I've been pretty busy with horses lately, not that I'm complaining about it! ;) Last weekend, well, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, I had the opportunity to horse-sit for some friends of mine while they were out of town. They have about 30 horses, ranging from foals to full grown adults! They breed, train and sell their horses and mostly specialize in dressage. Well, while I was taking care of the weanlings, I noticed 3 painfully shy horses. One was a little bay filly with big brown eyes and black tipped ears! Another one was a cute little fresian. The last one was a little chestnut filly with two socks, one on the left front, and on the right hind. She also had a blaze. My mom and I noticed they were watching us, but the minute we looked over at them, they looked away! Classic RBI! So we squatted down in an effort to reduce the pressure we put on them. Before we knew it, the chestnut filly was over checking us out and sniffing us everywhere. Next, the little bay filly came over, but I could tell she was a little more shy, and she kind of hid behind the chestnut filly. The chestnut filly continued sniffing us from head to toe and it was just so sweet! I've never really had the opportunity to be around young horses, so this was pretty touching. Well, the fresian just couldn't take it! He had to come over and see what all the fuss was about! He was the most shy of the 3, and it took him about five minutes before he finally reached his nose over and take a sniff at my face! After that, my mom and I had to finish picking poop, so I slowly stood up, and everyone left but the chestnut filly. What a smart girl! I think she realized that I was same person as I was squatting.
The next night, we did the same thing, and soon we had the little chestnut filly following us everywhere! How sweet! We continued to do this whenever we had time, and by the time we were done with our horse-sitting job, I had pretty much fallen in love with her! When the family got back that owns all these horses, I told about her. Turns out her name is Gimlet. I think she's a German Riding Pony/Warmblood cross. She just absolutely beautiful!
When they went out to feed that night, the owner texted me and told me that Gimlet was looking for me when they were feeding. AHHHH! (= I can't believe I made that much of an impact on her. BUT! I don't need another horse! Grrr, what to do now?! Well, I'll figure something out! (=
Savvy On!
Monday, June 21, 2010
Friday, June 11, 2010
Fun in the Sun!
Yesterday was spectacular with Solo and Cavallo!!!
I played with Cavallo first yesterday. I brought him in the barn and clean him up nicely and it was a good time to spend some undemanding time with him! When I was brushing him, he cocked his hind leg and almost fell asleep! Also, when he turned his head and looked at me, his bottom lip was drooping! That was a first! He used to suck his bottom lip and it would make his mouth look REALLY small! This was his introverted "happy place." He barely ever does that anymore, even when he does get unconfident! We went outside and played around online with some weaving and figure 8s at the trot and then did some circle game at the walk. His problem at the walk is that he wants to turn and face me, which is great, but he needs to understand that I'll ask him in when he's done! Then we went in the round pen and worked on cantering on the cirle which went really well! He caught right on! He's so brilliant!!!! I thought everything was going really well, so then we played some stick to me at the trot at LIBERTY! It was quite the compliment that he stuck to me! He started get more interested in the grass than me, so I decided to hook him back up online before it fell apart! I was so proud of him! After that, we played with some jumping, and getting his confidence up with it. Then to end off the play time, I lined him up to the mounting block and rubbed him all over until his confidence showed, then I put him back out! It was a great day!
It was also a great day with Solo! We finished the weave and figure 8 pattern, so we moved onto traveling circles, which went really well for the first time! He even gave me TWO flying changes! Wahoo! We didn't play with too much online, because I wanted to go to liberty! Once at liberty, we played with our sideways towards and our draw from zone 5, which both are improving vastly!! Then we played with the circle pattern, which went really well! It was only our 3rd time doing it. After that, we saddled up and rode around! We did our last weave and figure 8 patterns which were perfect! Then I decided what the heck, lets try the level 3 figure 8! He did almost perfect simple changes and it was just beautiful! To end the ride, we did some point to point at the canter, and he got to eat grass at each point. Talk about motivation! We booked it to each point, and even did a roll back! What a great way to end the day! (=
Savvy On!
I played with Cavallo first yesterday. I brought him in the barn and clean him up nicely and it was a good time to spend some undemanding time with him! When I was brushing him, he cocked his hind leg and almost fell asleep! Also, when he turned his head and looked at me, his bottom lip was drooping! That was a first! He used to suck his bottom lip and it would make his mouth look REALLY small! This was his introverted "happy place." He barely ever does that anymore, even when he does get unconfident! We went outside and played around online with some weaving and figure 8s at the trot and then did some circle game at the walk. His problem at the walk is that he wants to turn and face me, which is great, but he needs to understand that I'll ask him in when he's done! Then we went in the round pen and worked on cantering on the cirle which went really well! He caught right on! He's so brilliant!!!! I thought everything was going really well, so then we played some stick to me at the trot at LIBERTY! It was quite the compliment that he stuck to me! He started get more interested in the grass than me, so I decided to hook him back up online before it fell apart! I was so proud of him! After that, we played with some jumping, and getting his confidence up with it. Then to end off the play time, I lined him up to the mounting block and rubbed him all over until his confidence showed, then I put him back out! It was a great day!
It was also a great day with Solo! We finished the weave and figure 8 pattern, so we moved onto traveling circles, which went really well for the first time! He even gave me TWO flying changes! Wahoo! We didn't play with too much online, because I wanted to go to liberty! Once at liberty, we played with our sideways towards and our draw from zone 5, which both are improving vastly!! Then we played with the circle pattern, which went really well! It was only our 3rd time doing it. After that, we saddled up and rode around! We did our last weave and figure 8 patterns which were perfect! Then I decided what the heck, lets try the level 3 figure 8! He did almost perfect simple changes and it was just beautiful! To end the ride, we did some point to point at the canter, and he got to eat grass at each point. Talk about motivation! We booked it to each point, and even did a roll back! What a great way to end the day! (=
Savvy On!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
SUMMER! (=
Finally, I'm on summer vacation, which means I get to ride all day! I'm so excited! I have so many goals and it's great that I finally have the time to just spend all day with my wonderful partners!!
So, which horse should I start with?
I'll do Solo! (=
He is doing amazing! He has gained a ton of weight and he finally looks healthy again! I think he lost about 50 pounds this winter! It was scary! Thank god for Equine Senior feed and Dr. Dan Moore's weight check oil! He is all shed out and his coat shines like the sun! As far as our progress as a team, we are forever growing a stronger relationship and he keeps proving to me what an amazing horse he is! It's hard for me to grasp the fact that he's 25, because he doesn't act like it at all! The way I see it, I'll stop riding when he tells me he can't do it anymore, but right now, he's always eager for me to hop on! :D On the ground, we've been working on patterns! They've helped with impulsion so much and now he's always willing to go! We're also working on getting his downward transitions onto his hindquarters, instead of tumbling onto his forehand. All of his games are looking fantastic, and we are about to start the liberty patterns! YAY!
Onto riding! Well, it's been fantastic! He's been using his topline so much it's hard to believe! He's got haunches in at the walk down, and it's time to move onto the trot! He really is fantastic! We've also been doing patterns freestyle and he's just awesome! I really don't think I could be any more please with my lil guy! I love him sooooooo much!
Now for Cavallo!
We had a lesson about a month ago now, and we were introduced to the flank rope! It has worked wonders! After the first time we did it, he was a different horse! Not jumpy, stood still, just completely confident and trusting! I had been looking for something to push his confidence outside the bubble without bursting it, and that was it. We also attached the 22' line to my stirrups and swung them around and flapped the line against my saddle and really desensitized him to all the noise going on! Now he looks like an old pro when I do it!
I've also been doing patterns with him, and he just loves them! He leaps around gets so confident and it's really great to see! It's crazy; I've had him for almost nine months! It's hard to believe he's even the same horse that I brought home labor-day weekend! He stands still now, which was almost impossible before! I'm so proud of him, and I really feel a special connection with him. He's going to be an excellent horse and I have a feeling that when he accepts me as a rider, our relationship will really take off! I can't wait to start doing some things at liberty with him!
He really is one special guy! I'm falling in love with him, a day at time!
Savvy On!
So, which horse should I start with?
I'll do Solo! (=
He is doing amazing! He has gained a ton of weight and he finally looks healthy again! I think he lost about 50 pounds this winter! It was scary! Thank god for Equine Senior feed and Dr. Dan Moore's weight check oil! He is all shed out and his coat shines like the sun! As far as our progress as a team, we are forever growing a stronger relationship and he keeps proving to me what an amazing horse he is! It's hard for me to grasp the fact that he's 25, because he doesn't act like it at all! The way I see it, I'll stop riding when he tells me he can't do it anymore, but right now, he's always eager for me to hop on! :D On the ground, we've been working on patterns! They've helped with impulsion so much and now he's always willing to go! We're also working on getting his downward transitions onto his hindquarters, instead of tumbling onto his forehand. All of his games are looking fantastic, and we are about to start the liberty patterns! YAY!
Onto riding! Well, it's been fantastic! He's been using his topline so much it's hard to believe! He's got haunches in at the walk down, and it's time to move onto the trot! He really is fantastic! We've also been doing patterns freestyle and he's just awesome! I really don't think I could be any more please with my lil guy! I love him sooooooo much!
Now for Cavallo!
We had a lesson about a month ago now, and we were introduced to the flank rope! It has worked wonders! After the first time we did it, he was a different horse! Not jumpy, stood still, just completely confident and trusting! I had been looking for something to push his confidence outside the bubble without bursting it, and that was it. We also attached the 22' line to my stirrups and swung them around and flapped the line against my saddle and really desensitized him to all the noise going on! Now he looks like an old pro when I do it!
I've also been doing patterns with him, and he just loves them! He leaps around gets so confident and it's really great to see! It's crazy; I've had him for almost nine months! It's hard to believe he's even the same horse that I brought home labor-day weekend! He stands still now, which was almost impossible before! I'm so proud of him, and I really feel a special connection with him. He's going to be an excellent horse and I have a feeling that when he accepts me as a rider, our relationship will really take off! I can't wait to start doing some things at liberty with him!
He really is one special guy! I'm falling in love with him, a day at time!
Savvy On!
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