The Colt Journal: ride 17, Wilson Arena

Last Wednesday was arena day again. I spent the evening working on and refining bending, leg yields and side passing. I also worked a little on transitions and one rein stopping (I was working with halter and one rope rein, sans bridle again). And again, as is custom, I made him open and close the gate to finish things off. For whatever reason, Smooch is still intolerant of the gate. He dances around and avoids it. He's not afraid of it, and he knows his cues, so I think it is still a little of that intolerant youth in him. I found the best way to get him over it is a process: walk him up to the gate, make him stand still. Once he is satisfactorily standing still, give him cues to put him in position where I can open the gate. If he refuses, I take him to the rail to reinforce leg cues and side passing. And then back to the gate, make him stand still, and then cue him into the gate. I do this process, approach and retreat, as many times as it takes for the whole process to come together in his little mind. Once the gate is open, the entire process is repeated to close the gate, until at last the gate is closed and he is standing still beside it. What I am trying to avoid is getting too rushed so that he anticipates opening and closing the gate and then walking off right away. His rider may need some time at the gate to work a latch, adjust something or hold it for other riders, so I want to make sure the colt understands that we are finished with the gate when I say we are finished with the gate. All too often you see horses that think they know the drill and take off on their own accord with the rider still holding the gate in one hand. At best you have a run-away gate. At worst there is a train wreck with horses running into gates and riders falling off, or whatever stock you are trying to contain in the gate escapes and then you end up spending time to round them up. I am also trying to avoid a battle at the gate, which is why if he's starting a battle with me, I'll back off and reinforce in a safer situation until his mind is back where it needs to be to continue with the task. Believe me, my leg was plenty bruised by the end of this exercise. It makes me stop to think that I'm not completely competent to be doing this, but in the end we had the gate opened and closed, and Smooch was standing by it patiently awaiting his next cues.