Pole Work with Zadia

Zadia, a 10yo Hanoverian/Canadian mare, initially detested ground work. Having the person who's working with her further than a couple feet away from her body was causing her confusion and discomfort, as if there was not empty space but a thick wall between them. Roundpenning her was equivalent to pushing a boulder; it required a lot of physical energy to get her to move and keep her moving. Contact with a whip was often necessity. Zadia shows strong preference for being ridden. She enjoys it, and it makes sense to her. Over the past year, we have found a nice middle ground in lunge work. Somehow, the long line (like a rein) helps her stay connected with me, possibly gives her comfort, or perhaps the vibrations travelling through the fabric provide information otherwise lost in the roundpen. Zadia is also still discovering and learning to believe in her power: her fitness, athleticism, talent, the gifts passed down her bloodline. Often, I need to "get big" to encourage her to push through her doubt. It helps to match her stride and pace, imitate canter and encourage her to join, use sound cues, and send some airwaves towards her hindquarters with the swoosh of the whip.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KXgI7N0nTk