So lately I've been thinking a lot about Cavallo and his situation and my situation. I'll start with his..
So his story goes like this: He was "started" as a dressage horse (my thoughts are that he had a saddle thrown on him and was kicked to go, and pulled to stop) and was a total handful. He ended up running off with his owner's grandpa, and their five year old daughter. They decided enough was enough and dumped him on my mom and I's friend. She didn't have enough time or cash to care for him like she wanted to, so thats when he ended up in my hands. When I got him, I thought I was getting an LBE playful, confident horse. Turns out I came into a tripolar, emotional mess! I've had him for almost a year now. Just as I thought we were heading for a major breakthrough, I feel his confidence has plumetted again. He's jumpy and skeptical, and I haven't changed a thing I'm doing. I really don't understand. He's quite a handful, and although I do love him to death, I've been thinking lately, is he too much horse for my skill level? Did I take on a big project before I was ready? The reason I took him was to have a second riding horse, because my main riding horse is 25, and you know the rest!
I've been thinking, is Cavallo fulfilling my needs? Am I fulfilling his? Well, the first one is no. That's not his fault, it was mine. I feel like I'm fulfilling most of his needs..I'm building his confidence while at the same time playing lots and going as slow as he needs.
I do have a contract with the friend that we got him from saying that if we don't like him, we can give him back and she will rehome him. Here's where I always get emotional. I start thinking, I can't give up on this guy! He's already been rejected twice, and a third can't happen. He needs a permanent home with a permanent partner whose going to love him and show him that humans really arent bad! As we were playing today, I started doing some new stuff like transitions on a circle using my stick instead of the line. He's so brilliant..he picked it up right away and looked at me like DID I GET IT RIGHT?! He really just wants to do the right thing. When he gets scared, he comes around quick. Whenever I play with him, I can't help but think how much I love him and how fascinating he is. He can flip from RBE to RBI to LBE in a matter of minutes, and I love seeing what I can do to help him become confident. I believe he fell into my hands for a reason. I wasn't looking for a horse like him, at all! I wanted a horse that was rideable, and mainly one horsenality. Instead, I was instantly attracted to him. He needed me, and I needed him, so in conclusion, I'm keeping him, because he's just the teacher I need, and he's just the challenge for me. Also because he needs a natural home, where he'll always be understood and given what he needs, mentally, physically, and emotionally. He's my boy, and that's how its gonna stay. I wouldn't want it any other way. I mean it is "Horses teach humans, humans teach horses," right?
Savvy On!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!
Wow! Sorry it's been so long since I've updated this! I've been so busy!!
So where do I start! Well, Solo was lame for about two weeks, but he's improving now! We still don't know what it was, but a little bute goes a long way! It was his right hind leg. We think he pulled a muscle. Anyways! He's able to be played with again! And I've been riding him lightly, just trying to build him back up again. He seems fine, but I don't want to take any risks! As far as our relationship goes, it's better than its ever been! I think that two weeks off was needed, because it gave me a chance to just spend some undemanding time with him! He expression has totally changed..he looks like himself again. For a while, he wasn't looking too happy, which I think was a mixture of pain, and boredom! While not playing with him, its given me a chance to think of what we need to work on, instead of playing with the same things. I've realized that we need to work more on our liberty patterns, and move onto our level 3 online patterns for gosh sakes!! (:
Our rides have been great! He is so soft and responsive and I always feel safe on him! I trust him with my life..literally! He's been using his topline so much more these days, and the muscle growth shows it! He really looks fabulous! Our finesse has really taken off. He understands now that when I pick up collection, he needs to follow that feel, not hollow out his back and overbend. Silly boy!
Where do I start with Cavallo?! Well, he really is my "wild child"! He's such a goof ball, and his LBE side is peeking through more and more everyday! about a week ago my mom and I took Cavallo and Mandala (that's my moms "new" horse..we got them on the same day!) out to The Horse First Farm for a play night! They just got a new playground in, and there is a pond in it. Its about knee deep on the horse, and probably 15-20 feet long! How fun!!! Well, the first time I asked him to touch it, he sniffed it, and then decided he didn't want anymore of it. So I said okay, let's go play with some other toys! After we made our way around the playgroud, we approached the pond again. This time, he walked up to it, sniffed it, dunked his nose in it and swished it around. Then he pawed it a little, and said "okay! I'm done!" So we went and played with some jumping over the logs, and with the carwash. Then we came back, and this time he walked right up to it, sniffed it, pawed it, and then with a little encouragement from zone 5, he walked right through! What a smart boy! Well later that night, my mom was asking Mandala to go through, and Cavallo and I came over and he wanted to walk through it again! He started out by pawing the "shoreline" and emptying about half the pond! :D He splashed Mandala in the process! It was so funny! I asked him to go a little further into the pond! Well now he was sticking about half of his head into the pond, and then figured out that water doesn't work as well as oxygen! After he figure that out, he started blowing bubbles out of his nose! That was the funniest thing I've ever seen! He then finished off his comedy act by laying down in the pond! Then he got up, walked out, and looked at me like "Okay, I've had my fun!" I couldn't stop laughing at that goofy boy! I took him into the sand arena to roll afterwards, which he thoroughly enjoyed!
At home, we've been working on getting our draw better, because he likes to lean on the rope..not good! I've found its better when he's already moving, compared to when he's standing still and I ask him to come to me! We're also working on spirals, and getting him to arc more on a circle, instead of just leaning on the rope. We're also working on lots of friendly game in zone 3, with flank ropes, long lines, and lots of commotion in that area! Lastly, we're working on doing lots of things from the mounting block, not just mounting!
Savvy On! :)
So where do I start! Well, Solo was lame for about two weeks, but he's improving now! We still don't know what it was, but a little bute goes a long way! It was his right hind leg. We think he pulled a muscle. Anyways! He's able to be played with again! And I've been riding him lightly, just trying to build him back up again. He seems fine, but I don't want to take any risks! As far as our relationship goes, it's better than its ever been! I think that two weeks off was needed, because it gave me a chance to just spend some undemanding time with him! He expression has totally changed..he looks like himself again. For a while, he wasn't looking too happy, which I think was a mixture of pain, and boredom! While not playing with him, its given me a chance to think of what we need to work on, instead of playing with the same things. I've realized that we need to work more on our liberty patterns, and move onto our level 3 online patterns for gosh sakes!! (:
Our rides have been great! He is so soft and responsive and I always feel safe on him! I trust him with my life..literally! He's been using his topline so much more these days, and the muscle growth shows it! He really looks fabulous! Our finesse has really taken off. He understands now that when I pick up collection, he needs to follow that feel, not hollow out his back and overbend. Silly boy!
Where do I start with Cavallo?! Well, he really is my "wild child"! He's such a goof ball, and his LBE side is peeking through more and more everyday! about a week ago my mom and I took Cavallo and Mandala (that's my moms "new" horse..we got them on the same day!) out to The Horse First Farm for a play night! They just got a new playground in, and there is a pond in it. Its about knee deep on the horse, and probably 15-20 feet long! How fun!!! Well, the first time I asked him to touch it, he sniffed it, and then decided he didn't want anymore of it. So I said okay, let's go play with some other toys! After we made our way around the playgroud, we approached the pond again. This time, he walked up to it, sniffed it, dunked his nose in it and swished it around. Then he pawed it a little, and said "okay! I'm done!" So we went and played with some jumping over the logs, and with the carwash. Then we came back, and this time he walked right up to it, sniffed it, pawed it, and then with a little encouragement from zone 5, he walked right through! What a smart boy! Well later that night, my mom was asking Mandala to go through, and Cavallo and I came over and he wanted to walk through it again! He started out by pawing the "shoreline" and emptying about half the pond! :D He splashed Mandala in the process! It was so funny! I asked him to go a little further into the pond! Well now he was sticking about half of his head into the pond, and then figured out that water doesn't work as well as oxygen! After he figure that out, he started blowing bubbles out of his nose! That was the funniest thing I've ever seen! He then finished off his comedy act by laying down in the pond! Then he got up, walked out, and looked at me like "Okay, I've had my fun!" I couldn't stop laughing at that goofy boy! I took him into the sand arena to roll afterwards, which he thoroughly enjoyed!
At home, we've been working on getting our draw better, because he likes to lean on the rope..not good! I've found its better when he's already moving, compared to when he's standing still and I ask him to come to me! We're also working on spirals, and getting him to arc more on a circle, instead of just leaning on the rope. We're also working on lots of friendly game in zone 3, with flank ropes, long lines, and lots of commotion in that area! Lastly, we're working on doing lots of things from the mounting block, not just mounting!
Savvy On! :)
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