Sunday, December 12, 2010
Rescuing Fiona: Cantor, cantor, cantor....and more training notes
Rescuing Fiona: Cantor, cantor, cantor....and more training notes: "I am happy to report that I rode my 'practice' horse Cinnabar at a cantor today. He was quite the runner for a 20+ year old horse. I leverag..."
Cantor, cantor, cantor....and more training notes
I am happy to report that I rode my "practice" horse Cinnabar at a cantor today. He was quite the runner for a 20+ year old horse. I leveraged what I called a "bait horse". Cinny has a crush on the mare in the turnout next to him, she had just returned from a trail ride and was getting a bath at one end of the arena. I swear I could hear the song Dreamweaver playing in his head while he watched her. He is SO over the moon for this mare. All I had to do was turn his nose toward her and let him go...he went down there so fast one time that I got tossed forward and almost fell off. It was great and he was loving it, except when i turned him around when we got down there and made him do it again...that was not cool in his book. He did it though..about 8 times.
Then, we had our first spook. I still don't know what did it, but we both made it through the ordeal. He spun around and started prancing...it was actually pretty funny after the fact. He had so much energy, but he knew I wasn't going to let him just bolt off, so instead..he started dancing. It was hilarious.
I got some more notes from Don and there's some good news at the end of them.....
"Nov 21 - Let out in arena, worked until she had a good sweat - walked around property
Nov 28 - Let out in arena, worked up a sweat, worked in 2 roundpens - Rope around neck, working the rope on and off of her head. Tied up for an hour
Nov 29 - Worked in big arena, easy to catch - Canter circles - worked 2 smal arenas with rope.
Nov 30 - Worked in roundpens and big arena tied up for an hour, light day
Dec 1 - Small roundpen, 1/2 hour - rope 1/2 plastic bag, new experience.
Dec 2 - Worked in roundpen - tied up by tack room 8 hours - worked with blanket - worked out with white plastic bag
Dec 3 - Roundpen, plastic bag canter circles both ways. Trim feet - 1 hr am roundpen, canter circles, work with plastic bag, rubbed her face, touch her all over with plastic bag. Work rope all over her body making her stand and being calm 1 hr.
Dec 4 - Roundpen working rope over her head and rear, plastic bag 1 hr.
Dec 5 - Stephanie worked horse led her around property
Dec 6&7 off
Dec 8 - Worked mare 1.5 in roundpen rope and walked over blue tarp - GOOD!
Dec 9 - Worked in roundpen tarp, rope 1.5 ground drive - real comfortable going over tarp no problem
Dec 10 - Round pen tarp. Lunging both directions over tarp, Saddle, ground drive - 2 hours no problem wiht saddle ground drive. stop and turn real good with just a halter, tied up for an hour real quiet.
Dec 11 - Lunge mare saddle, ground drive, good stop - turns very well. Salle no problem - 1.5 PM lunge mare for half hour, throw rope above her head and ears ok. Plastic bag rub her all over, ok
Dec 12 - Lung - saddle - ground drive, very nice ground driving - stop turn right or left noce back - lines and halter. saddle blanket ok, saddle ok, cinch little bit of a problem watch her head and rear end. Nothing serious.
Mare is ready to ride needs to be handled nearly every day - No self confidence. Thank you Don Mutschler."
Don still doesn't think I should ride Fiona, but he is having someone else, named Samantha, ride her a few times to determine if I can handle her. I am supposed to meet with Samantha tomorrow morning. I am truly excited!
Then, we had our first spook. I still don't know what did it, but we both made it through the ordeal. He spun around and started prancing...it was actually pretty funny after the fact. He had so much energy, but he knew I wasn't going to let him just bolt off, so instead..he started dancing. It was hilarious.
I got some more notes from Don and there's some good news at the end of them.....
"Nov 21 - Let out in arena, worked until she had a good sweat - walked around property
Nov 28 - Let out in arena, worked up a sweat, worked in 2 roundpens - Rope around neck, working the rope on and off of her head. Tied up for an hour
Nov 29 - Worked in big arena, easy to catch - Canter circles - worked 2 smal arenas with rope.
Nov 30 - Worked in roundpens and big arena tied up for an hour, light day
Dec 1 - Small roundpen, 1/2 hour - rope 1/2 plastic bag, new experience.
Dec 2 - Worked in roundpen - tied up by tack room 8 hours - worked with blanket - worked out with white plastic bag
Dec 3 - Roundpen, plastic bag canter circles both ways. Trim feet - 1 hr am roundpen, canter circles, work with plastic bag, rubbed her face, touch her all over with plastic bag. Work rope all over her body making her stand and being calm 1 hr.
Dec 4 - Roundpen working rope over her head and rear, plastic bag 1 hr.
Dec 5 - Stephanie worked horse led her around property
Dec 6&7 off
Dec 8 - Worked mare 1.5 in roundpen rope and walked over blue tarp - GOOD!
Dec 9 - Worked in roundpen tarp, rope 1.5 ground drive - real comfortable going over tarp no problem
Dec 10 - Round pen tarp. Lunging both directions over tarp, Saddle, ground drive - 2 hours no problem wiht saddle ground drive. stop and turn real good with just a halter, tied up for an hour real quiet.
Dec 11 - Lunge mare saddle, ground drive, good stop - turns very well. Salle no problem - 1.5 PM lunge mare for half hour, throw rope above her head and ears ok. Plastic bag rub her all over, ok
Dec 12 - Lung - saddle - ground drive, very nice ground driving - stop turn right or left noce back - lines and halter. saddle blanket ok, saddle ok, cinch little bit of a problem watch her head and rear end. Nothing serious.
Mare is ready to ride needs to be handled nearly every day - No self confidence. Thank you Don Mutschler."
Don still doesn't think I should ride Fiona, but he is having someone else, named Samantha, ride her a few times to determine if I can handle her. I am supposed to meet with Samantha tomorrow morning. I am truly excited!
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Rescuing Fiona: I need to retire...this is too much fun
Rescuing Fiona: I need to retire...this is too much fun: "The more I play with my horse, the more I hate my job. :) I have so much to tell and no picture or video to back it up. Hmpf. I made it all ..."
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
I need to retire...this is too much fun
The more I play with my horse, the more I hate my job. :) I have so much to tell and no picture or video to back it up. Hmpf. I made it all the way to the stable yesterday to realize that the camera didn't have a battery in it.
So, I am going to share Don's (Fiona's new trainer) notes from the first 2 weeks of work.
11/1 - Saddle- work in roundpen - ground drive, no turn or stop but would back up. Layed down, didn't go easily - kept her down first time for 25 mins before she relaxed. Layed down twice more. Horse bucked hard when saddled - skinned her knees - tied her for 5 hours (he means tying her to a post with access to water, this is not abuse so don't even start)
11/8 - Tied for 2.5 hours - bridle - roundpen 1/2 hour ground drive.
11/9 - Off
11/10 - Tied for 2 hours - Roundpen - rope. Tied her head down (not sure what this means) and left her in Roundpen for 3 hrs.
11/11 - 8cc wormer, bridle tied up for 6 hours, roundpen ground drive
11/12 - ground drive - tied up - lead around property. Mare getting much better. Calm. Touch her head (she enjoys this). Can't pony because she bites and tries to kick lead horse - very mean in one sense but no self confidence. Every thing and every day is a new experience. She trust me and when in fear comes to me for a companion!! Help me - written all over.
11/13 - Tied up in new area for 2.5 hours calmed down after about 15 mins. Ground drive - very nice!
11/14 - Worked in roundpen 1/2 hour in morning walked around property. Everything went well. Worked in roundpen again in the PM. Mare will stand at command and likes to be bruched and touched on forehead and ears.
11/15 - Worked in roundpen. Run both ways stops and comes to me when asked. Put a good sweat on - tied up for 4 hours - ground drive - good one rein stops, turns well - Pick up feet now easily - leads well.
11/16 - Work in roundpen - Brush - pick up feet - tied up 2 hours - ground drive - works well not afraid of ropes. stop - back up, turns, liked to have head rubbed.
11/17 - Roundpen - follows and leads well. Spook starting to go away. Tractors and cars, tied 3 hours by tack room - ground drive
11/18 - Roundpen 1 hr - rope on her head getting much better - tied up by my tack room - roping dummy beside her - a little nervous - but not overly. Mare like to run (lord help me, and that's not from Don's notes) starting to get control on voice commands.
11/?? - Set out in roundpen - worked only about 20 mins.
Those are all the notes I have so far, but here's the kicker...she MUCH better with her ground manners. The even BETTER news is, he desensitized her to PLASTIC BAGS! Now you have to understand, most horses are annoyed by plastic bags but they were a mortal enemy to Fiona. Last Sunday, I watch Don rub her stem to stern with a plastic bag and she barely moved a muscle. She wasn't thrilled about it, but she DIDN'T spook! It was amazing!
We walked her across the property and she was so calm I was actively LOOKING for ways to get her excited! I was unsuccessful, and VERY happy about it.
So the interesting part is that Don started out not thinking this mare was going to make it through her issues. I am still not sure he believes that *I* am going to make it past my fears and insecurities about riding her, but he is convinced the horse will be ok. I have got news for him, we are BOTH going to get through this and we will ride together.
I didn't come this far to not realize my dream. My dream is to take Fiona out to a wide open, flat area, lean down and whisper in her ear, "You remember all those years that you were locked in that stall, and you couldn't stretch your legs? Well I want you to let all that out." Then I give her a good squeeze in the sides and we take off at a full gallop. We just run it all out of her...all the fear, all the boredom and all the mean, nastiness of her past owner. We just run it all out of me, all the fear, all the boredom and all the mean, nastiness I have endured from doubters. Oh it's going to happen and I can't wait to share this accomplishment when the world. :)
So, I am going to share Don's (Fiona's new trainer) notes from the first 2 weeks of work.
11/1 - Saddle- work in roundpen - ground drive, no turn or stop but would back up. Layed down, didn't go easily - kept her down first time for 25 mins before she relaxed. Layed down twice more. Horse bucked hard when saddled - skinned her knees - tied her for 5 hours (he means tying her to a post with access to water, this is not abuse so don't even start)
11/8 - Tied for 2.5 hours - bridle - roundpen 1/2 hour ground drive.
11/9 - Off
11/10 - Tied for 2 hours - Roundpen - rope. Tied her head down (not sure what this means) and left her in Roundpen for 3 hrs.
11/11 - 8cc wormer, bridle tied up for 6 hours, roundpen ground drive
11/12 - ground drive - tied up - lead around property. Mare getting much better. Calm. Touch her head (she enjoys this). Can't pony because she bites and tries to kick lead horse - very mean in one sense but no self confidence. Every thing and every day is a new experience. She trust me and when in fear comes to me for a companion!! Help me - written all over.
11/13 - Tied up in new area for 2.5 hours calmed down after about 15 mins. Ground drive - very nice!
11/14 - Worked in roundpen 1/2 hour in morning walked around property. Everything went well. Worked in roundpen again in the PM. Mare will stand at command and likes to be bruched and touched on forehead and ears.
11/15 - Worked in roundpen. Run both ways stops and comes to me when asked. Put a good sweat on - tied up for 4 hours - ground drive - good one rein stops, turns well - Pick up feet now easily - leads well.
11/16 - Work in roundpen - Brush - pick up feet - tied up 2 hours - ground drive - works well not afraid of ropes. stop - back up, turns, liked to have head rubbed.
11/17 - Roundpen - follows and leads well. Spook starting to go away. Tractors and cars, tied 3 hours by tack room - ground drive
11/18 - Roundpen 1 hr - rope on her head getting much better - tied up by my tack room - roping dummy beside her - a little nervous - but not overly. Mare like to run (lord help me, and that's not from Don's notes) starting to get control on voice commands.
11/?? - Set out in roundpen - worked only about 20 mins.
Those are all the notes I have so far, but here's the kicker...she MUCH better with her ground manners. The even BETTER news is, he desensitized her to PLASTIC BAGS! Now you have to understand, most horses are annoyed by plastic bags but they were a mortal enemy to Fiona. Last Sunday, I watch Don rub her stem to stern with a plastic bag and she barely moved a muscle. She wasn't thrilled about it, but she DIDN'T spook! It was amazing!
We walked her across the property and she was so calm I was actively LOOKING for ways to get her excited! I was unsuccessful, and VERY happy about it.
So the interesting part is that Don started out not thinking this mare was going to make it through her issues. I am still not sure he believes that *I* am going to make it past my fears and insecurities about riding her, but he is convinced the horse will be ok. I have got news for him, we are BOTH going to get through this and we will ride together.
I didn't come this far to not realize my dream. My dream is to take Fiona out to a wide open, flat area, lean down and whisper in her ear, "You remember all those years that you were locked in that stall, and you couldn't stretch your legs? Well I want you to let all that out." Then I give her a good squeeze in the sides and we take off at a full gallop. We just run it all out of her...all the fear, all the boredom and all the mean, nastiness of her past owner. We just run it all out of me, all the fear, all the boredom and all the mean, nastiness I have endured from doubters. Oh it's going to happen and I can't wait to share this accomplishment when the world. :)
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Rescuing Fiona: Quick update...more later
Rescuing Fiona: Quick update...more later: "So, first for a quick update. Fiona is doing great, she's gaining weight and training with Don is going well. She leads MUCH better. The oth..."
Quick update...more later
So, first for a quick update. Fiona is doing great, she's gaining weight and training with Don is going well. She leads MUCH better. The other day Don was leading her and I was walking with them. One of the dogs that lives at the stable barked at us from about 30 feet away. We are not talking a little warning bark, this was a "get away or I am going to rip your head off bark".
Fiona ran forward around Don and turned to see what the noise was, then she stopped! She calmed right down and kept walking. She was a little jittery after that, spooked at a truck behind us, spooked at my car parked in an odd spot. These were minor scares though. Several months ago, that dog barking would have caused her to drag Don halfway across the property.
The first saddling with Don didn't go well. Fiona bucked and fell down on her knees. I didn't see it, but apparently it was a pretty bad blow up. She also bit Don's Palomino gelding. I felt awful about that. She's usually very good around other horses. During a drill team event at Red Mountain last month, an arabian and a palomino were trying to go after each other...maybe it's a cultural thing? :)
On of Don's recommendations to me was to ride a horse every time I am at the stable. So, I have done exactly that. On nights that I don't have lessons, I ride other people's horses. My latest riding companion is Cinnabar (Sinny for short). He is...get this...a 22 year old Polish Arabian and he is FULL OF IT! He is all the things Fiona is, but oddly not dangerous. He is pushy, he had a mind of his own. He is ALWAYS checking things around him, ears in the air. He doesn't hold still to get on or to get saddled. He is the perfect horse for me to practice on! He is easy to ride, it's like once you are on him he is a different horse. He does spook sometimes, but very slightly and it doesn't cause him to jump sideways or bolt.
I found this picture on the Wildhorse web site a while back. I can't believe how different Fiona looks now. I will have some more pictures to post in the next few days. She looks like she loaths being touched in this picture and now she LOVES being rubbed and scratched. More soon.....
Fiona ran forward around Don and turned to see what the noise was, then she stopped! She calmed right down and kept walking. She was a little jittery after that, spooked at a truck behind us, spooked at my car parked in an odd spot. These were minor scares though. Several months ago, that dog barking would have caused her to drag Don halfway across the property.
The first saddling with Don didn't go well. Fiona bucked and fell down on her knees. I didn't see it, but apparently it was a pretty bad blow up. She also bit Don's Palomino gelding. I felt awful about that. She's usually very good around other horses. During a drill team event at Red Mountain last month, an arabian and a palomino were trying to go after each other...maybe it's a cultural thing? :)
On of Don's recommendations to me was to ride a horse every time I am at the stable. So, I have done exactly that. On nights that I don't have lessons, I ride other people's horses. My latest riding companion is Cinnabar (Sinny for short). He is...get this...a 22 year old Polish Arabian and he is FULL OF IT! He is all the things Fiona is, but oddly not dangerous. He is pushy, he had a mind of his own. He is ALWAYS checking things around him, ears in the air. He doesn't hold still to get on or to get saddled. He is the perfect horse for me to practice on! He is easy to ride, it's like once you are on him he is a different horse. He does spook sometimes, but very slightly and it doesn't cause him to jump sideways or bolt.
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| Sam and Fiona at Wildhorse Ranch Rescue |
Monday, November 1, 2010
Back in the saddle again
So tonight was me first riding lesson since my gallblader surgery and I am SOOORE! Holy Moly! There is some muscle, tendon, ligament..something that runs from the top of your foot, up the front of your leg and around your hip to your butt cheek and mine is KILLING ME!
The ride itself was great, we trotted almost the entire lesson. We worked on diagonals and steering with your legs. It was tough, even the invincible lesson horse Snowbell (who Deb calls Snowbelly, I love that) a 25 year old Arabian mare was feeling the pain. She's a worker though, she was huffing and puffing and still trying to push the pace faster than I was asking for. Gotta love those Arabians for stamina.
After the lesson I took Fiona out in the roundpen and we just walked around together. She followed me pretty much everywhere. The only time she wandered was when Deb brought grain for the other horses and who could blame her, right?
I couldn't believe how hooked on she was. I think I am going to start putting some "obstacles" in the roundpen to build her confidence. She needs to start learning that not everything is going to kill her. She saw a grill the other day and did a full-on, legs out to the sides, cartoon scare. Next a woman slammed her trunk right next to her, and that sent her running behind me. I swear it's like she tries to hide behind me when she spooks. It does no good to point out that she outweighs me by 600 lbs., I have tried.
Don is going to start working with her next week. I am pretty excited about that.
The ride itself was great, we trotted almost the entire lesson. We worked on diagonals and steering with your legs. It was tough, even the invincible lesson horse Snowbell (who Deb calls Snowbelly, I love that) a 25 year old Arabian mare was feeling the pain. She's a worker though, she was huffing and puffing and still trying to push the pace faster than I was asking for. Gotta love those Arabians for stamina.
After the lesson I took Fiona out in the roundpen and we just walked around together. She followed me pretty much everywhere. The only time she wandered was when Deb brought grain for the other horses and who could blame her, right?
I couldn't believe how hooked on she was. I think I am going to start putting some "obstacles" in the roundpen to build her confidence. She needs to start learning that not everything is going to kill her. She saw a grill the other day and did a full-on, legs out to the sides, cartoon scare. Next a woman slammed her trunk right next to her, and that sent her running behind me. I swear it's like she tries to hide behind me when she spooks. It does no good to point out that she outweighs me by 600 lbs., I have tried.
Don is going to start working with her next week. I am pretty excited about that.
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