Rode Gem to gate and back, then cloverleaf and follow the rail in the arena. Then, KK came out to ride Rain and practiced bareback while getting on obstacles. She also stood on Rain's back - very scary for her! She was a brave girl!!
Chrissy didn't do much with Cowboy, not feeling up for the challenge I imagine. She tried a little liberty, but didn't want to break anything. She needs a little motivation, I think.
I had bigger plans for my evening but got a late start and the days are getting shorter. Time to start using the indoor arena. Good to have friends with indoor arenas!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
More Trailer Confidence with Z
Another long day at work and I was feeling very tired. I didn't ride today but I wanted to spend a little time building more trailer confidence with Z. Z is great about the trailer - great for loading, great and calm unloading. With another horse on the ride, she's just fine. However, she's never been very confident about trailering alone. She'll load because I've asked her to, but she's obviously wary and I want her to have more confidence about surviving the ride.
This coming weekend I'll be in a clinic for 4 days and Z will have to load and unload every day. Maybe this weekend will be great for getting her more confident about riding alone, but I decided to also spend these days prior to the clinic helping her along. So, I decided to feed her grain in the trailer and some alfalfa. She loaded up fine, I closed the trailer door and then I put her grain and alfalfa in through the window. I did my chores while she feasted in the trailer. Once she was done eating, I could hear her pacing. I decided to go in the trailer through my tack room and sit with her. I wanted to see just how nervous she looked. She was thinking, definitely not panicked, not sweating, not even pawing. But she wanted out. Of course, what horse wouldn't want out.
I decided to sit with her until she decided to stop moving her feet. She kept coming to me and then to the trailer door and then back to me. I had a bucket to sit on and I just watched and waited. She would eat some hay and then go back to the trailer door. Finally, after about 45 minutes, she cocked a leg. Ahhhh! That was when I decided it was time to come out. We'll do that every night this week with her grain and some alfalfa. I want to see an improvement in her attitude about being in the trailer alone. I want her more comfortable when we travel.
This coming weekend I'll be in a clinic for 4 days and Z will have to load and unload every day. Maybe this weekend will be great for getting her more confident about riding alone, but I decided to also spend these days prior to the clinic helping her along. So, I decided to feed her grain in the trailer and some alfalfa. She loaded up fine, I closed the trailer door and then I put her grain and alfalfa in through the window. I did my chores while she feasted in the trailer. Once she was done eating, I could hear her pacing. I decided to go in the trailer through my tack room and sit with her. I wanted to see just how nervous she looked. She was thinking, definitely not panicked, not sweating, not even pawing. But she wanted out. Of course, what horse wouldn't want out.
I decided to sit with her until she decided to stop moving her feet. She kept coming to me and then to the trailer door and then back to me. I had a bucket to sit on and I just watched and waited. She would eat some hay and then go back to the trailer door. Finally, after about 45 minutes, she cocked a leg. Ahhhh! That was when I decided it was time to come out. We'll do that every night this week with her grain and some alfalfa. I want to see an improvement in her attitude about being in the trailer alone. I want her more comfortable when we travel.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
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 learn
ed 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 b
ack. 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!!
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 learn
ed 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 b
ack. 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!!
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