Right from the start, during that first week of "experiments", I discovered that Nox was afraid of jump poles. He was afraid of the poles even when they were lying on the ground - wouldn't go near them. I found this more than a little ironic, since one of the reasons I picked Nox was because his long legs and athletic ability would make him a very good jumper. I was hoping to someday soar over those same poles when they were suspended in the air!
A few people gave me their opinions and advice: lead him to the pole on the ground and make him walk over it, smack his butt, don't let him get away with avoiding the pole, keep fighting until he does it. I smiled, listened, and nodded my head. In the past, the horse would have been theirs and I would have to do it their way. In the past, I would have silently thought about all the methods that I would like to try, if the horse was mine.
Well, now the horse IS mine.
Since I was in no hurry to get Nox over the poles (we are a long way away from doing any jumping), I tried a more laid back approach. I started by turning Nox out in the indoor ring with several poles lying on the ground randomly around the ring. He spent the first week avoiding them, running around like he was drunk, weaving erratically, and snorting loudly at the strange white things littered around his play area. I'd go in and move the poles, but I never asked him to go near them.
After a while, I placed the poles in the area he liked to hang out most - in front of the open window that looked out toward the pastures. Nox was frustrated, because to hang his head out the window he had to get close to the poles. I watched with amusement as he stretched his neck as far as he could to glimpse green grass and blue sky, without moving his feet near the dreaded pole. He'd inch forward, slowly, worried that the pole might suddenly jump up and bite him.
One day, I thought we had a break-through. Nox walked over to the pole in front of the window and put his nose down to smell it. He licked the pole, and then chewed on it a little. He raised his head and moved one front leg forward, as if he was going to walk over the pole. I silently cheered him on, thinking "this is it!". He took that hoof and tentatively kicked the pole once. He kicked it again. When he realized the pole was not going to bite him, and in fact, would move when he kicked it, he became very brave. He spent the next few minutes kicking the pole out of his way until it was far enough that he could triumphantly hang his head out the window. All I could do was laugh.
Over the next few weeks, I continued to put poles all over the ring, even while riding him, and thought perhaps Nox wouldn't be a great jumper after all. Then one day, all on his own, he walked over a pole - like it was no big deal. I celebrated and cheered and he watched me jump up and down like he thought I was crazy.
My celebration was short-lived, however, because he refused to walk over the poles when I led him or rode him. Since his fear of the pole was gone, I knew he was refusing out of stubbornness. A different problem needs a different solution, so I gave him two choices. He could walk over the pole with me and we would move on and do something else more fun. He could refuse, and we would walk in small circles around the pole, nine or ten fast laps, before trying again. I had to repeat this many times until he finally realized that it would be far less work and hassle if he just walked over the pole. In no time, Best Husband Ever and I could lead Nox over poles like he'd been doing it for years. A few days later, Nox walked over the poles while I was riding him. He was calm and confident. I never had to force him or make it a fight where one of us had to lose.
Admittedly, this method took months to accomplish what a few hours of fighting could have done, but I'm in no hurry. I feel like we solved this problem together; building trust and learning to communicate along the way.
We've arrived at the same happy place - on the other side of the pole.
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| Success! |
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