big tractor came by, and she didn't even look up. She's been known to jump and run in the past. Next step is to test it out on the road!

Monday, June 14, 2010

Great Progress with Lady

Had a great vacation and ready to resume riding! But before that, I had 3 lessons with Lady and the Spookless CD, and saw real progress! First two lessons, I found myself gaining confidence in riding Lady closer and closer to those scary sounds. Third lesson, I noticed she was not as spooky as before and I was very happy with her responses. Then, a friend at our barn worked with us a bit on clicker training. Second session, I was able to walk with her up to the boombox while it was playing, standing quietly about 5 feet from it without any spooking. Wow, we are getting there, I think! I now have some ideas for my next session with Lady and the Boombox, and I am excited about the possibilities! I'll let you all know in about a week how it goes!