Poor Duck!

Ok I feel really guilty now. Duck and her bad attitude on the weave pattern and me trying to fix it came to bite me in the behind. While playing weave Duck was really crabby. Obstacles didn't seem to make a difference in her attitude, and sending her more snappy definitely made it worse. So I was trying another tactic, the "don't give me that attitude" with a phase 4 attached (with the lead rope). Anyway so after about 3 bumps she is getting a little better. Well I send her again and she puts her head down and ears back as flat as they will go. So I wind up my arm to do a phase 4, let it rip, and WHAMO the buckle hits her right in the eye! I thought I blinded my horse! She backed up about 10 feet and then stood dazed. I immediately went to pet her and check her out. She is holding her eye shut. She then opened it and I couldn't see any damage. Then I look and whew, it looks like it hit her the worst right under the eye. It left a small cut and was bleeding a little. That was a first for me (and hopefully a last). Who knew the leadrope could be that deadly?

The poor girl when we were all done she was eating a cookie in her corral (with electric fence) and she started leaning on the electric wire. I thought for a second the wire was off cause she leaned into it for awhile. Then SHOCK, and she took off quick! Poor girl! 

Anyway other than our mishap the session went fairly well. She really is sticking to the rail quite well. She has been a bit rushy at the trot still and I am not sure if it is the way I am riding or her confidence or both? Time will tell. We did follow the rail at the walk, trot, with turns etc. She doesn't break gait although the whole time she felt like she was going to break into a canter. 

On the ground we went first to the large trailer (the small one was at a show). I was trying to move the divider on the left side when she loaded herself on the right! And she only backed out after a minute or so! Then when I asked her in the second time she went straight in and stayed there nosing around calmly until I asked her out! Yeah!

We did a figure 8 on the 12 ft line around 2 picnic benches (and it was near a little hill too) for which I didn't get hardly any crabby ears. Then we went to the arena to do the weave (with obstacles) and got the major crabby ears. I need to pull out the liberty and horse behavior and review some of the sections.

All in all a a good hour and a half today. All because I went in early to work my barn shift so I wouldn't get done at 12. Instead we were done at 10:30 which was really nice so I had a little time to play after. I actually like going in early when there is all those stalls to do. It just feels better, like I've gotten more accomplished if I get done earlier! The barn got a beautiful gray horse in. He is the cutest thing. I think I will always have a soft spot for gray horses since my first horse, Rose N' Gray was a little gray arab. This guy is an absolutely gorgeous dappled gray. And it looks like he's gaited too. I always love to see beautiful horses!

With it being so close to Christmas who knows when I will be able to ride/play next. We are going to be doing holiday stuff I am sure! 

Trailering play and more patterns

Ok it has been foggy/misty/raining here since Sunday! YUCK! So it is REALLY muddy at the barn. I haven't been able to do too much because the footing is pretty slick but we did play with the trailer the other day. She will stay in for a bit and then come out. As long as the divider is to the side on the 2 horse. So progress! When it gets nicer I will try the bigger trailer again. One reason I don't like ramps is they are slick. Especially when wet!

I got Duck out yesterday and I didn't want to go in her really muddy pen to get her so I decided to let her out. The last few times she's followed me. Not today! She made a beeline for the grass  (the opposite direction I wanted her to go). I was actually worried I wouldn't be able to catch her! LOL But she did let me catch her and I let her graze for awhile. We played some sideways and backing up. Then with the bareback pad I hopped on (from the back of my van) and we played follow the rail along the pasture fences all the way to the arena. I did trot her in the arena and she is getting the hang of it for the most part. The grass was an issue again though. When near the grass when we were on the outside of the arena she kept leaving the rail to go to the grass. I didn't want to fight with her about it but I ended up doing just that and making her stick to the fence line. hmm, I wonder how I can do that better so she doesn't feel so wrong about it?

And PS Kris, I DON'T have a lot of time to ride mainly. The only time I DO have is when both kids are at school! LOL. I've been trying to do stuff with my horse in shorter bursts (less than 1 hr) which is hard. And remember, I didn't ride for about 4 years with my 2 kids so you are WAY ahead of me in that you still even get a lesson once a week! I could only dream! They gave away free lessons in the drawing for our barn Christmas party. I was hoping I would get one! Nope, got a hat. :) Oh well guess it wasn't meant to be!

Patterns...

So we've been playing with the figure 8 and weave patterns but with one little glitch. Duck hates it! She pins her ears, swishes her tail and has a majorly bad attitude. I wrote to Carol to ask what to do and basically she wrote back and told me this is where you experiment. Obstacles in the weave or more snappy departures. I went for the obstacles since she seems to get less confident when I do the snappy departures. She still had a bad attitude but after she was done she sighed, blew a lot and licked an chewed. We'll see how it is next time. 

We also did a little with the trailer again. I don't have time to do a trailer loading marathon so we have been doing a little here and there. Yesterday we went to the 2 horse trailer and the divider was pushed off to one side. I had her touch the trailer and walk across the ramp a couple times. After that I asked her to load once to see what she would do. She went 3/4 the way in and stood there a good minute before I asked her out. I also tried rattling stuff around to see if it still bothers her. So far it is getting better. We ended our trailering time with that.

I rode just for a little while bareback follow the rail again. Last time she pretty much had the hang of the walk, so I decided to trot. We got maybe 5 steps in each direction before breaking gait. But yesterday when I asked her to trot first to the left she trotted off and we pretty much did a whole lap with only 1 correction to stay on the rail and not breaking gait! So we stopped in the middle for a bit then did the other side. She was a bit more rushy the other way but the last 1/4 she relaxed so I brought her into the center and quit.

We also did a little bit of liberty in the big practice arena. This was right after the weave pattern which goes to show what she thinks of it when I let her go she went straight to the gate and I didn't think I'd be able to draw her away. Well I tried and thankfully I was wrong it took a minute but she did stick to me and we trotted, walked, backed up, sent her over a small crossrail (the first time she didn't go) etc. I'm just happy that she generally stays with me now at liberty! It's getting better! 

Follow the Rail & Liberty

Ok so I was just planning on spending an hour with Duck today. I've got Christmas cards to mail you know, but I ended up being there for 2 because I was having so much fun! We started on the ground and the big trailer was open so I figured I'd try and squeeze her over the ramp. This trailer has 2 ramps, and one of them is pretty narrow and steep. Anyway today was the first time that she has showed any curiosity in the trailer. She was mouthing the butt bars and rubbed on them without spooking. In the past when she's done anything like that she gets scared when it moves and she will spook. Not today. Really it must not be about the trailer because I haven't been practicing this much, just a little here and there. Over the ramp a couple times and done with it. At one point I thought she was just going to load herself and she didn't look like if I did ask her to go in that she would be near as bracey about it. YEAH!

On to the big arena to play follow the rail. The walk went well even with her not stopping in her favorite corner or at the gate today. We tried some turns both with the reins and then w/ the carrot stick. I think she's getting the hang of it so I decided to trot. Of course she doesn't maintain gait very well and she kept acting like she wanted to roll. Dragging her nose on the ground etc. Well we got about half an arena lap of trot before I quit. I went to the middle and took off her saddle and then her halter. Might I add that I tied the gate shut with the lead rope because she likes to rub on it to open it! I wasn't expecting her to stick to me in the big arena much. Actually I had taken everything off her just to let her roll. She didn't but we had a great time just playing at liberty! A little of everything. I even got a couple steps of sideways without her running off! She is sticking to me pretty well including about one side of the arena at a canter! She left me a few times but I was able to get her to come back (even if it was slowly). We even did squeeze over some poles and crossrails. What was really cool is I went to send her over the barrels and she didn't do it. Then I was already on the other side so I asked her to come and then she jumped them! Even turned and faced and did it back the other way! It was so much fun!

After that I saddled her up and we rode following the outside rail of the arena/fence back to her paddock. She didn't get it at first but then she did. 

I have also been working with trying to get more respect in regards to grazing. She was getting pretty dominant dragging me to the grass etc. I have been playing with just giving her a cue to eat and not letting her eat any other time. So far it is greatly improved! Yeah!

The best picture ever!

My sister just emailed me this picture and I have to share it. This is the best picture because it has Kira, my mustang, my sister, who is also the best ever and her baby, Ayden!

I LOVE this picture because it has so many things I LOVE in it! Just look how CUTE!!!! LOVE IT!!! And wow, Kira still even has the same halter! 

We passed Level 2!!!!!!!!!

Ok here it is! Our 7 games in 7 minutes at Liberty that I sent in that passed us off for level 2! I am SO happy right now! Carol Coppinger called me yesterday with the good news! We just had this task and the transitions on the circling game left (which I also sent in) since Kira went back to Utah almost 2 years ago. So it has been forever, me trying to get Duck to even close the level Kira and I were at. I know this video isn't the greatest resolution but I couldn't get the file small enough any other way. (I need more computer savvy!)

We also got a stick to me at a canter! Not on the video but it still was way cool!

Carol even noted what a complicated dominant mare I have...

Hmmm, what did I get myself into? 

Just kidding I really love Duck and we've come a long way already. Someday when I have a bit of time I will have to post our liberty video that I sent Carol for help in September, then you'd really see the improvement! I know I did!

What did I really learn through all this? It's not about the .... level!

Even Carol said all her students were going right-brained trying to get everything done before the switch over of the assessments to the new audition process January 1st.

Anyway a simple 7 games but fun stuff. Liberty has always been one of the things that has me totally enthralled and when it goes well it is one of the best feelings ever! 

Moving on to one of my next goals that I have had forever (like since I was 12) to ride bridle-less. Ambitious, yep! I know we are nowhere near that but I am looking forward to the process!

Of course we will still be playing in level 2 for awhile but it still feels good to say I am a level 3 student now...

Random sessions

As per Carol Coppinger's instructions we've been focusing on games 1, 2, and 3. The basics. We've also been doing "touch it" a lot. Especially with the trailer, and the ramp of the trailer. The first time we did it for the trailer and then moved onto something else, Duck spent the next 5 minutes just blowing and blowing. I didn't realize HOW stressed she was even near the trailer. I haven't ridden much lately. Just yesterday, and we mostly played "touch it" while mounted, including the trailer. There was a show at the barn on Saturday so I brought Duck out for 1/2 hour to watch, graze and take in the chaos. She was a bit "up" heading down to the arena, but quickly settled right down. The loudspeaker didn't even seem to bother her, even when going closer.

I also bought an electric massager. That was fun the first day. Now she's way used to it even in her ears. Which is good. I will have to find someone w/ a real set of clippers to get her used to the louder buzzing! 

The grass is an issue right now. She wants to graze, and I want to play. She is pulling on me a bit to get to the grass and I usually end up playing "hide your hiney." which seems to work.

All in all going well. But my hopes for finishing level 2 before the changeover is pretty much dashed. Oh well more practice I guess!

Jousting Tournament

Ok this just looks like so much fun! See my family blog for the rest of the scoop on this fun event!

Some pictures

So I went to the barn yesterday all ready to play with Duck and she wasn't in her stall or paddock. So I went to the main barn to see where she was. I found her standing in a stall. It was her turn next for the vet. Time for shots and to have her teeth checked. When she saw me she started nickering and looked a bit nervous. Like "Where have you been? I've been sitting here at the MAIN barn all alone!" She only had to have one shot and I had dewormer for her. By the time the vet was done I didn't have enough time to do too much so I turned her loose in the round corral to get some pictures!

Duck enjoying a good roll. This is the first time I have seen her roll when turned loose in an arena at this barn. A good sign she is becoming more confident with her surroundings!
Trotting around. She was feeling frisky and kicked out at me as I tried to get her to trot.
Getting grass through the fence. Duck LOVES her grass!
Head shot. Doesn't she have such a cute face?
Standing there looking. She was a great poser yesterday! Followed by her vet appointment we came back at 4pm to have her feet done and get her new boots! They finally came in, yeah! I will post a pic of of them later!

Exuberance!

Wow! Today I was running tons of errands so I only ended up with a 1/2 hour to play with Duck. I was originally going to go down to the arena because when I play with her near the grass usually it becomes a grass war! But today was different. We are still playing with the circling game and gait purity. Today in the grass she trotted 4 circles without stopping once for grass (or any other reason)! Last time we played I just kept asking her politely to go when she would stop for grass but it didn't seem to successful at the time!

Then when I went to send her to the right I pointed my finger and she left, fast! At a canter and held the canter for 2 laps! I decided not to try and slow her down because she seemed happy! She bucked on the line and just had that early morning frisky horse thing going on. Was it the weather? I don't know but in the past when I have asked for a canter she'll do it but not without literally dragging me on the end of the 22ft line. Not today. There was just a bit of slack in the line and she wasn't pulling on me at all! A first for us. Now is that more confidence or just a fluke? Time will tell. Of course right now everything else we've done is broken but our circle is decent now. Now if I can just add in the transitions. Talk about time pressure. 2 tasks and basically 2 months. That shouldn't be that big of a deal but it still feels like a mountain to cross. Here's to trying but if it doesn't happen we won't be any worse off we'll just learn even more hopefully by submitting the new way come January. It is my own ego I think. I just want to pass level 2 because everyone else has! :)

My Behind Almost Hit the Ground!!!

Yep that's right. I ALMOST fell off, big time! Rewind here a minute and I will tell the whole story. So I went to the barn Wednesday to ride and since I still haven't oiled my saddle (it's sitting at home waiting patiently :) ) I put my bareback pad on to ride. In the mornings at the barn there is generally not too much going on rider wise. The kids are in school, most the adults are working. Just the staff is usually there feeding etc. So I went to ride in the practice arena. If you look at my previous post about riding in there and mirroring the far end of the arena is Duck's most unconfident place. Ok having said that we played on the ground for awhile mostly fun stuff like practicing leading from the mane etc. This day when I got up on the fence I didn't even ask her over yet and she lined up sideways perfectly for me to get on. I still need help getting on, I can't do it anymore from the ground but that is another story. So we went riding off and mind you the last time I rode her in this arena was when we did the mirroring. Well I felt like I was on a DIFFERENT horse. I mean seriously. She was calm, her whole body was relaxed and I felt more in tune with her than almost any other time. 

Then this!!! We are riding around in the bareback pad, in our halter with the savvy string for a rein having a dandy time just walking. So another boarder that I talk to comes up with another guy. He is coming to look at this truck parked next to the "scary" end of the arena. I am chatting away and he starts the truck. Duck is totally fine. No tension, nothing in fact she's just trying to get nibs of grass. And then suddenly the guy completely floors the gas pedal for this already loud Diesel engine (which Duck is still fine) and then in a split second the engine sputters out and then WHAM! It ROARS back to life and Duck totally spooks! She took off so fast I was almost off her the first stride. I'm not sure if she was hopping but I remember looking down to my left (the side I would have fallen off of) just ready to let go and fall when she suddenly stopped. If she had gone one more step I'd of been off! I quickly righted myself and of course NOW she is tense. So we spent the next few minutes walking within her comfort zone of this engine (which instead of 3 feet is now 12 feet). UGH! 

I guess I was just stupid for having her that close to it in the first place. The guy obviously knew NOTHING about horses and apologized as did the boarder. 

See with Kira I would have never been that close to an engine, period. She was scared to death of them. Sure she got used to most but as loud as that engine was I don't think she'd of gone near it in the first place!

So then our confidence is shattered, again.. I decided not to ride her back to her barn. Good thing too. She was still on some adrenaline because barn staff sent her flying again when he came ripping around a corner from the hayshed at full tilt. Good thing I was on the ground. And hopefully this isn't going to be a new hurdle with now "scary" engine noises or even just that end of the arena, again! I will soon find out when I ride again!

Into the woods, again...

On Tuesday I took Tarzan (our dog) to the barn with me. Beings how he is not the sharpest tool in the shed I decided just to hang out near the little barn where Duck lives. This is also near the hayfield. So we were playing in the hayfield with Tarzan tagging along. We did some more mini circles, bigger circles and now I have a new problem. She always thinks I am sending her on the circle so her confidence in just backing up is not there! So we played with that awhile! Then we went towards the woods with me driving in Zone 3. Duck has become much more confident around the property. I decided to see if she would go back into the "dark and scary" woods again. If you read some of my previous posts we have played towards going in there before. Well she didn't seem very bothered by it this time and was quite confident so we headed into the woods driving (as much as possible on a narrow trail with lots of trees) from zone 3. Then we got to a little ditch and I decided to send her across it. It is more like a ditch with a little water in it and has kind of short but steep sides. Got her going pretty well doing that and it crossed my mind it would be really easy to jump up on her while she was in that ditch! So I got her standing confidently in the ditch and then jumped on! We were headed out of the woods anyway and she did really great! She didn't seem spooked at all and it was a drastic change from the last time we were in the woods! We moseyed our way through the hayfield, bareback with the halter and one rein all the way back to the barn! Very fun! And either the exercises we did building her confidence near that area have paid off or the fun trail rides have. Or maybe a combination of the two. I am just happy that she was more confident about it. We were alone (minus the dog) and it was a huge accomplishment for us!

Mirroring while following the rail

Today we played with some of the same stuff as yesterday. Trying to work with sideways towards the fence for mounting. This didn't seem to go as well today as yesterday. Not sure why. I will try again next time. Also did the figure eight around the barrels online. Did about 6 or more times. On the 6th one Duck did it herself with not as much as a crabby look on her face so I stopped. We then reviewed lead by the mane in the big arena. She didn't want to slow down once I got her moving! By the end I did get a couple steps of backup and her to lead forward one time without having to use the stick for support so I quit there. 

Then I rode bareback with just the savvy string. I decided to try mirroring while doing a follow the rail around the arena at the walk. I think we did this about 20 times! I don't know but it was forever long! She was very unconfident to begin with, always looking outside the arena, even bending her whole body away from it. Also in the far corner she was very high headed and even a bit spooky. I decided just to mirror this as well. It worked! After all those laps around (minus the couple times she totally turned around) she really started getting more relaxed. Even in the far corner to the point that she didn't hardly look out of the arena down there. I know that I tend to be either not enough or too much energy while playing with Duck in general. Today I while mirroring I focused on being aware of how much energy I was using to match hers. I found that most of the time when she was bringing her energy up I still wasn't up enough to match her. So I played with this and then got it as equal as possible. 

It was funny at the end of the session Duck offered me a sideways to the fence to unlatch the gate! I obliged and unlocked it from on top of her (a first) and we backed out of the arena and then grazed our way back to her pasture bareback with just the savvy string! It was pretty cool because I have only recently felt confident enough to ride her out and about alone and she was so different this time, like the exercise really made her more confident. 

Fun stuff!

Mini Circles and the Kiddie Pool

So my goal is to try and pass level 2 before they change everything over in January. I've been stuck in a rut for awhile and so when I went to Savvy Conference I took a DVD for Carol Coppinger (Parelli 5* instructor) to view and give me some feedback! I've had the same 2 tasks to finish since Kira left to go back to Utah over a year ago. Transitions online and 7 games in 7 minutes at liberty. 

So Carol called me the other day and lets just say I was overwhelmed with life in general and this was just one more thing I wasn't doing "right" although she told me NOT to call it right or wrong! Anyway as I already knew Duck is unconfident on the circle to which Carol asked me how she was on the "mini" circle which is just 3 ft of rope. I told her I hadn't played with that with Duck, she was already doing the circling game way before I got or even played with her. So she told me to play with the mini circle and work our way up to the 22 ft line. 

So here is what I found. Ah, she had NO clue at all what I was asking her at first! It took me one 40 minute session that first time to get her to walk ONE lap on the mini circle. Ok major BFO (blinding flash of the obvious!). How had I missed this? Of course it would make perfect sense to start back at the very basic mini circle to gain her confidence on the circle. It was very obvious that she didn't know what I was asking. 

So over the last couple of sessions we have been playing with the mini circle and now we can get 2-3 circles at the trot! I decided yesterday to give the 12 ft line a try. We were able to get 4 laps at a trot at which I stopped!

We also played with a blow up kiddie pool that had Duck snorting and fleeing in all directions! This thing is just a 3 foot transparent blue kiddie pool that was supposed to be used as a liverpool for the barn show but wasn't. Well no one has moved it and it has been sitting outside the edge of the round corral for the last week. Well on one of my sessions with Duck she finally SAW it and about came unglued! Actually I don't know if she so much saw it has heard the sound of sand hit it from going around near it. In any case I have hardly seen her spook with such a right brain reaction so strongly! She did a half rear, jump, run and snort! WOW! So I have been playing approach and retreat with this pool for 2-3 sessions now trying to build her confidence. Yesterday she still had a pretty good spook by it but then was getting to where she would pass it without freaking out. She still will not put her feet on it, although she has touched it with her nose. So it has been a process and probably will continue to be.

I also received my savvy club DVD so played with those ideas a little bit. Leading by the mane and sideways to the fence (which we have done some of before). I just did more of it to help build her confidence. I was sitting on the top rail of the round corral (which is about 6 feet high) and I swear she was going to knock me off there every time she got her head near me! Sneaky or itchy I'm not sure!

So that is my update, I am still playing with the circling. Liberty will be next but we need to work on draw. Now if I could just figure out the basics on that....

More highlights of Savvy Conference

Playing with Barnum and Bailey, the minis with A Hug and A Kiss (the 2 big paints) in the background. Then Amie with Nova and her baby Cassanova. Next is Linda on Remmer taking her dressage lesson from Walter Zeitel. He was such a funny guy and and inspiring to watch as a teacher! WOW! Then there is a picture of Kalley that works at the Atwood Ranch. She is riding one horse and playing with 4 Atwood colts at LIBERTY at one time! She is just phenomenal! I have a distinct lack of words to describe her talent! The last picture is of Amie again (Pat's niece) and Emily Thompson (who both her parents are Parelli instructors) doing their show which they only had 20 minutes to prepare for. It was so cool we didn't find out until after it that they hadn't rehearsed before. I would have never known! Then Pat came out and gave them both their black (level 4) strings. They deserved it, what an awesome pair! I hope to be getting my black string someday (as far off as it may be!)

Savvy Conference Continued!

Pat riding Vision (I think), Thunder and Lightning the draft pair, Amie (Pat's niece) Driving Zeus, One of the instuctors (Lindsay I think) riding Cocomo Joe the mule, and then Linda giving a demo of Left Brain Introverts and Left Brain Extroverts at Liberty with both her horses Remmer and Allure

SAVVY CONFERENCE!!!!!!

Savvy Conference!!! Yeah! I was SO excited to go to Pagosa Springs, Colorado to the home of the heart of the Parelli Program and go to this 3 day Conference. What could be better than 3 days all horses with good friends and great views? Here are some pictures of us. Me and my sister at our cabin. We stayed at Hartland Ranch, which was about 10 miles from the Parelli Center. Very beautiful cabins that make my house look cheap! Then there is the picture of Shay, Tracy, Kris and Jessica all part of our conference gang. This picture was taken at the Parelli Center.



There is a picture of the kitchen of the cabin, it was so pretty! And the bed is the bedroom Kris and I shared. Poor Kris she had to listen to me cough (I had bronchitis while I was on the trip and am still recovering now) the whole time! 

And then there is this cute picture of Jessica and Tracy at the cabin sitting at the table.

Weave pattern

Well I haven't written in a while but I have played with Duck. I played with her both Saturday and Sunday. Saturday we played for almost 2 hours and then the kids came and did a pony ride on her.

Saturday's session was playing a bit with liberty (very short) which was just stick to me. I obviously totally ruined her confidence in me at liberty and it will be a slow process to get it back I am sure. 

Then riding we did the weave pattern on the barrels. I wish I had some exciting stuff to say about it but not too much. Just introducing the pattern at a walk, our hardest part is the turn to go around and do it again! I also tried to canter her because she seemed willing but then she bucked a few good bucks and I slowed her down. Thankfully it doesn't take too much to get her to shut down. It always catches me off guard when she does that. Well I did slow her down but the second time I was more prepared so I asked again and off we went. No problems, got about a half a lap around the arena which is fine with me!

Sunday we played again with the weave pattern on the 22' line. I realized how hard of a time I have keeping my feet still! Need to work on that! Then I got on and we did the pattern walking. Then trotting. She did pretty good with a cookie at the end for motivation, but then she started getting crabby ears and defensive about it. So I slowed it down and we repeated at the walk. Then we did the trot again and she was nicer about it. Online we also practiced yo-yo's into the arena and also outside the arena on a small mound of dirt both online and mounted!

I am getting really excited to go to savvy conference in one week! WOW! I can't wait!

Plus my HUGEST bonus is that my sister offered to give me a lesson on one of her horses that is good at cantering around a bunch so I can work on myself! I've had issues with riding a 13.1 hh mustang for 15 years almost exclusively and now have Duck who is around 15 hands or so. The stride is SO different to me and my seat is very lacking! It will be SO nice to practice on a seasoned horse again so I can become more comfortable with it without effecting Duck badly!

Successful Trail Ride and Trailer Loading!

Last night I went to drop off my freshly laundered ropes to the barn. Niels and I were on our way to dinner. Well Duck wasn't feeling well. She was very lethargic, wasn't eating much grass etc. So we ended up staying there for quite awhile keeping an eye on her and also taking her vitals. They were normal 36 for pulse and 99.9 for temp. So we checked on her again on the way home from dinner and she seemed to be doing better but not 100%. So I didn't think I would be able to trail ride today...

Well this morning I went to check on her and she was back to her chippy cheery self! Yeah! I was supposed to ride with the savvy group at South Mountain. We ended up not going with that group because Lisa (my most wonderful friend that also trailers my horse for me) needed to get feed for her herd. Turns out it was better that I didn't for a few reasons.

1) I was still worried about Duck not feeling great and I didn't want to ride a long ways

2) Once we did go riding, she was sore on the gravel because she doesn't have shoes on

3) I wouldn't have been riding much at South Mountain because Lisa said it is really rocky and very steep there

So we opted for a shorter afternoon ride at Latta today. Of course I was curious how the trailer loading would go since the last time wasn't so great and to see if the simulations I did helped or not. Well it took about 20 minutes for her to gain her confidence enough to stay in.

Off we went to Latta! I didn't get any pictures today because I forgot my camera. Oh well, next time! Today was just the two of us, Lisa and I. Christa was working at the barn, and Becky couldn't come as well.

Duck almost smashed me trying to turn around in the trailer to get out. Mental note to work on backing her out slowly!

The ride went very well and uneventful except both Duck and Jake wanting to eat grass, A LOT!

Duck was very, very calm. We even rode at some of the road crossings around some traffic. No problem. The only thing she jumped at was crossing the crosswalk. It caught me off guard but she jumped, not bad and then continued on. We rode for an hour or so. Just walking. I need to get Duck some boots so she won't be so sore on the trail. Now I know that her feet aren't tough mustang feet but they held up pretty well considering she did 16-20 miles last week!

So we got back to the trailer and untacked. It was getting more humid by that time, she was pretty wet just under her saddle. I prepped myself for trailer loading time again, and she loaded once, then twice, and the third time she went in, and stayed in! She didn't have a problem with me going to do the divider or anything! When loading at the barn we played "it's more work to be out of the trailer" and also "there is a cookie ONLY when you get in the trailer." She certainly seemed to be catching on to the "cookie in the trailer" game! 

All in all it was a fun ride and a great day with Lisa, Jake, Duck and I. I look forward to many more. I just can't even write how happy I am to be able to get out on the trails again! I just love it! And I am so grateful to Lisa for so willingly trailering us everywhere even though we still have loading issues!

A couple of sessions

I've only played with Duck twice since we went trail riding. It's amazing how time just seems to fly by and then I realize it has been 3-4 days since I last went to the barn! 

Played with Duck on Wednesday evening. It had rained all day Wednesday and was very cool. All the horses seemed to have that very "fresh" feeling! It was cool, it had rained and the wind was blowing some. Duck was no exception. I put on her bareback pad b/c my saddle pad was still at home needing cleaned from the trail ride. I took her down to the arena, as always we grazed our way there. LOL 

I decided since she had some more "go" today that we would try circling game. So I set her right up on the grassy spot in front of the arena so that she'd have to go through the ditch twice with each circle. I am grateful for using obstacles! I am trying to get our circling transitions decent enough to pass level 2. Have lately been focusing on using the carrot stick in zone 1 to slow her down. Well it sort of worked. She was quite fast and it took a lot of rope wiggling to get through to her as well! In the end when I played "if you stop with the carrot stick you can eat grass" she got the idea real quick and came to a complete stop each time! Yeah! Besides a couple RB I'm going to RUN on the circle moments it went fairly well. The nice thing is that since I have bumped zone 1 on the circle when she starts pulling she was running on the circle but not pulling on me near as much! Yeah!  

I decided we needed some thinking stuff for her to do, too much running around! So we headed to the outdoor wash stalls for sending in (trailer load simulation). To my surprise she went a lot better than last time. So well in fact that we went back to the arena, got a barrel and used it to block half the wash stall entrance so it would be a narrower squeeze in, just like the trailer. Went very well. She kept turning around at first, but then I was able to use my CS to get her to stay straight. We also practiced backing out by the tail. Cool stuff! I didn't end up riding because she felt like she had a bit too much RB for my safety. At one point she did one of her "I'm going to jump off the ground like a cat" for no apparent reason moves.

After that we headed for a walk around the property. I was looking for more squeezes. We did squeeze under the low hanging tree branches. No problem. So we headed over by the pasture fence line. Only one horse, Buddy the mini was over near us. Duck suddenly acted like she'd never seen that kind of horse before (she lived with a mini named Winnie in IL). So we played squeeze game between me and the fence line where the other horse was.  Well that got the rest of the horse's attention and we then had the thundering herd coming to us! I just kept playing and we continued to play with it with the other horses reaching over the fence. Good practice for reducing Duck's "personal bubble". She gets very crabby eared etc around other horses. So we played with this until they left and it seemed to increase her tolerance for the other horses.

That was our session for Wednesday.

For Thursday what a disaster for the most part! Ok the whole thing wasn't a disaster but the end of it was especially liberty! I saddled and we played our way down to the arena. There was a "question" box type thing already set up, as well as a long walk between the 2 parallel rail set on the ground. It was pretty long and had some turns. From the ground we walked through it a couple times then I decided to back her through on the 22ft rope. My goal was to stay 22ft away from her and back her through these rails. Wow! She went great without stepping out once!

So I decided to ride and I am still working w/ the savvy string around her neck as well as her hackamore. I figure that gives me a gauge of if what I am doing is more with my body or my reins since I tend to be rein heavy (I have always been a "strong" rider and encouraged to be so) so now it is a habit I am trying NOT to do! Easier said than done! But we rode through that same pattern a couple times and once at the trot. (had to use my reins for that). We did the question box and changed directions from it, stopped in it, sidepassed out of it, trotted out of it. Most of that was with my regular reins but I did do a couple stops w/ the savvy string.

We also worked on serpentine pattern around 4 barrels. I could do this at the walk with the savvy string so yeah! Almost trotted it but realized it wasn't solid enough at the walk.

So then I decide to go to the round corral for liberty. BIG mistake. I should have quit then! Well the other day I told you Duck offered her butt to my face and then kind of went through the turn for a spin. Well all she would do today was spins! Every time I'd ask for anything she'd spin! Ok not good. Good trick, but not communication! I know she likes to learn new things but geez! Every time I teach her something new it's like that is what she automatically does if I ask for anything! I know she was just doing it because that is what she offered and thought I wanted but I found myself getting harder and harder phases to get her to move. I even tried going back online several times but nothing really got better. By the end of the session I could barely do the friendly game. I need to learn to quit when I am somewhat ahead or at least. Lesson learned. Now at that particular moment I just wanted to quit, QUIT QUIT QUIT and be done for good! Just my emotional unfitness I know, but UGH! I feel like I have been at this SO long I should be BETTER than this and I still can't even finish my level 2. Yeah yeah I know, it isn't about the string. But that being said it is also hard to sit and watch everyone else you know pass level 2 and still be stuck with what is obviously a HUGE gap in liberty savvy!

That is why yesterday was such a bad day for me. The nice thing is Duck still likes her cookies!

King's Mountain Trail Ride

I like this picture of Christa and Duck after the ride

Christa and Kacey. She was in the same boat as me, Kacey had been on only about 2 trail rides. Ever!

Duck and I before the ride (I am surprised she stood still long enough for the picture!)

On the trail
Duck after the ride. She was VERY tired! I was glad. 16 miles is good work for her!

Yesterday was a way fun and long (16 miles or so) trail ride! We had a PNH savvy trail ride at King's Mountain State Park.

The day started off early. I got up at 5:10 so I could get to the barn by 5:30am to feed and grain Duck before our 6am trailer ride pickup by Lisa H. (Thanks again Lisa, you are awesome!). Of course I got to the barn, filled my haynet and grained Duck and then realized I forgot my coggins papers! So I rushed home to get them, got 3 blocks away from the house and realized I had forgotten to give Niels the GPS so he could take the kids golfing. Got back to the barn at 6:10. Christa had forgotten her coggins papers too and had to go back home to get them! The day of the missing Coggins papers!

It still took about a 1/2 hour to load Duck. Boy do I wish I had a trailer to practice with!

Got to the park after another stop to pick up Becky and her horse (she has a way cute place too)

Tacked up. Duck was pretty RB already. She wouldn't be tied to the trailer and was all over the place. So I saddled and moved her around quite a bit. She settled in. 

By the time we left we had about 16 riders! WOW! Ok not that I was disappointed or anything, just that I wasn't expecting to be riding in that large of a group! Duck had never been in that big of a group on a trail ride (I think we are on trail ride #3 or 4 total for her). As I mounted up she got to being pretty RBE. She didn't want to stand, AT ALL and was acting like I wasn't even there!

Of course as the group got started she went even more extreme! I didn't feel like I had any brakes and she was dancing all over the place. First running up the horses' tail in front of her and jigging to all get out! Well I had to be quite LOUD/HARD even to get myself even on her radar but we did a lot on the first 2 miles of the trail. We went backwards (for quite a ways), we sidepassed both directions, we went sideways over a few of the several logs/tree branches on the trail. I am grateful there were so many along with some hills so she had to at least think a little bit about what she was doing! I figured if she kept this up it would be a LONG ride for me! 

By mile two she had settled pretty much in besides running up the next horses' rump! Kim had offered to let me  play beep beep back up earlier which I didn't because I was thinking it just may be too much on Duck in that state but once she settled in I decided it was time to end this running up the next horses' tail. It took about 2 swats. The first time Duck wasn't directly behind the horse in front (she went crooked and I didn't prevent it fast enough) and she swung her head and so it didn't get her! The second time however the carrot stick got her right across the ears! She shook her head a few times and then was pretty polite about it with a couple more reminders. She is very smart though, she knew when I wasn't riding behind someone with a stick!

At about mile 6 (I think) we lost about 10 of the group. At this point we had been riding about and hour and a half or so. I was going to do the shorter loop but decided if Lisa and Becky(my ride too) were going the other 10 miles that I may go as well because I'd just be sitting back at the trailer (possibly with Duck being all RB'd for who knows how long) until Becky and Lisa got back. Christa and I decided to go for it and 6 of us, Becky, Lisa, Margo, Linda, Christa and I did the other 10 mile loop. I am glad we did because I think Duck really learned that she was in this for the long haul. She had a job to do, and she went to doing it. At one point we even led for quite a ways! And we trotted in the lead too to get away from the bees on the trail. It wasn't smooth, but it was a trot with her in the lead!

I kept playing with keeping her attention and her listening to my aids and it brought 2 things to my mind:

1) I still don't have enough of a leadership position with Duck in any situation with a major threshold

2) I need some more arrows in those situations especially when riding etc. 

The rest of the ride was uneventful (yeah), very pretty and a nice cool day as far as August goes! The real "fun" began when we tried to load up to go home!

Of course! Duck was now bonded to Christa's Kacey who also lives at our barn. Lisa loaded Jake her mule first. Then Christa tried to load Kacey but he didn't want to go in because Duck wasn't in! Then I tried for what felt like forever (maybe 45 minutes or so?) to load Duck first. No dice. Christa tried with Kacey and he went in. Duck didn't want go in now even with Kacey in. We played with it a few more minutes and she went in confidently enough that I put the divider in. Becky then loaded Bud man (who had watched our horses' bad examples and now didn't want to load either) and we headed home. 

We need more squeeze game practice, and more work with thresholds! Duck didn't get off the the farm much in Illinois so this is all new for her. It definitely tested my savvy arrows! I really had a great time and think that Duck will improve the more I get out there!

Aricin Rides

Aricin came to the barn with me on Friday after we dropped Christian off at golf camp. We spent some time with Duck and he rode around quite a bit. He even trotted some which I was very proud of. Of course Duck was more interested in eating grass, but as long as she got a few bites inbetween she was a happy camper!

LIBERTY!!!

Today started out interesting! Duck was in her stall again because of the heat. When I went to brush her in the stall I realized that her latch is very bent, pretty much broken and was rigged shut with a carabiner and a chain as well as the very top piece of wood missing from her bottom dutch door. When I went in the stall I realized as she was munching her hay that her feet suspiciously had white paint on both front hooves (her door is painted white). Now I am wondering if she tried for a jailbreak! Hmmm, interesting. I pulled her out and put on her bareback pad and checked her out. No lameness or anything.

So today was AWESOME for lack of a better word! Duck is now comfortable with me in at least zone 4 for driving. It is far from perfect but she is comfortable with me there and will walk forward! Turning still isn't so great but it is coming along. I decided to go try and find the employees at the barn to see if either of them knew what happened to Duck's stall. No luck, they didn't know what had happened!

Anyway in that quest I played with sending Duck into the main barn and then also played with sending her into the wash stalls. The washstalls all have crossties and that is where everyone else tacks up their horse. Duck didn't want anything to do with it at first, but we played with it. We ended with her feeling decent about it backing in and with more confidence being sent in but she didn't like to stay. More to play with later. We also walked through the barn to help get her used to it!

We headed to the arena where I decided to turn her loose! I wanted to see if she would stick to me and do some stuff! I am totally laughing (my fault) because when I ask her to go sideways she thinks I want zone 4 to come TO me (we did that twice at the old barn) and she swings her but in my face (we did backing by the tail twice I think?)! Ok so I went with it! We did backwards from zone 5 with me holding her tail at liberty! She didn't want to do sideways she kept coming towards me so I went with it some more and we got some full circles with the driving game! 2-3 of them! Then I took off and she followed and I sent her over 2 small crossrails! It was SO much fun!!!! I am so happy even though it isn't perfect she is sticking to me in a large arena! Yeah!

Then we went to riding. Again I put the savvy string around her neck along with wearing the hackamore. I was very impressed that it seemed mostly to take a lot less effort for her to move with my seat and the savvy string! Not perfect but not as much pressure as yesterday either and I didn't have my carrot stick on me like I usually do! So we just played with going certain direction, some transitions walk, trot, halt etc. We even got one canter loop (to the grass of course) which is in the corner of the arena she almost didn't stop at the arena fence! I think she thought I was asking her to jump! Mental note: make sure to stop riding sooner so she can slow down!

All in all it was a great fun day of play in less than 2 hours! Whew! Can't wait for more fun tomorrow!

More Play!

So I worked at the barn last weekend and played with Duck both days. That gave me a total of 7 days in a row that I played with her! That is a record for us!

Saturday was interesting. I wanted to play more with driving from zone 5. We played with it on the way to the arena in zones 3 & 4. I played off to the side in zone 5 some as well. We had one glitch where I wasn't clear I was trying to get Duck to yield zone one and turn on the long line but we were near the fence. I got a hardwired sideways response! I obviously put too much pressure on because what followed was a RB explosion that dragged me halfway across the arena, TWICE! OK! BFO after finally sitting back and seeing what happened. Too much pressure instead of me making it clearer for her while driving in zone 4/5, followed by pressure on a send on a circle and WHAMMOOO running, bucking snorting Duck! Well at least I am starting to figure out why and can say that instead of it being as common of an occurence like it was last fall, we haven't gone there as much until Saturday. Needless to say I spent the rest of my time trying to fix it and I didn't ride.

Sunday was much better. I played with some more "truth" at liberty in the large arena. I am surprised she sticks to me pretty well and will follow me over obstacles and I can send her to and from some as well and a decent Yo-Yo. We did a bit of sideways at liberty as well.

Then I rode and tried some more safe "truth" with a savvy string around her neck (as well as my hackamore for backup). I wanted to see where we were in riding off my seat and leg. Not as good as I had hoped! But we did get some decent turns and a few stops. I am going to keep playing with it. Riding Bridle less has always been one of my biggest goals and until I started Parelli I had no idea how to go about it. Now it still feels like it is far off but I feel a little closer on how it can come together. I could still use some more direction on it though!

Another buddy!

Ok so today it was still HOT! We didn't play too much on the ground today. The big arena was open (they took all the lesson kids to a cross country course today) so I jumped at the chance to ride in there. I haven't ridden in the big arena in several weeks, maybe even before the end of June! I decided to use the bareback pad today and for our warm up on the ground I squeezed Duck over some of the small jumps and ground poles and the like. 

I decided to try and get on without a mounting block bareback! Well I USED to be able to do this with ease, and could still do it with my 13.1hh mustang, but not with Duck! She was quite patient while I tried bellyup jump, swinging up from the side, to no avail. I decided to get on an upright barrel as a mounting block. This went well, a lot better than last time. Last time she wasn't sure about me being all the way up there. And while today she wasn't 100% you could tell she was much better with it than last time!

Today I was still focusing on getting turns using my body and not so much rein. The walk is still going well. Trotting is another issue. Although today I did get a few decent turns I was still having to resort to using the reins (and too strongly for that matter) so we went back to the walk. 

When trotting though we were headed toward the far end of the arena (closest to her barn) to the patch of grass. I had played point to point the last few times I was in this arena. Duck remembered.  She offered a nice canter, it was about 8 strides to the grass patch. But it felt so much better than yesterday's. More balanced and she wasn't thinking about bucking me off! Yeah!

So we did some grazing and a couple times transitioning into the canter along with sidepassing over ground poles and backing between 2 poles and also a little bit of figure 8 around the barrel (tried the trot again it was better).

There is another lady at our barn  that is studing level 1 as well as Clinton Anderson! Yeah! I am happy about that! She even said she had loaned her level 1 to the trainer for the kids to watch. Very cool! I am just happy that some other people KNOW what Parelli is!

We ended our session by riding back to Duck's stall with our new riding buddy! Yeah! 

Improvement

Duck was in her stall again for the day since it is supposed to be very hot AGAIN! I got her out and went to play a little with this month's savvy club DVD concept of the ropes on the feet. It wasn't soft but we did make some progress on both the front and the hind. This served 2 purposes for me, to practice and make it better and also to get Duck ready for the farrier tomorrow!

Today we played on the ground some on the 22ft line outside the arenas but near them. First off Duck almost took me to the woods on her own today so I was excited that she would even go that way without my prompting!

There is a small ditch outside the arenas in a bit of a grassy/dirt area. We played squeeze over the ditch both ways. Then we played yo-yo (it wasn't a great back up) through the ditch a few times. She seems to be getting softer on the bring back which is nice. 

We went into the round pen next and played a little but I took the rope off very quickly. I wanted to try liberty again! I need to remind myself to put some obstacles in there for us next time. We did a little bit of sideways (w/ the use of the fence) a yo-yo (bring back was tough the first time but after a cookie on the return got better the second time), squeeze game between me and the fence and a bit of driving. All in all less than probably 8 minutes but I purposely keep it short!

Then we went to ride in the big practice arena where a girl was having a lesson on a big warmblood! Duck was doing well and the improvement today was great! Our direction was much better at the walk requiring a lot less effort and then the trot we started getting some direction with my body. I think it is me causing some of her problems trotting. I don't have the seat/balance down. How do I know I wasn't doing well on my balance point? Well let's just say I was a bit sore today where I shouldn't have been if I was on my balance point! 

So for me getting in the way it went pretty well. She still was getting rushed at the trot so we did a lot of disengagement to the walk along the fence line and also a million transitions. I felt she was resisting me on this today but when we passed the grass patch I knew why! She really wanted some grass (obviously grazing outside the arena's wasn't enough...silly me) so we stopped to graze a bit. We ended with going sideways over a ground pole. Didn't quite get it over the pole but did w/0 it.

I have to put in my greatest appreciation to Duck today though. The girl having her lesson was having a hard time stopping that big horse from a trot. They were doing ground poles and then a small crossrail. About the 3rd time she did the crossrail the horse came off cantering. Not too fast but you could tell she was really worried. He kept going and she couldn't slow him down (he still wasn't worried but was a bit quicker), then she finally screamed and he ran off fast. She lost her seat some and then the horse hopped a couple times and she fell off into the fence at the end of the arena. I felt so bad that she fell off. I wish there was something I could have done to help her. I have to say that Duck did remarkably well just standing there while this big horse ran around a bit RB'd. Exposure to other horses is helping to lower her personal bubble crabbiness!

We trotted a couple crossrails that she hopped over slightly. When getting back to her stall I wanted to back her in again (or try because it is very narrow) She kept rushing into the stall so I brought her out we found phase 4 to STOP before she went in. Turned her around, got her lined up, she then figured out what I wanted and backed right in! So now I know it IS possible even with that narrow of a door!

Tomorrow I probably won't be riding, just groundwork. Maybe we'll go check out the woods again....

The farrier is coming as well. Also going to to some undemanding time first. I think she is getting a bit tired from all the sudden riding!

Thresholds and riding

Today we spent about an hour on the ground working on thresholds. I was not very considerate of my horse the second day she was at the barn in May. She seemed fine. I took her for a "trail ride" around the property. There is a bit of a trail that goes off the hayfield and into the trees. Duck did very well while we were on this ride, but when I tried to take her over there again on the ground it was more than apparent that she wasn't confident about it. So well over a month ago we  played on the ground in the hayfield towards the trail. The opening to the trail is between a fence and a tree and it goes from the open hayfield into the mass amounts of forest. LOL So it is an obvious threshold. Last time we were still a good 100ft from the entrance to the trail when I quit.

We played approach and retreat in the hayfield and finally made it to where she was comfortable grazing right outside the opening. I then sent her in squeeze style and she promptly came right back out! We retreated further into the hayfield (towards her pasture and stall) and grazed. We repeated several times until she could stand in the "scary place". Then she grazed right outside the opening for quite awhile. I sent her in again and she took me for a walk into the woods in zone 5! We didn't go very far but then I went to zone 2 again and stood with her. We got comfortable standing and then retreated out.

Then we headed to the practice arena to ride. She seemed in tune with me so I just did one exercise on the ground sending her one way and then another and then got on. Funny thing she had more trouble today getting TO the arena (on the ground) so we had to stop a lot and retreat. One goal I have is to get her confident enough to ride from the barn to the arena and back by myself.

I got on and my goal for the day was to get her softer to my body and more responsive to direction. We have had issues with direction. She has her idea and then wants to pull on me. I got her going good on a figure 8 between 2 barrels walking and then trotted. It fell apart again. So we went back to a million transitions so I could try and get her trot softer. It seems when she started to trot today she was getting rushy. Nothing too much but not relaxed. It could of had to do with the fact that there was one more rider in the arena this time. I introduced myself and we started talking riding around together. Duck has a huge personal bubble and her horse was "intruding" into Duck's space, in Duck's mind anyway! Gently with the carrot stick I reminded her no "crabby" ears. After about 5 laps around she was happy next to the new horse. I was also pleased to find out that Liz, the rider I was talking with is also familiar with and has studied the program some! Cool! Of course I went off on a tangent about how much I enjoy it etc!

I also tried backing from zone 5 on the ground and getting Duck to back up with pressure on her tail. It was another brief attempt but I did get a couple steps!

All in all I am pleased with our session today even though she felt rushed trotting. I don't know if it is just my riding skills (or lack thereof) or if it is just her still being green and unconfident about the arena. 

Tomorrow I would like to continue with getting more direction at the trot. Perhaps tit for tat at the trot? We have done it at the walk several times and it went quite well. 

I would also like to learn to do driving game from zone 5 and need to refresh and watch the video again to see how to progress to that. I am sure it is a ways off but I want to put the foundation into place.

Freedom!!!!!

This week M-Th my boys are in Day camp from 9-1! Freeedddooooom! Time for some much needed play time this week! Of course I did a beeline straight to the barn today after I dropped them off with my cell phone in hand just in case! 

Duck was in her stall for the day since it is looking like it will be over 90 degrees again today. We started with some grazing (as usual) while I groomed her and then saddled. I put her on the 22 ft line to go to the arena. She offered to go in her stall and I was trying to think of what I could do to play in there while I was outside of it.  I thought I'd try to back her out while I was in zone 5, but I think I didn't have enough preparation in that area! :) We played with it a bit and then I ended when she took a few steps back towards me. When I came in the stall to back her out I figured out the problem. It is a pretty tight squeeze (her door doesn't open all the way) and so she wasn't even confident doing that. So we played with it and out she went. Now I know how to prepare! 

There were lessons going on in both arenas, the big arena had a group of 8 hunter/jumper students. The practice arena had 2 students as well. I decided to go for the empty roundpen. 

We got some cones and set them up in a line. Weaved her in and out of the cones on the 22ft line. Then I took off the rope and did it at liberty as well as a little sideways at liberty. She still tends to get very unconfident with any pressure so I make our liberty sessions very short!

 I then mounted up and played with the line of cones weaving through them. She is starting to follow my direction better with my body, but sometimes it still takes a lot. The group of 8 was causing quite a stir (bucking horses, and cantering rather quickly as a group) plus Duck's pasture mate Kay was in there so there were some moments of RB whinnying and the like. I have recently taken the strategy of just making her do A LOT when she does the whinnying. We back up a long way, go sideways, yield front end and hindquarters with a bit more energy than she would like to exert. It seems to be working as it brings her focus back to me. 

After the students left in the practice arena I took Duck over there and put her back on the 22ft line. We played with barrels and jumping them but she was more just knocking them around everywhere. She did sidepass onto the barrels which was nice and then stepped over with her hind legs to get off it! We played some circling where we practiced transitions. I don't very often play circling game and usually never without an obstacle involved but today she did well. We got transitions walk/trot both ways as well as a rough change of direction. I just don't want to overdo the circle game because last May we couldn't even circle without her rushing off at a dead run and pulling on the rope! So we've made progress! Still have a ways to go before submitting our transistions on line. 

I only had 2 tasks for level 2 left when Kira left. Transitions online and 7 games in 7 minutes at liberty. I knew then that it would be quite awhile before I would be able to submit them. Duck is still quite green and pretty much has not had a lot of consistent riding/play. But it seems we are getting closer! I can't wait! Everyone I was in level 2 with before or who got to level 2 has since passed and moved on to level 3! Here I am, taking the long road! 

We also did a little cantering in the round pen. Duck bucked a bit but I rode her forward through it until she gave me a nice canter. I still feel like I need to find a big horse that is used to cantering a lot and ride it just to remember how to canter on a big horse! I feel like I am not helping her at all at the canter because for the last 10 years almost exclusively I had been riding Kira and her 13.1 hand mustang/pony canter! Duck's just feels so different (way more upright and more motion) and I am lagging! I wonder if there is a way to simulate a canter that I can do at home? I'd love to practice being more fluid at the canter!

All in all it was a great day!  I am pleased with how Duck is coming along. I barely noticed any thresholds going to the arena which is a great improvement. Along with the fact that our steering seems to be getting better and softer which has been quite an issue for us! I think the trail ride yesterday helped with both those issues!

At the end of the session I briefly introduced backing from zone 5 with her next to the fence just to see if I could get a bit of understanding. She did seem to get it and we got a few steps! More to practice on next time!

Our first North Carolina Trail Ride

Today Duck got to learn what it was like to be a "real" horse! Some real trail work finally! YEAH! We went on our first trail ride in North Carolina to Latta Plantation!  It was a savvy trail ride with some other savvy club members (crosswise and Becky B). Lisa (Crosswise) was so patient when Duck was unconfident about the trailer. It took about 40 minutes for me to gain her confidence enough to load her. She did get a bit of a scraped nose on one of her quick exits from the trailer! Lisa was so nice that she unloaded both her mules so that I could put Duck on first because Duck was unsure about them and the trailer! 

It was a very HOT ride! It hit about 100 degrees outside (so much for the forecasted rain) while we were out! Duck was quite RB at first because of all the commotion at the trailhead.  She settled in some after some playing on the ground.  The shade and the breeze helped cool things off some although the humidity was quite high! We had one decent spook at the "monster" rocks where she spun around quickly but it wasn't difficult to manage. Those are the times that I miss Kira my trail loving and well trained mustang! It is so hard sometimes to go back to a green horse!

By the end although we didn't go too far in the heat Duck was exhausted both mentally and physically. You could just see how tired she was! She was almost in a full body sweat even though we hadn't done more than walk and stand! Definitely her emotions were high because there was a lot going on all around us! When we got back to the trailer we played again for about 20 minutes with the trailer. Duck was much more confident this time and loaded quite well.

Her trailer issues are my fault (but not totally). The last 2 times she has been trailered have involved lots of stress considering she had spent the majority of her life in Illinois at one farm. Last two trailerings have been:

1) from Illinois to North Carolina

2)From my last barn to the new barn in the new barn's trailer and with the barn owner

I don't have a trailer to play with so the only times she's gone on a trailer was throwing her world upside down and just getting on and going! Last time moving her to the new barn (at the first of May) she was unconfident getting on the trailer. I went to shut the gate of the farm and talked to her and she whinnyed a ton at me. It was almost like she was saying "where are we going now? I am scared? Will I be ok?"  I think she has had so much trauma from moving and not going back to the same place. When she got back to the barn today she was quite excited because her pasture mate was out in the pen and calling for her and quite on adrenaline. I thought she was going to jump out the window of the trailer! I untied her and threw the rope over her back to let her out. I wasn't about to get in the way of that! I think she was excited that she came back to the same place again for once!

All in all it was a great first trail ride. Not too demanding physically, but mentally she really had to tune in and we did a lot of little stuff and some sitting around too which will help with patience! 

Looking forward to many more trail rides to come!

Here I am on Duck in the shade of the trees

Duck heading back home to the barn
Lisa and Buster
Becky and Jake. Aren't these mules the cutest ever? I think so. The really funny part is they pretty much match Duck's color too! We were triplets today! One of them even has spots! More than Duck!
Duck Ear view. I think she has way cute ears!

Another Ride

Today I worked at the barn. So after I finished morning chores I decided to ride. I have to note that I bought Duck some horse treats at the tack store because I ran out of my homemade cookies. She doesn't like the store bought ones. She ate one and now she isn't interested at all and she keeps giving me the "where are my REAL treats?" question. But hey it's still a question!

Duck used to be kept on large pastures and able to graze a lot on real grass. Right now she is with one other horse and there is nothing but a couple weeds in her pen so she is very interested in grass. I have been trying to use this to my advantage! Today we played on the 22' and backed between 2 barrels. I am trying to be more aware of playing on the end of the 22' line in more preparation for liberty. It seems to be helping. We also did sideways from zone 1 and incorporated grass. 

For the riding part of our session we rode in the big practice arena today. Duck was for the most part much more relaxed being ridden. We trotted poles, stopped between the 2 barrels we previously backed through, and ate lots of grass as a reward (it is growing on the edges of the inside of the arena). Also did point to point with the grass and then did one whole lap of the arena using the same start/end point. The first time we trotted it. The second time Duck offered a canter so I went with it. I need to work on my cantering on another horse or something because I think I am just still so used to Kira and Duck has such a HUGE canter and very upright feeling compared to Kira. I feel so klutzy riding her canter! 

All in all it was a good session and there was definite improvement in our direction today as well. I still feel like I have to be too hard on the reins though when her idea isn't mine, so I need to find a more effective phase 4 a couple times so I can get it softened up. Tit for tat maybe? We've played that before too.

Back to play..after a MONTH off

Well between travel, house stuff, family visiting, bad weather this week in the evening (when I usually get to the barn) and more family obligations I haven't ridden in a month. It always seems to amaze me how time just keeps flying by whether I go to the barn or not. It always seems that I take 1 step forward and then 2 steps back! Play consistently for awhile, then stuff comes up and I haven't done anything for a month (or more!). 

Tonight I finally got to play with Duck again. It was such a perfect night (minus the bugs) Just 70 degrees! I got to the barn around 8:30pm. Got Duck out although I confess I wasn't giving her my full attention. I was talking on my cell phone for a bit while I grazed, brushed and then saddled her. We moseyed to the round pen, there are still a few thresholds to the arena which I backed off, stopped and then progressed through.

In the round pen we did a few ground exercises and she seemed ready to ride. Wrong assumption. She was moving as I was mounting but it was mild enough to still ride. I could feel some RB creeping in. I was right, within a minute she was whinnying and looking around. I decided to get her busy and with a lot of energy. We backed (a lot), yielded hindquarters, drove her front end around etc. Then I quit, and waited. No change and she starting fidgeting again. Repeat. Then this time when we stopped I felt a change. She was much more relaxed and wanted to stand there. We stood there and did nothing. A big lick and chew and a huge sigh. After that she went much nicer but I made it short. We moved more as a unit in harmony after that and it reminded me of how soft and how little it can take to ask and get a response with Duck.

This also brought me to my next realization. It's not a new one for me but just glaringly obvious in situations like this. I think how much further she would be along with a much savvier partner than me. I can see that she is capable of much more and that I am am super slow, boring etc for her. That is painful for me because I really, really like her and want to be better!

Well enough of that. It is what it is and I am excited now! We are going for a trail ride on Sunday afternoon! A REAL trail ride! I can't wait! Hopefully Duck will be happy about it too, and it won't become a real RB situation. She usually does well but we've had over a month off. And I don't know if it is just me reading it more, or just a phase for her but we've been more unconfident/ RB ever since she's been here in NC. Especially at our new barn. There is so much going on all the time that she is distracted and I feel like I am just managing RB behavior instead of progressing. That is part of my problem, although before last month when everything flipped upside down we had started to make progress!

Back to square one, again....