Faking scared, and who is overcoming what...

Just to tune up for this weekend's upcoming trail challenge, I rode Tex Saturday behind the shop, and on Sunday, into the woods. On Saturday, he was a little rusty and had quite the bad attitude. All we did was walk and trot and walk near the edge of the woods. About three times he did this seemingly fearful jump, wheeling, and trying to run away from the woods- coincidentally toward the barn that was in sight. Or was it a coincidence?
I THINK what he was doing was trying to fool me. He may have been initially frightened by a small thing, but he took his actions much further than his fear warranted. I think he was looking for a reason to spook so that he could get away with running back to the barn. I pulled his head around the first time and just held on tight. The second time, same thing. By the third time, I let him have it- spur, one rein, pushing him around, and letting him know that I would have none of that.

That was the first day. On the second day (Sunday) I took him to a different location in our front yard and a small distance into the woods. During my last trail ride at Brushy Creek (that's another story for another day) the downhill treks did not go so well, so that's what we did in the woods- went up and down some steep, long hills. He seems to get a little nervous going downhill (ok, maybe I get a little nervous too). So we did that big hill sideways, up, down, stopped in the middle, backed up the hill, backed down the hill, and stepped over logs on the hill. I made him do it over and over until he would calmly walk instead of rushing.
Going back toward the barn was a little bit of a power struggle, but I expected it and had planned ahead. The day before, I realized that he performed better when his mind was occupied, and acted stupid when he was bored. So I brought my rope on Saturday, and on the way back to the barn, roped a dead rattley pecan limb and drug it behind me. That kept him occupied for a little while. Then after he got bored with that, we side passed down the fence toward the barn, moved hops & shoulders, and then just walked. Sunday was much better than Saturday- only one of those bolting episodes when the dogs came out of the woods behind us.

We have a long way to go with this whole "riding outside the arena" thing. I'm still overcoming some old fears associated with wrecks I had years ago outside the arena, and he is overcoming, well, I'm not sure what. Maybe he's not really overcoming anything- just learning to listen to me in all circumstances, not just within the boundaries of the arena. I'm not going to lie- I am really hoping for terrible weather on the day of the trail challenge so that it will be held inside the arena.

TM