India's Education Continues

Last May and June*, I had Jenny start India's formal education. India was only 2 and a half, so our intent was to introduce her to work in the round pen, get her saddled, and ridden a few times and then turn her out to keep growing up. We thought we'd start up when the weather got cooler. Well, the weather got cooler, but we didn't resume. Kudzu's cancer reoccurred and we started him on chemotherapy again. It's expensive, which cut into the training budget for India. Also, I was riding Asia a lot (still am), and that cut into my free time to meet Jenny. So, I let it slide. Besides, the vet's had some concerns that India was getting too big too fast and that can lead to joint damage. We cut her feed back and I certainly didn't want to stress her more by working her, even if Jenny and I were keeping the sessions very short. There's no hurry; I've got Asia to ride and I want India to be sound when she's in her teens.

*you can see pics and video of that if you click on May and June's archives in 2008

India turned three on Christmas Day. Yes, three years ago I was the envy of thousands of kids worldwide as I got a pony for Christmas. It only happened about 40 years after I started asking Santa for one, so to any of you who were disappointed that there wasn't a pony under your tree last week, hang in there. He's a bit slow on filling that wish. Patience. The Princess of the Universe, aka POTU, aka India, was the best Christmas gift ever. Thank you, Asia.

Today I went out to pay my board bill and see POTU and found Jenny out working with Elaine's gelding, Cowboy. They were doing a lot of what you see below, but that's India, not Cowboy. I mentioned to Jenny that money be damned, I really wanted to get India's lessons going again. Jenny agreed and we said we'd look at our calendars and then Jenny said, 'You know, I could work with her this afternoon." And I thought, "Great!" So that's what we did.

The lesson begins with stuff that India learned a long time ago: moving away from pressure and being soft and yielding to the rope.


What comes next is new to India. Since last Jenny and India worked together, Jenny's been thinking about ways to utilize that long rope with its loop on the end. She's used it around India's neck (no halter) to teach India to give and be soft in her neck. Why not use it around India's belly? It will simulate the cinch, which India's had done before, but it also teaches her to not fret about ropes all over her body. This translates into not panicking should she get tangled up in wire out in a field or on a trail ride. India will learn to stand quietly and not fight until I can get her out of the fix.

To begin, she keeps the halter and long line on India. Later this will come off, but not until Jenny's sure that she can get the loop on India without being kicked. By keeping the halter on, should India swing her haunches towards Jenny, Jenny can pull her nose around towards her, effectively swinging the hind end out of her way.

Jenny drapes a large loop over India's rump and down her hocks to the ground and then asks India to back into it.


Backing in....boy, do I wish I had brought the small Sony camera as this would have been so much cooler as a movie.


India is now fully backed into the loop.


And now India's got the loop loosely around her middle.


Jenny asks India to move forward with the loop very loose.



Then Jenny takes off the halter and lead.


Now Jenny tightens the loop.


Oh my! POTU does NOT like this.


After just a short time, India quits fighting the loop and moves forward.


India figures it out, relaxes, and turns to Jenny.


After putting the halter back on and backing India out of the loop, it's praise, praise, praise for the smart girl.


Jenny hoists the saddle on and India stands quietly. This is a far cry from the avoidance she showed last summer. Yes, she's tired here, but I also believe that she remembers what she learned last May/June and realizes that the saddle is inevitable and it's not going to kill her, so no reason to make a fuss.


"Ho hum," says POTU when thinking about the saddle.

There was more to today's lesson. Jenny had India move around the round pen wearing the saddle. No fireworks. Yay! She did this on foot, as she'd done in the past, but she also did it while mounted on her mare, Wendy. Despite taking several pics of this, I didn't get anything I like well enough to post here. More to come next weekend as we've set up another lesson.