I call it the "tappa-tappa stick". I commandeered this name from an old episode of The Simpsons where the daughter Lisa starts tap dancing lessons. As it transpires she's terrible at tap dancing, but largely because her teacher is abysmal with her instruction and will only say "tappa-tappa-tappa!" as a how-to. When the instructor points out that all the other students can do it with her measly guidance, Lisa grumbles under her breath, "I'll give you tappa-tappa-tappa". This begrudging attitude is the same one I see on the faces of horses I've convinced to go into the trailer using my tappa-tappa technique. Hence, the "tappa-tappa stick". After being irritatingly tapped in a persistent rhythm the horses aren't afraid or nervous, just frustrated with me and my incessant tapping. It's similar in theory to an irritating fly that continues to haunt a horse until he runs from the lush pasture into the barn. Eventually the horse goes into the trailer to get me to quit tapping them in the "one, two, rest" rhythm. Today Highboy discovered that if he doesn't go into the trailer on the first try with the clicker and cookies, he must endure two taps and a pause (the pause is so he can collect his thoughts and choose whether he wants to go in or put up with more tapping). If he backs up away from the trailer the taps become a little faster and firmer, and if he goes forward they stop altogether. If he stops they slowly resume. In this way his only option to escape the tapping is to go forward into the trailer. The pause keeps him from feeling coerced or forced in, and gives him a chance to make that decision himself. The tapping is pretty annoying, though, and he does throw a good temper tantrum right before he calmly climbs in with an exasperated sigh saying, "FINE, I'll do it your way, just quit tapping me with that %$&# stick and don't rub it in by telling me I'm a 'good boy'."
So once Highboy was loaded in the trailer we were on our way. At the show grounds five minutes away the club president, some board members, and some new competitors were checking in at the office. I lunged Highboy briefly, he was pretty calm and just needed to look at the arena and grounds. We did english showmanship, an in-hand class, then tacked up and rode a bit before equitation followed by show hack and controlled riding. He was so quiet, particularly compared to his first show earlier this season, and everyone commented on how much improved he is! Steering was significantly better, and he got both leads at the canter a few times. The best part was he didn't look sore when we got home, something I look for pretty carefully with a horse who has been through PT and rehab. He did have a little temper tantrum about getting into the trailer to leave the show, but it was much shorter in duration even if it was more dramatic with so many people watching. I had a couple people approach and ask if I wanted help (I declined), and then Highboy gave one last fit of temper and then calmly marched in.
As I pulled into the driveway at home after the show I had the thought, "I wonder if Rain would want to go to the show and do western...?" Literally, as this crossed my mind she raised her head up from the grass she was eating in the pasture. She then hightailed it (also literally) through the pasture, into the barn paddock and stood at the gate clearly saying, "me next!" It is unusual for her to expect to go with me, since I haven't worked her much at all in the past year or so. But I put her halter on, she charged into the trailer with determination, and waited for me to close her divider to secure her space.
When we got to the show grounds I was just in time for western equitation, and they kindly held the show for me for a couple minutes so I could unload Rain and get her tacked up in a western saddle, shanked bit and bridle for neck reining. Rain hasn't really received any western training and certainly hasn't worn a bit with a shank in years. She hasn't even done any cantering under saddle for quite some time since her owner prefers to have relaxed rides walking and trotting at home. However that little mare is game, she rode in western equitation and did a pattern with no warm-up, then rode in western pleasure. A bit too forward for western pleasure, but all her training with me has been for dressage so it was understandable. Since there was only two of us in my division, my friend asked if I was going to do reining. I was game to try it (despite Rain never having done it before...) I memorized the pattern, and Rain and I went first. She did everything! She booked it from one end of the arena to the other fast, did beginner caliber rollbacks, backed, spun four times each direction, ran large fast circles and smaller slower circles, and stopped beautifully for a dressage horse (as she's been trained) instead of sliding. She did it all with a relaxed attitude and just seemed interested and ready for the challenge of something new. There are very few horses I can take out of a pasture after that much time off from training, introduce that many new things, and show her successfully. Makes me feel grateful for the paint/quarter horse brain she has.
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| Rain after reining |
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| She's a babe no matter which type of tack she wears. |
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