Today as I was grooming Kai up he was a little more pushy than normal. I corrected him and continued to brush him and then I tacked him up. When I brought him to the indoor arena I asked him to go on a circle and he kicked out at me. I quickly backed him up all the way around the arena for a lap and a half. Kai stopped kicking but he was still being very sassy and was testing my leadership. He was pushing on me and testing me in every way he could. He did not want to yield his HQ and when I invited him in he came and tried to push me with his nose. The last session he was testing me this much was June second (My birthday!).
I needed to correct him big time. After I re-established my leadership and he was soft and responsive I went for a short ride before heading out for a trail ride. When we came back I took my sister for a ride on the lunge-line, and then my brother.
Now that I write this and reflect back on the session I think I know why Kai was so testy. I remembered that right after I took him out of the paddock I let my sister lead him. She is much less confident than I am and Kai must have sensed that. I usually only let her handle Kai after I work with him but I want her to be more involved with Kai so I thought it would be ok to let her lead him. I show my leadership and confidence right from the moment Kai sees me. He usually tests me in one little way, for example by pulling back slightly. I always correct him and we continue to the arena no problem. I am now aware that Kai looks for my leadership right away and he needs me to be a leader for him from the start and that I naturally did it without even thinking about it.
I needed to correct him big time. After I re-established my leadership and he was soft and responsive I went for a short ride before heading out for a trail ride. When we came back I took my sister for a ride on the lunge-line, and then my brother.
Now that I write this and reflect back on the session I think I know why Kai was so testy. I remembered that right after I took him out of the paddock I let my sister lead him. She is much less confident than I am and Kai must have sensed that. I usually only let her handle Kai after I work with him but I want her to be more involved with Kai so I thought it would be ok to let her lead him. I show my leadership and confidence right from the moment Kai sees me. He usually tests me in one little way, for example by pulling back slightly. I always correct him and we continue to the arena no problem. I am now aware that Kai looks for my leadership right away and he needs me to be a leader for him from the start and that I naturally did it without even thinking about it.
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