One of the many things I learned from the April Savvy Club DVD, which showed how an extroverted person needs to manage her energy to play with an introverted horse (and vice versa), was to back waaaay off. I have tried this before and had great results but all too easily slide back into old patterns. I start to wiggle the rope to back him up instead of tap the air, or I pull his nose around instead of whisper the halter along his hair and give him a moment to respond.
Because he does respond, most of the time, to the lightest touch. I need to work harder to get consistent at this so that he can learn to trust me not to shout at him. Even though I still believe he is innately a mild LBE, his next-highest quarter is RBI, and he has the sensitivity of the introvert along with the willingness to move of an extrovert.
Trust that he’ll respond, but be ready to correct, not one more than the other. -PNH
Starting right now I’m going to see if I can bring lightness into everything I do. Can I type with less force? What about click the mouse? Speak even more quietly to the dog? Can I not mutter under my breath when the driver in front of me doesn’t know IT’S THE PEDAL ON THE RIGHT, BUDDY! (Heh.)
Can I practice using intensity rather than force or speed while keeping my body as still as possible, so the necessary motion is not lost in a noisy background of spaz?
Even when Rocky was still coming out of the sedative after his dentist appointment, he followed the lightest feel.
I realized I was much lighter than usual because I wanted to go slow and careful with him in his dopey state. If he’s that responsive when he’s had five injections and a dose of bute, how responsive will he be when I maintain that level of politeness when he’s normal?
Exactly.
Horsegirl on a Journey 