Chrome's Second Ground Driving Session

I'm back posting this so don't let it worry you that you're seeing this two days later lol!

I had a second ground driving session with Chrome and it didn't go as well as I was hoping. It shouldn't have surprised me because I had a really bad headache, had a really bad day at work and was just really not into it. I probably should have just skipped working with him today, but I feel like if I keep putting it off when I don't feel good I may never do anything with him.

I did learn something very valuable though! Chrome's lacking in some of his foundation work (or just needs brushing up) before we work on ground driving again. He needs more work on moving away from pressure to ropes (across his haunches) and I need to do some lateral flexion work in the cavesson because he likes to brace against it (he's used to doing his work in a rope halter).

So anyway I put on his cavesson, surcingle and driving reins and then I had my husband walk in front of us, hoping Chrome would follow him. However without a rope or treat he really wasn't interested in my husband lol. He was listening to walk on a lot better without me having to slap the ropes against his sides at all. I also tried to minimize my clucking so that he would be responding to the words 'walk on' instead of clucking. He did okay the first couple of times, but then started trying to spin around to face me constantly. This is where I got frustrated because I was having to pull with all of my strength to keep him from facing me. Like I said he needs work in the cavesson with leading and flexion. He's used to the feel of a rope halter, not flat leather.

I did stop to put the rope around his hindquarters so he would spin away from me, yielding his haunches to the rope. It helped a little. I need to work on whoa and giving to pressure in the cavesson before I work on ground driving again. I'm tempted to try it on the road just so he will walk a straight line, but that wouldn't be safe. His saving grace is that he did excellent waiting for his treats. As soon as he heard the clicker he froze and let me walk up both his left and right sides to deliver the treat. Silly boy. I think once I fill in these holes in his training he'll pick up the ground driving quickly. :)