Lesson Plan Workshop: Define Obstacles Part 1
We now have a starting point and an ending point. Before we start to identify the steps that will take us from one to another, we are going to spend a little bit of time identifying potential obstacles. There will always be unforeseen obstacles that crop up as we implement our lesson plan. But taking some time up front to identify stumbling blocks that are likely to occur will allow us to build strategies into our lesson plans that will help deal with them or even avoid them. By consciously thinking about the process that occurs when you are working on a goal with your horse, you will be able to start to see things that work well. You can then plan to do more of them. You will also notice things that don't work, and yet you keep doing them over and over. Once you notice these things, you can replace them with something more effective.
Each of us will have different situations based on the personalities, past history, ability, relationship and many other things that each horse and human combination presents. So the results of this exercise are going to vary a lot between each person. There is no right or wrong answers.
For this week's exercise, spend some time thinking about a goal that you have already successfully achieved with your horse in the past. Some questions to consider are:
Next week we will explore a goal that you didn't achieve and contrast that with what you discovered here.
Feel free to post your findings in the comments section. If you have any questions post them there and I will do my best to answer them.
Each of us will have different situations based on the personalities, past history, ability, relationship and many other things that each horse and human combination presents. So the results of this exercise are going to vary a lot between each person. There is no right or wrong answers.
For this week's exercise, spend some time thinking about a goal that you have already successfully achieved with your horse in the past. Some questions to consider are:
- What strategies helped you accomplish this goal?
- Was it easy or hard and why?
- When you encountered obstacles, what did you do?
- What did you learn about yourself and/or your horse in the process?
- As you were working on achieving this goal, what emotions and feelings did you experience?
Next week we will explore a goal that you didn't achieve and contrast that with what you discovered here.
Feel free to post your findings in the comments section. If you have any questions post them there and I will do my best to answer them.
Comments
We walked around it, let him sniff it, walk over the end of it so he didn't have to touch it. Then I stood on the bridge and asked to come forward. He would try and I would release. Each time I would ask for a bigger try. It took a few days before he would fully get on it.
It was hard because Booger was determined not to step up with all of his feet. There was a lot of waiting him out.
He got so stubborn that I had to ask him to come forward with the rope using a different technique. Instead of one hand, I had to gently grab with a couple of fingers and then slide down the rope with both hands and hold until he gave a tiny bit. Then I had to break it up into segments. When I got one foot on the bridge and he didn't take it down until I told him we could, we stopped for that day. The next day we did both front feet on the bridge and stopped. (I did this one for a few days.) Then we worked on the back feet. Finally I was able to ask him to walk on it.
I learned that Booger can be extremely stubborn if he thinks I am pushing too much and sometimes I have to change my goal and ask him to do little pieces at a time to build up to eventually reach my goal.
About myself, I learned to have lots of patience, more than what children at school have ever pushed. Also, changing goals isn't bad and doesn't mean that we still can't accomplish what I originally wanted. Made me more accepting of things taking longer with Booger than what I want.
I was mainly frustrated and disgusted. But once I figured out what had to happen and that I still was able to reach my goal I was excited.
The strategies I used were to figure out why she would not stop when I pushed her nose away from me. First I tried to change my emotions when I was around, for example I tried toning it down and being really relaxed and to help me do this I read a book from front to back page, no skipping like I usually would. This only worked to an extent and bothered most people I was around because it was not me! I discovered that Java is very dominant, more than I ever thought. She was throwing her head in the air after I would ask her to move her head/nose away from me, she was saying "NO you cant tell me to do that". I tried using my stick and waving it parallel to her like the fan blade, when she put her nose towards me then she would put it into my stick. Well that did not work because that was just desensitizing her to the stick which she is not concerned about in the first place. With help we decided to ask her to stop mugging and then when she says "NO" continue and move her forhand around until I get the desired response and then release.
This was hard to figure out how to fix the mugging, which is still not 100% fixed, I think with Java and I we are at about 85% fixed, but with other people she is still mugging because no one else has stopped her in this way. Then once I figured out how to get the correct response from her by moving her forehand, it was easy.
I learned that horses mimick their owners. Java is dominant, into everyones business for treats to make her "happy", and loves to go. I am also dominant, I hate it when people dictate me instead of delegate. I love to know what people are doing, not so much for treats, but it raises my "happy emotions" when someone can talk to me about things and vent. Lastly it is hard for me to stay still for long periods of time (yes, minus the car).
As I was trying to get her to stop mugging I was very mad because I wanted her to stop acting like that. I Felt like I tried to change now she should, but it did not happen. Also, when anyone comes around she mugs and it is embarrassing, she seems like a well behaved horse with me and then another person comes around she is rude.
This goal was pretty easy to reach, it just took putting the time in and being thorough with each step. I think it was easy because I made sure that my steps were small and achievable each session. I don't remember any obstacles with the initial saddling goal.
I learned that Gunny does well when things are broken into small steps that he understands and that keep the process calm.
My emotions during this process were pretty peaceful and patient. I knew that it was just a process we had to go through and that teaching him these lessons well would serve for the rest of his life.