Tina gets started and Gem goes to a show

First for the day was Gemini. I've been wanting to take him to a show and walk him around. I wanted to see how he'd act and expose him to the show environment when we have no agenda, no time limit, no worries. There were two shows going on... one was H/J and the other dressage. There were horses everywhere and people, dogs, flags, excitement, just a great place to take him to let him experience things. He was so calm and cool! He did call once in a while, but I can't help but think that would go away pretty quickly. He was great and I realized he'd be great in that environment with me. I will definitely try some dressage shows with him next spring.

He loaded in the trailer both coming and going with ease and confidence. Our work together is really paying off! Now, we're going to start filming our L3 ground stuff.

When I got home, I did some chores and started next with Tina. I tacked her up with my treeless endurance saddle (great for the young ones!). We went to the round pen some ground work. She's trying very hard and I'm doing my best to reward her slightest tries and mind her sensitive nature. I can make mere suggestions and she's doing her best to accomodate my ask. I want her to be careful about assuming so I gently ask again if she's given the wrong answer. I don't want her to feel wrong and I don't want to stifle her thinking process as much as possible. We're developing quite a language in a short time.



I got my horse play ball out and played with her confidence. We started with just stick and string friendly and she tried to move her feet to shut it down. When she realized if she calmed down the stick would too, she quickly made that part of her plan moving forward. Staying calm! Smart girl. With the ball, I asked her to put her nose on it. She was already curious about this huge ball, so that was easy. Then I rolled it while we followed it. She licked and chewed. Then, I started bouncing it and she thought moving away was wise. However, she quickly learned that, like the stick, the ball calmed down when she did. :-) Then, I challenged her to have the ball in zone 3 and finally on top of zone 3!! Then, with the ball on her back I asked her to walk around. She was trusting that I wouldn't allow this ball to devour her and she took one step, then another, then it was a breeze.

At this point, we'd been playing about 45 - 60 minutes and it was time to put a foot in the stirrup and get her accustomed to the practice of mounting. I asked my husband to help by supporting her in zone 1 with calming words and strokes. At first, my foot in the stirrup was strange for her and she got tight and tense. I stayed there, stayed with her until she got more relaxed, then I rewarded the relaxation by getting my foot out of the stirrup. That made sense to her quickly.

We practiced mounting, rewarding with retreat, relaxation, calmness, and after she seemed ok with mounting, I laid on her back. She was getting better and more relaxed. We got to a point where I thought she was unsure so I stopped kneeled in front of her and waited for her to lick and chew. It took her about 90 seconds. Ahhhh... she needed a minute to think about things. Then, when I want back to mount and lay over her some more, she was a pro. She was fine with it, calm and accepting.

I found a good place to stop the mounting practice, rub her all over, retreat, retreat, retreat. She had her head low, her confidence was high and she was super. Later this week, I'll throw a leg over and make sure she's ok with that, then we'll start the teaching of being a calm, smart, brave mount! She took a huge step forward today. It was a great session.

I will take some more time to shape up her feet this week. She's looking good!!

Competition with Z

Had an amazing day with Z and so glad to have my main horse back in action! We went to Plum Hollow for a Pair Pace event. The course was about 3 miles and had 27 jumps! We did a lot of it at a canter but one of our team riders went off at one point, costing us some time. We also had some pretty neat looking jumps that our horses weren't sure they wanted to approach. We took our time and just had a blast!! We took 9th out of 25. I was worried we were going too fast, but were actually a little slow because of the hesitant approaches and the fall.

Z was so calm for the whole thing. She was trusting, easy and made the Thoroughbreds on my team look like maniacs. Her mouth was always soft and she was very responsive. All the training we've done was certainly paying off and my team mates made lots of comments on her good behavior.

Then, the Arapahoe Hunt club did a mini-hunt and invited any Pair Pace competitors interested to join. I, of course, was all IN! Three of the five of us there did the mini hunt, which was a blast. When they blow the bugle and dogs get a scent it's just full on gallop time! About 30 horses came along - total mayhem. But it was great fun. At one point, my friend and her horse came barreling into us causing Z to cut hard to the right and I went off. I almost stayed on, but I just couldn't get my center of gravity back on top. I wasn't hurt, I just gave Tammy and her horse the evil eye and got back on. I was, of course, giggling the whole time - even during the evil eye.

On the way home, we stopped at a new trailhead - Dawson Butte. It's a nicely groomed 5-mile loop through trees and across meadows. There were also cross country jumps everywhere. I was done jumping for the day, but a couple from our group are never done! We also trotted and cantered a bunch over the winding trails which was great fun. Z was hot and tired by the end and I think I pushed her a little hard for her first day back, but hey - she's an Anglo-Arab - she can do it!

I had a great day with her and I look forward to competing some more in the spring! Now we're prepping for the clinic this weekend. Can't wait!

A fat herd and Zarah's back!

Work was long today... way longer than expected. I had big plans for horse training but my day job won.

I came out to a sleeping and very relaxed herd. Gem was in the front pasture alone and the rest of the herd was looking pretty good. They all look fat right now! Even Tina, the newest horse here for training has put on some weight since her arrival. Hmmm... I can cut hay back a little I suppose, but happy to see them carrying a little extra as we head into winter.

The herd is getting along lovely and it's nice to see them take turns laying down while the others keep watch. It's just a peaceful scene.

We had non-stop rain the last 4 days in a row and the temps were so cold I had to put a few in winter blankets (Z, Abby and Tina). The others are so hearty, they don't need the blanket support. I was glad today to pull blankets off and stow them until temps drop again. Winter coats are coming in strong now and they all look hairier by the day. Goodbye sleek summer coats, hello wool and hairy mammoths. :-)

Tina's feet are much, much better after trimming. Another month of growth and proper trim and she'll be in great shape. Nina is due for her trim now.

I cut Z's bandage off and decided to leave it off. The wound has healed very nicely and I wanted it to get some air. I'll hose it and clean and rewrap it tomorrow as I think it's healing so nicely under bandaging. I'm hoping it will leave a minimal scar. I then decided it was time to ride my most developed horse! I've missed her.

We had little time since work was so long and late. I tacked her up, did a little ground work and then rode her out to the front pasture towards Gem. She felt great! We picked up right where we left off! I worried that 3 weeks off might mean a step back, but after a few mins on her back I realized that she was the same horse I put away the session before her injury. Her backup is soft and fantastic, her responses are positive and willing, her legs feel strong.

I'll take her to the Pair Pace tomorrow. Decision made. We played in the trailer a bit to be sure she'd be ready to load up and go. She'll do great and it will be better than pushing Gem his first time. I wanted to take him to the dressage show today to feel the air of a show, the excitement and the adrenalin, to see how he'd react. Work was too busy - I couldn't do it. I don't want to take him to perform for me w/o first taking him under zero pressure. I want to do it right w/him and set him up to succeed. I also want to set him up to trust me as much as possible.

I'm learning a ton. Preserve their dignity and put the relationship first and your horse will pay you back ten-fold. I will show Gem in dressage next year. It will be his time to shine.

Before the sun went down, I coached Chrissy on her stuff with Lakota. She warmed him up and then I stayed close for her to mount and dismount. She's working on overcoming fear after going off her horse weeks ago. She got on, practiced lateral flexion, then got off. She got back and did it again. It may seem simple, but she's preserving her own dignity and rebuilding her confidence. It takes the time it takes and I'll help her however I can. She then asked that I ride her horse. I'm sure it's nice to watch him be ridden and I appreciate the opportunity to supple him and remove more brace. He did very nicely for me with serpentines and then simple disengagements at the walk. I just wanted to practice things that would supple him and relax him. He was very amenable and trying hard to do the right thing. He's a great horse - Chrissy's lucky.