Hard Lessons

Today was less than perfect for Flash. In the morning I took him to the barn while I got Doc ready to ride in my lesson with Betsy. He was ok until we went to the arena. Doc was lagging seemingly because Flash was there in close proximity. Or he was lagging just because he didn't want to work. It's not clear, but he usually doesn't balk at going to the arena.

Betsy held Flash while I mounted Doc just to be safe. Then she let him go and he was bothering Doc. Doc gave a little jump in the beginning and then we just walked around the arena to warm him up. At one point he leaned his head down to smell Flash and then he sneezed. Whoops! Both horse and dog jumped.

Flash was being a pain and not minding us to stay away from the horse. So Betsy called him to the barn and was trying to put a lead on his collar. He apparently was more interested in running back to the arena and he nipped at her several times, once breaking the skin. Bad dog!

Once he was back in the arena on a lead he was marginally more manageable but was still putting up a fight. Betsy was disciplining the dog while I rode and eventually he gave up and behaved. Behaving means not trying to run after the horse.

After the lesson, Flash was tired out (see photo).

Later in the afternoon the dog trainer came and I told her what happened (nipping). She said I needed to push Flash, making him do what I ask until he tries to nip, then give him heck. So to speak.

So we did a heeling exercise in the back yard and Flash did try to nip a few times. Each time I put him on the ground and told him, "No biting!"


By the time we quit, Flash was heeling more or less by my side. Small steps. At least he wasn't fighting me. Stubborn dog.