More Practice, but is it perfect practice?

We've been playing with the trailer a lot. Also playing with the pattern "follow the rail" a lot. I've spent quite a few sessions on both of these areas including today. Which leads me to the question am I following the "practice is only practice, only perfect practice makes progress" idea.  I've been playing with the trailer as often as I have time for (which I guess hasn't been super consistent) and Duck is still not confident with it. And our follow the rail too. We are doing better but it is certainly far from perfect. We still have issues just trotting, let alone cantering.

After my fun trail ride on my birthday Duck obviously had some issues with it. Many thresholds were crossed for both of us. Both times I went out after that to play with her I had major issues. I tried to ride and she wouldn't do anything! She was extremely dominant and was trying to leave the arena to eat grass! I tried to get off and fix it on the ground, thought it was better and then tried again. No dice. She was still really acting up. So I quit on a good note on the ground and left it. The same thing happened again the next time I went out to ride but not as bad. Then we had a major cold snap and I had a major lack of time. So I didn't even bother to try and ride. So I've just been grazing her a little at a time when I have time which of course she enjoys.

So today finally I had time to play and ride and it feels like we're making some progress but is it good enough quality? Yeah, that I am not sure of. 

Here is the other couple things. There are horses in the paddock that shares a fence with the arena. Duck has issues with other horses. Today she lunged at the one while I was riding. The other horses were acting totally friendly but Duck just has her hers flat back going at them for what looks like no apparent reason. This also happened at the first and only clinic I took Duck to in Illinois. She was very defensive of her space. I am still not sure if it is dominance or she is scared of them. 

We had fun today. I was riding bareback and in the halter and we got a really nice sideways a few times. There was a triple jump combination up and and took her to the jump then side passed to the left, then got in between the next two jumps and side passed to the right, and then once more to the left. That was one of the best sideways we've had, it felt so light! 

It was a good horsey day even if it was raining on us!

Birthday Trail Ride!!

I haven't been on a trail ride since August. I had been waiting for Duck's boots to come in (she had very sore feet) and then to have a weekend off from work, then trying to find someone with a trailer that wanted to go! I worked every weekend but the 13-14th in December (for which I was grateful for the extra hours), had family in town (yeah, and see my other blog for details) and then all the other stuff that comes along with the holidays so when an opportunity to go trail riding came up I jumped on the chance! So for my Birthday which was last Wednesday another boarder at our barn, Liz and I went for a trail ride at Cane Creek State Park which is about a little more than an hour from the barn.

First off excuse the lack of pictures. I took both of these right when we got there and then of course my camera died. It is probably better anyway because I don't think I would have been able to take many pictures anyway. Why? It was REALLY windy, and Duck hasn't ever been on a trail ride in the wind. Let's just say there were a lot of horse eating plastic, deer, etc that made me wish I had saddled her western instead of english! It was very fun though and good exposure for both Duck and I. So below is Liz and her cute boy Eli, and then one I took of Duck (obviously too close).

Liz has a 2 horse straight load trailer which Duck did pretty well with. I went to the barn early to practice loading. We are getting there on the trailer loading. Duck is always worse on the way back, it was about 45 min to load on the way back, but now I know more what to work on. The Butt bar near her rump seems to be an issue so I will be playing more with that. On the flip side though she did really, really well getting out of the trailer. She backed slowly out only when asked.

What beautiful trails! The trails at this state park go all around Cane Creek Reservoir which is beautiful. We even stopped for lunch at a picnic area overlooking the reservoir.  So many wonderful trees, and the trails are very easy. The first time we went past the reservoir Duck didn't want anything to do with it. The second time we stopped at the reservoir she stepped into the water (a little too far for my comfort) got a big drink and really tried out those new boots! Of course it was very muddy and they stayed put! I was happy about that!

I need to play more with plastic flapping around her. I thought I had done ok on that one but most of what she really spooked at was plastic flapping. One was an orange plastic barrier, another a garbage can liner. The other 2 things she really spooked at were deer running that we couldn't see while we were between a chain link fence and a bunch of trees and my favorite, out on the parking lot we crossed some dead leaves when flying towards us and for a minute I thought I was a goner! LOL. I kept telling Duck that she couldn't pitch me on my birthday!

All in all it was a wonderful trail ride with great company. We even stopped at the Waxhaw Tack exchange on the way back. I couldn't of asked for a better birthday because when I got home Niels had gotten an ice cream cake, we did presents and then Niels and I went out to dinner. Top that off with a few phone calls wishing me happy birthday from family and friends and it was a great day, even if I did turn the big 3-0!